HTS November 2009 Newsletter

HTS Newsletter, November, 2009
Volunteer editor: Gary Lee Phillips, tivo.overo at gmail.com

November Meeting : Show Discussion & Challenge Plans

Our next meeting will take place on Saturday, November 14, at 10 am at The Fold, 3316 Millstream Rd., Marengo (directions available here.) This month's meeting includes discussion of guild challenges for 2010, and retrospective on this year's show. As always, bring your current project to work on or show off, and a brown bag lunch if desired.

December 12 meeting reminder: This is our annual holiday pot luck. Bring a dish to pass, and if you wish to participate in the grab bag gift swap, a gift valued at $10 or less in a plain wrapper.

NEW: You can now subscribe to the HTS newsletter using an RSS reader. Many e-mail programs, such as Thunderbird or Outlook Express, have this capability. The newsletter updates will arrive automatically in your mailbox, ready to read.
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The deadline for the next newsletter will be November 28, 2009. If you are submitting material for inclusion in the newsletter, I really would appreciate having it by the deadline. The newsletter continues to be delayed by late announcements and information, and I would much prefer to get it out to you several days earlier than is now possible.

From the Guild President

Show Highlights

ow that the lint has been dusted from the Woodstock Arts Center, now that another October show is in the bag, it is time to look back on the events of the last year.

Congratulations, Susan Rubendall, for winning best in show.

We did ourselves proud.

There were sweaters, shrugs and shawls:

Socks of all sizes:

Baby surprises:

blankies,

bags,

scarfs,

and skeins galore.

We spinners did ourselves proud - which is why even the weavers got into spinning. Can you tell who is the real spinner and who is the imitation one?

On to next year. We have two challenges for 2010. First, everyone is invited to spin and knit the Horseshoe Cap. In fact, try it several times, in different fibers, just to see what happens. The pattern and directions are found at:

http://www.spinoffmagazine.com/horseshoecap

Also, the race is on. Who can spin the most singles, beginning October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010? Gary will be keeping a list - a list of twist.

See you all on November 14. If you haven't picked up your show submissions before then, you can get them at Toni's on the 14th.

—Barb

From the Editor...

Of Order and Chaos

The show was a big success, and I think our best ever. The judge's ratings are available here. Now is the time to talk about challenges and plans for next year. One of our challenges is the SpinOff Horseshoe Cap, and you will see more discussion of that here and at the meeting. Another, which appears for the first time in this newsletter, is the Yardage Challenge. It's very simple: keep track of the number of yards of singles you have spun each month, and send it to us by the newsletter deadline. I will add the numbers all up, and post a running total for the year. I believe we can reach a cumulative total of 50 miles or more in twelve months, if everyone just reports their numbers. If you prefer not to have your individual total shown with your name, that's fine, just tell me so and I'll add it in anonymously. The "Scoreboard" will show the overall guild total since October 1, 2009 as well as individual totals for those who are willing to have their name appear.

And a big reminder from Toni: When you pay any fee to Hollow Tree Spinners by check, whether for dues, show entry fees, commissions, or other, you must make the check out to "The Fold" (you can write "for Hollow Tree" in the memo space at the bottom if you wish.) Hollow Tree Spinners do not have their own bank account, and there is no way for us to cash checks made out directly to Hollow Tree Spinners. If you make the check out the wrong way, it has to be returned to you to be rewritten. So please take care to follow these instructions.

I put the following essay into my weaving blog this month on the topic of "Order and Chaos." I hope you find it interesting and I'd be glad to hear your own views on the subject.

Sleying the reed
Originally uploaded by Altivo

I finished threading the new warp on the Norwood this morning and, after a break for breakfast and barn chores, returned to start sleying the reed. That's a second step in threading, in which every warp thread is pulled through one of the slots in a comb-like device that is set into the beater. After each pick of weft is passed across the warp, the beater pulls the reed down against the forming edge of the fabric (the fell) to pack the weft down evenly and keep the warp threads arranged at equal distances. For this particular warp, I'm using a reed with ten slots (or dents) per inch, so exactly one warp thread goes through each slot in the reed.

