GUILD EXHIBITION 2017
We are pleased to announce that the next Devon Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers Exhibition (usually held every two years) will be held on 25th, 26th and 27th August, 2017.
We are pleased to announce that the next Devon Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers Exhibition (usually held every two years) will be held on 25th, 26th and 27th August, 2017.
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Christmas Activities and Shared Lunch
December 2015 About 40 of us took a break from family Christmas preparations and met up at America Hall on 12th December for a festive gathering. Two Guild members generously headed up mini workshops: Christmas baubles with Suzanne Saunders and Waldorf Fairies with Terri Bate. If the level of conversation and laughter was anything to go by, everyone had a great time; Terri and Suzanne were extraordinarily patient with their students and we were all rather proud of the baubles and fairies we made. Our shared lunch was a smorgasbord of culinary delights, the scent of mulled wine drifted throughout the hall and a number of diets were (temporarily, of course!) abandoned on the spot. |
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It was enormous fun to do something a little different and to go home with a new skill but the best part was, as always, the gathering of Guild members to enjoy each other's company.
Members' Dyeing Day
October 2015
Nine Guild members staggered into the Summerlands Room on the morning of 11th October, laden with pre-soaked fibre and yarn, pots, steamers, strainers, a microwave, homemade biscuits (hurrah!), gloves, etc., etc. for an informal "Let's play with dye and fibre!" session. Levels of experience varied enormously but Jae Burgen stoically led the group; advising and answering questions where necessary. This gathering was all about acid-dyeing so we listened attentively to Jae explaining the basics of making dye stock, %age solutions, amounts of dye required for various shades, etc. Some disciplined souls managed to keep this all in mind when let loose. Some, however, abandoned caution to the wind and made it up as they went along. N.B. Click HERE for guidance on dyeing with acid dyes.
Between us all we covered a lot of bases: hand-painting, low water level kettle-dyeing, drip-dyeing, immersion dyeing, ombre/gradient dying, steaming and microwaving. Some efforts turned out just as expected/planned, whilst others came as something of a surprise … mostly in a positive way, thank heavens. But the fun wasn’t just in producing dyed fibres but in sharing inspiration, pinching ideas and generally enjoying the fun of dyeing in company (and yes, I know that sounds a tad ghoulish!).
The photos below show our very colourful results and what has been done with some of them since (I hope to add to the ‘follow-on’ photos as and when they become available).
October 2015
Nine Guild members staggered into the Summerlands Room on the morning of 11th October, laden with pre-soaked fibre and yarn, pots, steamers, strainers, a microwave, homemade biscuits (hurrah!), gloves, etc., etc. for an informal "Let's play with dye and fibre!" session. Levels of experience varied enormously but Jae Burgen stoically led the group; advising and answering questions where necessary. This gathering was all about acid-dyeing so we listened attentively to Jae explaining the basics of making dye stock, %age solutions, amounts of dye required for various shades, etc. Some disciplined souls managed to keep this all in mind when let loose. Some, however, abandoned caution to the wind and made it up as they went along. N.B. Click HERE for guidance on dyeing with acid dyes.
Between us all we covered a lot of bases: hand-painting, low water level kettle-dyeing, drip-dyeing, immersion dyeing, ombre/gradient dying, steaming and microwaving. Some efforts turned out just as expected/planned, whilst others came as something of a surprise … mostly in a positive way, thank heavens. But the fun wasn’t just in producing dyed fibres but in sharing inspiration, pinching ideas and generally enjoying the fun of dyeing in company (and yes, I know that sounds a tad ghoulish!).
The photos below show our very colourful results and what has been done with some of them since (I hope to add to the ‘follow-on’ photos as and when they become available).
Amanda Trick
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Drip-dyed: Base colour of very pale mint worked through top then mid blue, purple and jade dyes dripped randomly onto top using pipettes. Wrapped in plastic and steamed. Fibre: 40% Huacaya alpaca, 40% Merino, 20% Tussah silk.
Hand painted: 75% scarlet + 25% orange acid dyes poured over/worked through top, wrapped in plastic and steamed. Fibre: 40% Huacaya alpaca, 40% Merino, 20% Tussah silk. Yarn: 2-ply, light-fingering weight.
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Low water kettle-dyed: purple, jade, green, turquoise and blue dyes poured randomly onto fibre and allowed to merge with minimal agitation of fibre. Simmered. Fibre: 60% Superwash Blue Faced Leicester, 20% Bamboo, 20% Faux Cashmere. Yarn: 3-ply, fingering weight.
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How to Select Fleeces
Talk and Demonstration given by Norma Sanders (Guild Member)
June 2015
Report by Louise Selby
In our June meeting we had a very interesting and informative talk from Norma Sanders ... very apt timing in view of the Fleece Day in July!
Norma took us through a few basic things to consider before deciding what breed of sheep’s fleece to choose. For example, what is the fleece to be used for? I’m particularly guilty of missing out this step – “what a marvellous fleece that is!” – with no thought of what I want to achieve with it! Do you want to make a knitted garment for yourself or weave with it? What about comfort, durability, how it’s washed and visual impact? Do you want a soft/fine fleece or a harsh/coarse (which you might if you wanted to make a long lasting rug) one?
