Originally uploaded by insubordiknit
I just got Jacey Boggs new video in the mail, Sit And Spin. She produces the Insubordiknit podcast (hint hint Jacey…we want MORE of them!) along with homeschooling her kids and spinning art yarns.
First of all, this video is nothing like Judith MacKenzie McCuin’s Spinning Exotic Fibers and Novelty Yarns video. Some techniques overlap, but the types of yarns Jacey shows are quite different. As a result these videos compliment each other well. One thing about Jacey’s video that I adore is she states right off the bat that if you are wanting to learn to spin this isn’t the video for you, go somewhere else and learn to spin a good, stable plied yarn. I will add, you will also need to know how to draft while spinning. The music is well done and well produced and her young son is delightful. Art yarn decorates the musicians and the props. Now the music is not for everyone I will be the first to admit even though it’s pretty close to the genre I listen to every day.
She covers five major topics Puffs, Coils, Wraps, Loops and everyone’s favorite Foreign Objects. These topics build on each other. For example, you will need to know how to make cocoons before attempting some of the yarns in the Wraps section. Many of the techniques use layered batts and merino roving in her examples, both easy to find to buy or to create yourself if you have a drum carder. She is spinning on a Lendrum with the bulky flyer in the video, but one of her companions is using an Ashford Joy which has a much smaller orifice. Having a large orifice is an advantage when spinning these types of yarns. Wheels such as the Lendrum, some of the Louet wheels, and the Majacraft with either the delta orifice or the wild flyer will be the easiest to produce these yarns with. But having a small orifice should not stop you from trying this, just keep in mind that a big old felted bead will not probably not fit through. Each technique can be run in such a way that it loops just that particular technique over and over so you can work on it with the DVD running the the background. In the extras portion of the DVD she has a part where she lists her sources for the fibers and yarns shown in the DVD.
At the end she talks about how important it is not to weight the yarn when you finish it and let it dry so that it doesn’t show a false balance (YES!). In a few cases her terms are slightly different than others spinners. One example is “halos”. Her halos are loops make using the cocoon singles which end up looking like little angelic halos. My biggest gripe about the video, it will not run on my Polaroid Portable DVD player. It will play on everything else in the house, but not the portable DVD player. My husband, who has worked in the VHS/DVD duplication industry, suspects its the type of DVD it was recorded on. Not a big deal, it just means I can’t lay in bed and watch the DVD. (No we do not have a TV in the bedroom, but we also do not have a spinning wheel in there either.) Overall this is a great addition to the spinners technique library. I am happy I ordered it and will be trying out some of the yarn types on my trusty Louet S-10.
The Lincoln is still AWOL, which means I need to get on the ball and re-make the samples. I also managed to ship out a couple of promised packages and a big box of fleece to Stonehedge Fiber Mill. But there are some fleeces I’m not sure what to do yet. I don’t have enough to have it combed by Zeilingers so I just may have to bite the bullet and send it to Morro Fleece Works who do fabulous things with fine fleeces.
I have managed to put one coat of lemon oil on my new rigid heddle loom so far. Obviously I’m not in a hurry to warp it. I’m now finished with one of the two alpaca scarves on Lupe….hope I can finish soon so I move on to other projects.
The Patches project has gotten a bit more attention. I’ve taken another two ounces and test spun with a supported long draw. It drafted much nicer for me, but the test will be in the knitted swatch. I’m hoping it will give me a fabric that has some drape to it despite it being garter stitch. Can this project be finished before SOAR????
Oh and remember this.
I need to frog this sucker…I’m finally pulling my head out of the sand and admitting that the foot is way too long! Ahem… I can at least wait a while to allow the pain to subside.
Now, back to spinning…I have some sampling to do!
Freedom from the sinking feeling that I have so much to do. I need to reclaim my basement from the wool because we need to focus on training some dogs.
