Demonstrating spinning at the Trout Lake Farmers’ Market in early August with 4 other guild members is probably the most satisfying session I have ever had. There were many people interested in learning how to spin. Those who knew how to spin or had spun years ago, were interested in the latest wheels and the different fibers that could be purchased. Some of the highlights were a young man who was growing flax in his East Vancouver back yard and wanted to know how to process it into linen. A woman from Russia had not spun since she was 14 years old. (She looked about 45). When she tried my wheel, she was spinning very smoothly right away as if she had been spinning every day for years! Another woman was an outpost nurse that wanted a portable wheel to take to remote areas. She had learned to spin in Nelson, but knew nothing about the various people in the lower mainland that sold fiber and wheels, or the fact that a guild was so close to where she lived. Another woman had “always wanted to try spinning”. She was thrilled to be able to try my wheel. At first I would do the treadling until each person trying for the first time could draw the roving smoothly.

The children are always fun when spinning is being demonstrated. I always switch to a new colour so that they can watch the yarn progress from my hand to the bobbin on the wheel. Because they are not tall enough to treadle (and it would be too frustrating anyways), I usually get them to hang onto the roving and guide their hands to spin a little and feel the twist going up the yarn. There is always a child in every crowd that is more interested in treadling than spinning. I get them to sit on the ground to push the treadles with their hands. It is always rewarding to see a youngster that is very shy and unsure come away with a bit of spun wool and proudly show it to their parents. No matter if they have a death grip on the wool or if they are a natural at drawing the roving out, my hands next to theirs can compensate for their deficiencies and they don’t seem to notice. They think they are doing it themselves.

Demonstrating in East Vancouver has to be one of the best places to let people know about our guild and the joy that spinning and weaving brings us. I hope we can go there again many times.

submitted by Anita Jamieson

May 15th, Meeting Program: Gretchen Hoff, who raises alpacas and llamas on her farm in Maple Ridge, covered the process from harvesting to spinning their hair. Susan Forsyth (www.woolcombs.com) demonstrated how to comb the hair to separate out the coarse hair from the more desirable soft fine hairs and showed several lovely garments made from the spun and dyed yarn. There were lots of samples for spinning demonstration and for sale.

Our guest was Gretchen Hoff, social worker and knitter as well as llama and alpaca farmer and the designer/seamstress known as the Scattered Gardener. She was ably assisted by her friend Susan Forsyth who, along with her husband Andrew, makes woolcombs and other spinners’ tools. Gretchen very kindly handed out samples of her dehaired llama, huacaya alpaca and suri alpaca for us to feel and perhaps spin up. You could tell by her enthusiasm that she is very fond of her animals and is interested in getting the best fibre for herself and to sell to other spinners. She showed a way to remove the guard hair from a llama fleece by pulling on the end of the locks and Susan demonstrated another method using woolcombs. Much of Gretchen’s llama goes to the mill though since she has so much of it to process. Susan gave her formula for a spritz to hold down the static while combing: 30% hair conditioner and 70% water.

The alpacas consist of two very different and distinct types: huacaya and suri. The huacaya are the smaller fuzzy animals and are in the vast majority of the alpaca population. Their fibre is somewhat coarser and much more crimpy. Suri are larger and their fleece is more like droopy ringlets. It is very fine and slick with a sheen. They are only about 10% of alpacas and are very desirable for their special fibre. It is soft and has a lovely drape when knitted or woven.

All of these animals have the best fibre in the first 5 years. There is virtually no grease so much less is lost in processing compared to sheep’s wool. Susan brought along some wonderful examples of items that she had made using Gretchen’s fibres including a lace camisole, shawls with added beads, a fulled knitted purse from the waste llama hair, and laminated felt scarves. Gretchen had her Louet S-45 spinning wheel for anyone to try spinning her fibres but nobody took her up on it. (Perhaps it was the odd wheel?) Jeff from Fibres Plus also was spinning some of Gretchen’s alpaca on his Turkish spindle.

It was a very informative program and it was nice to have something specifically directed to the spinners among us. Please note that Gretchen’s website will not be available until the Fall. Meanwhile you can contact her by phone or email, info on her card included in the fibre samples. I was given an extra set of samples and spun them up on my Louet Victoria wheel. From top to bottom: white dehaired llama, tan huacaya alpaca, white suri alpaca. The llama and suri were spun with a short forward draw, the suri much finer for a laceweight. The huacaya was spun with a supported long draw. All were plied and finished with washing, alternate hot and cold rinses, and a smacking on my hard bathroom counter. This heavy finishing settled the twist, slightly fulled and brought out a halo. Perfect if you plan to knit with these yarns but not recommended for weaving or if you plan to full the finished article. They were all very pleasant fibres to spin up with nice soft results.

Submitted by Louisa Chadwick

The eleventh annual spinning retreat was held at Fenn Lodge April 4 – 6. Fenn Lodge is a beautiful 1908 heritage home on Hemlock Valley between Mission and Harrison Hot Springs. 15 members plus our host Diane Brady, enjoyed the wonderful surroundings, the gourmet food and the fibre activities. Additional people came for the day on Saturday. We had Fibres Plus selling fibres and fibre related equipment, door prizes and a fun gift exchange. The retreaters spun wool and tales as wheels spun and people chatted.

The dyeing activity this year was inspired by an article in the Fall 2006 Spin Off by Nancy Roberts. Janice and Ruth Griffiths brought three knitting machines. Everyone who wanted, took a turn at knitting a 3 or 4 foot long piece of fabric. We then painted the knit fabric strips with acid dyes and steam set them. This produces graduated colour changes over a long length of yarn instead of the mottled effect you get buy spinkle dying or painting skeins of yarn. Janice brought a finished product in this technique to the March meeting show and tell. Donna Campbell showed her yarn dyed in this technique at the same show and tell.

It will be interesting to see what people make out of their yarn done in this technique. A few kept coming back to the knitting machines and knitting more fabric. Diane Brady sprinkle dyed one of her fabrics and felted it in her washing machin.She also made a felted purse that weekend out of more knitted fabric.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Susan Millikan and my sister Ruth who helped me organize the retreat. Susan made name tags for everyone that were made of handspun yarn woven on a “weavette” loom that Susan made herself. Each name tag had a little drop spindle on it, which she also made on her lathe. Additionally, she embroidered everyone’s name on the tags. This year Susan and I organized the retreat, giving Linda Kunster a much deserved rest after leading the retreats for the previous 10 years. I would also like to thank Maria Lunow and her sister who donated spinning and weaving mugs that her sister hand made, to all the participants.

I hope to see everyone at Fenn Lodge again next year.

Janice Griffiths