How long does it take to become a master hand spinner? 6 years according to OHS - the Ontario Hand Spinners and Weavers. Follow along as I trip my way through the Master Spinners Course hosted by OHS and the Haliburton School of the Arts.
I want an A. I mean, I Want An A! This winter I have been submitting my spinning for assessment and receiving grades in return. I find myself on pins and needles with fear and anticipation when a package or email arrives. Am I above the class average? … [Read more…]
Way Back When When I was in grade school we had days during the Winter called Electives. It was a field trip day where the whole school elected for certain trips and adventures. Most kids went skiing at nearby Talisman Resort or Blue Mountain. For some of us that sort of field trip wasn’t a … [Read more…]
I don’t think I could feel any less “masterful” with my spinning these days. The last round of homework for the OHS Certificate was eight skeins of woolen spinning with a heavy emphasis on the long draw. Or as I like to call it “The Long F*&!ing Draw of Doom”. My Relationship With The Long … [Read more…]
The dying workshop in Haliburton reminded me of the chemistry lab in high school. Not my strongest subject. It was a day full of measurements, beakers and heat sources. I tend to be an experimental, experiential, feel-it-out and figure-it-out kind of person. I have difficulty following precise directions. In my world recipes are lists of … [Read more…]
I thought there were just two options when it came to fibre colouration: dye it or leave it natural. It never even occured to me that just like I mix my paints, I could mix my fibres and BLEND to create new colours. Did you know this? Am I the only that missed this memo? … [Read more…]
Meet Darlene. She’s a spinning wheel. A Double-Tredle Lendrum to be exact. Made in Odessa, Ontario by a fellow named Gord Lendrum. She and I crossed paths this past August on the first day of Year 1 (of 6!) in my journey to become a Master Spinner (as in wool and not as in bicycles … [Read more…]