The old Bradford Count, where the higher the number the finer the fleece, has been largely superseded by micron measurement, where the lower the number the finer the fleece. Most fleeces have a micron count of between 19 and 37, but Merino and Bowmont may be finer than 19; and Scottish Blackface and Herdwick may be higher than 37 and not suitable for woollen garments.
Next Norma explained the different aspects to take into account when assessing an individual fleece.
Open the fleece out to check its quality in its entirety. Check the handle – what does it feel like? Tug a staple to check its strength. What length is the staple and is it appropriate for how you plan to spin it? For long draw spinning a shorter staple length is easier and, generally, longer is good for weaving.
Look at the crimp and the colour. If you plan to dye it then white is a sensible choice, but check the consistency of the colour throughout the fleece. If you choose a black fleece check it from the skin end to the tips as the tips may have become bleached. Also make sure there isn’t too much vegetable matter, which will be a nightmare to remove. Check for second cuts.
The best parts of the fleece are the neck, shoulders, back and top sides. The belly is likely to be dirty and the back end is excellent for lining hanging baskets and as a slug deterrent around plants!
Fleeces can be divided into various categories: Fine Wools, Fine to Medium, Longwools and Primal and Feral. Each has different characteristics such as fleece weight, staple length, micron count, crimp and whether or not they are lustrous. Each breed varies considerably within each group and it’s best to look at each sheep breed individually for its particular attributes. Of course, staple length and micron count may vary within all breeds.
1. Fine. These are high quality wools with a very close crimp; examples are:
Talk and Demonstration given by Norma Sanders (Guild Member)
June 2015
Report by Louise Selby
In our June meeting we had a very interesting and informative talk from Norma Sanders ... very apt timing in view of the Fleece Day in July!
Norma took us through a few basic things to consider before deciding what breed of sheep’s fleece to choose. For example, what is the fleece to be used for? I’m particularly guilty of missing out this step – “what a marvellous fleece that is!” – with no thought of what I want to achieve with it! Do you want to make a knitted garment for yourself or weave with it? What about comfort, durability, how it’s washed and visual impact? Do you want a soft/fine fleece or a harsh/coarse (which you might if you wanted to make a long lasting rug) one?
The old Bradford Count, where the higher the number the finer the fleece, has been largely superseded by micron measurement, where the lower the number the finer the fleece. Most fleeces have a micron count of between 19 and 37, but Merino and Bowmont may be finer than 19; and Scottish Blackface and Herdwick may be higher than 37 and not suitable for woollen garments.
Next Norma explained the different aspects to take into account when assessing an individual fleece.
Open the fleece out to check its quality in its entirety. Check the handle – what does it feel like? Tug a staple to check its strength. What length is the staple and is it appropriate for how you plan to spin it? For long draw spinning a shorter staple length is easier and, generally, longer is good for weaving.
Look at the crimp and the colour. If you plan to dye it then white is a sensible choice, but check the consistency of the colour throughout the fleece. If you choose a black fleece check it from the skin end to the tips as the tips may have become bleached. Also make sure there isn’t too much vegetable matter, which will be a nightmare to remove. Check for second cuts.
The best parts of the fleece are the neck, shoulders, back and top sides. The belly is likely to be dirty and the back end is excellent for lining hanging baskets and as a slug deterrent around plants!
Fleeces can be divided into various categories: Fine Wools, Fine to Medium, Longwools and Primal and Feral. Each has different characteristics such as fleece weight, staple length, micron count, crimp and whether or not they are lustrous. Each breed varies considerably within each group and it’s best to look at each sheep breed individually for its particular attributes. Of course, staple length and micron count may vary within all breeds.
1. Fine. These are high quality wools with a very close crimp; examples are:
MERINO
Staple length 7.5 – 8 cm / micron count 18 – 24 |
BOWMONT
Micron count 14 – 18 |
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2. Fine to Medium. These are down sheep with a springy and resilient fleece. One example is:
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SUFFOLK
Staple length 5 – 10 cm / micron count 31 – 34 |
3. Longwools. These fleeces are heavy so a part fleece may be sufficient for your needs. They are lustrous or semi-lustrous with a wavy crimp pattern. Examples are:
BORDER LEICESTER
Staple length 10 - 15 cm / micron count 32.5 – 35 |
COTSWOLD
Staple length 15 – 25 cm / micron count 35 – 38 |
WENSLEYDALE
Staple length 15 - 30 cm / micron count 32.5 – 34
Staple length 15 - 30 cm / micron count 32.5 – 34
4. Primitive and Feral. Examples are:
JACOB
Staple length 8 - 15 cm / micron count 32 – 34 |
SHETLAND
Staple length 5 – 10 cm. / micron count 30 – 31 |
Books that may be of interest:
- The Field Guide to Fleece: 100 Sheep Breeds and How to use their Fibers – Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius
- In Sheep’s clothing: a Handspinner’s Guide to Wool – Nola Fournier and Elisabeth Fournier
- Fleece and Fibre Source Book: More than 200 Fibers, from Animal to Spun Yarn – Carol Ekarius and Deborah Robson