When I had 60 or so warp ends pulled through the reed, I paused to admire the orderly parallel lie of the warp ends and realized that weaving is really about order. The weaver creates order in a chaotic environment, usually a rigidly enforced and precise order. The strength of fabric depends on that order, as does its ability to hold its shape and resist wear. In fact, sometimes we impose such good order that we have to undo some of it in the end to round the corners and soften the edges, so to speak. Woolen cloth in particular is usually fulled to soften it and make it thicker and warmer. This is done by washing and beating the fabric so that the wool fibers slip out of line a bit and contract, fluffing and thickening in the process. For some woolens, we also brush the surface with stiff brushes to pull out the ends of the fibers and make the surface fuzzy and resilient. Blankets are traditionally treated in this manner. Silks and linens are mangled or beaten, a process in which they are deliberately abused in order to bend and soften the fibers.

On the whole, though, weavers are creating order, imposing a rigid structure on threads that would otherwise lie limp and tangled. Knitters do something similar, but by a different means.

Spinners, on the other paw, often work to create chaos or disorder first. This happens not so much in the spinning process itself, which does impose a sort of order that is often resisted by the fibers as they try to unwind themselves again, but in the preparation for spinning. Wool is carded not just to make the fibers lie parallel but to make a certain percentage of them lie in random orientation. This produces a fluffier yarn that holds air and therefore insulates better. The garment feels warmer as a result. Wool and other animal fibers are typically washed once again after spinning with the express intention of both setting the twist (like setting hair with a permanent) and of letting the fibers relax and form a halo of loose fuzzy ends around the core of yarn (chaos again.) When we make felt from wool, we are pushing the chaos farther, deliberately tangling those fibers until they can't be untangled without cutting them.

No wonder, I thought, that the Ancient Greeks associated fate with spinning and weaving. The three Fates (or Moirae) were sisters who controlled the destiny of all humans. Clotho spun the fiber of life on her spindle. Lachesis measured and wove the spun threads into the tapestry of life in an orderly and controlled manner. Atropos (whose name can be translated loosely as "Untwisting" or even "Disorder") cut the threads, or sometimes tore or bit them, bringing life to an end and forcing Clotho ("Spinner") and Lachesis ("Measurer") to repair and reweave with new threads always.

Other thought systems often have similar concepts, expressed frequently in dualities in which one force represents creation and order, while the other is destruction and chaos. As a weaver, I have chosen the side of order, but I occasionally wonder if it isn't essential to balance that with some energy from the other side. It's a direction I've seldom taken, but sometimes it's necessary.

—Gary

Challenges for 2010

We traditionally suggest a challenge project each year to keep members inspired and motivated for the show in the fall. This year we have two challenges.

The first is the SpinOff Horseshoe Cap, already mentioned here and on the discussion list. More details will be available at this month's meeting. This little project requires only about 120 yards of handspun, any fiber and color you choose, to be knit up into a hat in the pattern given at the link above. You submit the hat, with samples of the yarn and fiber, to SpinOff and they will select some for presentation in the magazine. All entries will be returned in plenty of time for the show next fall. The only catch is the submission deadline, which is quite early in 2010.

The second challenge is our Yardage Challenge, also mentioned above. I am challenging the entire guild on this one. Can we spin 50 miles of singles over the next twelve months? I believe we can. Here's how it works:

You keep track of the number of yards of singles yarn you spin each month. Use whatever method works for you, just be sure you count only the singles and count them only one time. (I wait until I ply, then measure the yardage on the niddy noddy and multiply by the number of plies in the final yarn.) Before the deadline of the newsletter, mail your yardage count for the month to me at tivo.overo at gmail.com with the subject heading "October yardage" or "November yardage" or whatever. Include your name, the number of yards for that month, and be sure to tell me whether you want your name in the newsletter or not.

I'll keep the running totals in a spreadsheet, and each month we'll have a scoreboard, sort of like a bowling league report, giving the total yardage for the year, the totals for the month, and the average amount spun each month. A figure for the whole guild will appear at the top, with figures for individual spinners on lines below. If you don't want your results broken out individually, that's fine. Just tell me so and I'll add you in to the guild total anonymously.

