Silk Spinning with Sue Hiley Harris

We had an amazing day yesterday with Sue Hiley Harris, weaver-sculptor extraordinaire and an excellent teacher. ( http://www.suehileyharris.co.uk )Patiently and clearly she explained the entire process of silk yarn manufacture from silkworm to the finished product.  Now we all understand the differences between reeled, thrown and spun silk, and know why tussah silk is coloured (it's the oak leaves the caterpillars feed on, rather than the white mulberry leaves eaten by Bombyx caterpillars) and understand why noil silk is full of bits (the last shed skin of the caterpillar).
Sue showed us how to spin silk fibre in all its' variety - and she even examined our spinning wheels, and advised on how to optimise their performance for fine spinning.  Although there were no real beginners in the group, I think we all valued the chance to get back to basics and revisit the mechanics of "double drive", "Scotch tension", bobbin or flyer brakes.
And then spinning the silk itself!  Sue taught us how to produce a smooth yarn, analagous to the worsted woolen yarn, slub yarns, and the wonderful noil yarn spun by the long draw technique.  She also taught us how to use carders properly, and produce beautiful silk rolags.  A world of spinning in one day.
Our very grateful thanks to Sue for a wonderful day - we learnt such a lot and are determined to practise until we get it right and can produce perfectly spun silk yarn.

Bombyx mori cocoons

Poised for the long draw.....

Beautiful rolags!

Even the rubbishy bits look great!

We were also very pleased to welcome members of the Cheshire and North Cheshire Guilds, and hope to see them again in the future.

Nearly there?

At our evening meeting this week, the Ty Hafan blanket was spread out on the floor - and it's almost finished.  At least, only a couple more squares are required, and quite a lot of the ones we have are sewn together.  Perhaps we will complete it before the All Wales Meeting in Llanidloes in October, two years after we started?
AC

Bookings for Silk Spinning Workshop are under way

Notices have gone out to North Wales Guilds and
beyond with booking details and a list of requirements
to bring on the day. Bookings are still being taken!

A reminder now that payment is requested beforehand
to secure a place. Contact abergelewsatgooglemail.com
or llysfaenbryathotmail.co.uk.   A map of AGWSD location
can be attached to an email reply or posted on request.  

FORTHCOMING EVENTS 2011

Here are some events you may be interested in attending over the coming months.  Further details are usually available from the relevant organisers:

Wonderwool Wales:  Royal Welsh Showground, nr. Builth Wells. 9th. & 10th. April
http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk
Woodfest Wales: Kinmel Park, Abergele. 28th., 29th., 30th. May.
 http://www.woodfestwales.co.uk
Woolfest (Cumbria):    Mitchell's Lakeland Livestock Centre, Cockermouth,  24th., 25th. June. http://www.woolfest.co.uk
All Wales Meeting:  Minerva Centre, Llanidloes. 8th. October

New Zealand Flax weaving with Judith Ferns

...or, The Tale of a Bag.
We had another enjoyable evening meeting last night:  Judith Ferns came to teach us how to weave with New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax).  This useful plant has great spiritual significance for the Maori, but in mountainous North Wales we're lucky if we can get it to grow at all.  It does, however, grow down on the coast in the "banana belt", and supplies can be scrounged from friends.  The leaves are split along the "grain" to yield strong strips for weaving, and fibre can be peeled out of the leaves as well.  Judith brought several bags and vessels made using different weaving and plying techniques and materials.
We learned the basic technique by making a bracelet - once the principles are learned you can, in theory, make anything you fancy...

Phormium tenax (it doesn't actually grow in black bin bags)

A long wide strip wound around itself twice, and secured with a peg, and the outside layer split into 3 along the length of the leaf.

A thinner "weaver" passed round and round, woven between the "weft" strands and secured with another peg.

The finished article, showing the weaving.

Many thanks to Judith for trekking all the way from the other side of Chester.
However..... when it was time to pack up, and after Judith had left (in the pitch dark and high wind), we discovered a handbag at the back of the hall.  It contained all the usual, important things like money, spectacles, mobile phone - and a Co-Op card for Mrs. J. Ferns.....   Eventually we managed to call Mr. J. Ferns and leave a message for Judith, and yours truly went home (in the pitch dark and high wind) promising to take said bag to its' owner in the morning.  However... my lane is being resurfaced, and there was a temporary step down from the road to the slippery verge where I usually park.  To cut a long story short, in the pitch dark, I managed to wedge my car between the step and a grit bin, whence there was no escape.  So Judith and Jim had to come all the way over to pick up the bag, when Judith should have been packing to go to a Basket Makers' Event in Oxford. Judith had to walk the last bit, as the road crew were busy in the middle of the lane, but the bag is now home again.
All's well that ends well, and the resurfacing gang pushed my car free this afternoon (it took four of them -so thank you to Conwy Council Highways Department.)  They have also turned the step into a ramp, so I shall be able to get in and out again soon.

A little late for St. David's Day

Our afternoon meeting this week was the day after Gwyl Dewi Sant (St. David's Day).  No daffodils out yet in LlanfairTH, and a vicious frost overnight.  In fact, not all the snowdrops are in bloom yet...

Snowdrops glowing in the gloom,

daffodils thinking about opening, but perhaps not yet...

and pussy willows on Salix irorata - don't know if it yields a dye, although the bark is a purplish red;

..but Spring is nearly here.

However, JM has already been busy dyeing:  the amazing orange was achieved with eucalyptus leaves (the yellow is from the "exhaust", i.e. the colour left after the first dyebatch).
AC