I realize that most of you probably didn't hear about this, though we discussed it on the mailing list, but you can still send me totals for October or just include them in your November figure.

— Gary

Yardage Challenge

Entire Guild, October 1, 2009 to date: 3100 yards (1.76 miles)

October totals by individual:

Barb B: 1500 yards
Gary P: 1168 yards
Harriet R: 190 yards
Susan R: 150 yards
Jean V: 92 yards

Found on the Web

For your interest and amusement, we include submitted links here:

From an India news service: Humble Charkha Registers Record Sales

I can vouch for the last claim. As Gandhi and his supporters originally stated, spinning on the charkha has a meditative and soothing effect. Those of us who spin with hand spindles or European style wheels are aware of this as well, of course, but the charkha is nearly as portable as the spindle and much more productive with many fibers.

—Gary

Hollow Tree Calendar 2009

Programs for the new year: This year's schedule will be announced as early as possible both at meetings and in the newsletter. Note that all workshops are optional, and you are welcome to come and socialize or sit & spin during workshops. All of this year's presentations will be led by members, so there will be no fees. Refer questions about events or schedule to Susan at SusanRubendall at aol.com.

January 10: Support Spindles (free mini-workshop)
February 14: Icelandic Sheep Presentation
March 14: Combing and Carding (free mini-workshop)
April 11: Plying (free mini-workshop)
May 9: To be announced
June 13: Annual Flea Market - Swap or Sell
July 11: Natural Dyeing (free mini-workshop)
August 8: Show projects and discussion
September 12: Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, no meeting
October 10: Spinning on the Square - Visit the Show
November 14: Show results, Challenge planning
December 12: Holiday potluck with optional gift exchange

There are now ten months left until all show projects for 2010 must be complete. If you didn't enter at least a skein or two in 2009, shame on you. Now is the time to start planning for next year's show.

Upcoming Fiber Events

If you know of an upcoming event, or have a press release or web link, send it to Gary (tivo.overo at gmail.com) in time for the previous month's deadline in order to make sure it gets into the newsletter in time.

Ongoing Sit & Spin:: Wednesdays, except holidays, 8 to 10 am at Starbuck's on the Square in Woodstock. Casual group meets to spin, knit, and chat. Good fun, no reservation needed. Come join us. Call The Fold at 815-568-5320 a day or two ahead to make sure we will be there that week, or just show up.

Notices and Items for Swap/Sale/Barter

Space permitting, members and their friends may submit notices and classified advertisements to appear here.

Fleeces:: A few raw fleeces are still available from this year's shearing at Fuzzy Bear Farm. These are from Corriedale-Merino-Finn-Southdown mixed breed sheep, and are generally quite fine and soft. Each fleece yields about five pounds of usable fiber after picking and scouring. Priced at just $15, and Hollow Tree Spinners receives a percentage for each one sold. Available colors include shades of charcoal and light gray, as well as one or two whites. Contact Gary Phillips, tivo.overo at gmail.com, if interested.
Small looms:: Jean Niemann has designed a loom made for travel, tapestry, and sampling. She also has a new inkle loom design available. Check out her web page at http://www.intertwinedbyjean.com/ for pricing and details.

Newsletter Information

Did you miss the last newsletter? It's still available online, right here. Past newsletters are retained online for one year before we retire them to reuse the space.

Are you receiving a monthly e-mail telling you that the newsletter is ready? If not, you need to sign up for the Hollow Tree Spinners e-mail discussion group.

We are trying a Web-based newsletter instead of e-mailing the actual document. This should mean that anyone with access to the internet will be able to see the newsletter, regardless of the kind of computer or software they are using. Most public libraries now have internet browser access as well. An e-mail will be sent to members once a month when the newsletter is ready, reminding them to look at it and print it if they wish. Please let us know what you think. E-mail the editor, Gary Phillips, or guild manager Toni Neil with your comments or suggestions.

Meetings are on the second Saturday of each month unless otherwise announced. The newsletter should be ready by the Saturday before the meeting. Please get items, announcements, etc. to the newsletter editor, Gary, at least a full week in advance of the newsletter date (TWO weeks before the next meeting.)