What a Zwartble Sheep Taught Me

This weekend I decided to take a break from quilting to do some fiber-y activities, specifically prepping a Zwarble fleece that I bought some time ago.  (This was all inspired by watching a video by Deb Robeson about spinning rare wools.  Zwartble isn't a rare breed, but in the process of talking about spinning those breed she demonstrates some good combing, carding, and spinning skills.  Her passion is infectious!) 

This is my first foray into preparing a fleece for spinning, and I bought the fleece pre-washed. I want to learn a lot about fleeces and wools but I'm not sure I'm ready for the whole skirting/scouring process yet.  With the caveat that I've not had much direct experience with fleeces, I still would say that this is not a fabulous fleece. But, then, I'm not a fabulous prepper or spinner so I figure the fleece has a lot to teach me about handling various challenges.   There are MANY knotted clumps in the fleece, some flecks of skin (maybe the sheep was rooing?), and I think it might even have been felted just a bit during the washing.  There is some VM (vegetable matter), though not much, and a slight bit of kemp. 

But don't you just LOVE the color?   Zwartbles are beautiful sheep.

First, I pulled locks (you can see a couple of samples in the photo above) and loaded them onto my Valykyrie combs (2 rows of tines).  I made 2 or 3 passes with the combs and pulled through a dizz.

I spent some time picking out clumps, but not a great deal of time; that showed in the resulting singles and yarn--pretty textured.  That's not necessarily a bad thing, depending on my use for it.  This isn't a fine, next-to-the-skin wool and I would probably use it in weaving.  Don't you just love the color?  :-)

(Two ply yarn, spun and plied on middle whorl of a Kromski Sonata wheel; and using Woolie Winder.)

 I wasn't entirely satisfied with the results of combing so I tried carding it.  While I was reasonably happy with the results they were much harder work, especially since I have only cotton cards and they are much too fine to work work well with this wool.   I don't enjoy carding as much as I do combing so I abandoned that, at least until I come into some wool cards.  (I'll clean the cotton cards later.  Ugh.)
Learned:  While cotton cards work for some wools, this is not one of them!  I, myself, do not like carding as well as combing, in any case.  Carding doesn't allow the flecks to "drop out" during the process and those little white flecks will end up in your yarn.

So, I watched Deb Robeson again, for some more detailed hints on combing well, and refined my technique.  My second experience with combing was more successful and it was rather fun, not to mention that It produced better results.
Learned:  Take time to loosen the tips and butts of the locks, to open up the fibers, before loading on the combs.  Don't "bite" too deeply into the locks on the comb--comb from the ends.

Several nests of combed top later, I was ready to try some spinning. 

 

This is quite "springy" stuff and it was a bit of a challenge to draft--my drafting hand got increasingly tired as I tried to draft the fibers out evenly.  I also had to stop occasionally to pull out a clump--this preparation was better than my first combing, but it still had its share of clumps/"texture."  This is the best of that spinning--I didn't photograph the really textured lengths!

While spinning I noticed that one of the nests/tops was much easier to draft, and looked much better.  I remembered that I wasn't always consistent about the number of passes I made on the combs and it stands to reason that this easier drafting was from a top that had been passed one more time than the others.   The resulting single was much more even.

Learned:  If you don't want texture, don't be afraid to take the time to make another pass or two on the combs.  It also allows more of the flecks and any un-picked VM to drop out.

 

I have wound the singles onto 2 bobbins and will let the rest a day or two before I ply into a 2-ply yarn and knit a sample swatch.  I'd also like to do some more combing, applying what I learned with these two rounds, and spin a yarn to do a weaving sample.  Hmm.  I need to track down a 2" weave-it loom somewhere.  I'll post those samples when I've finished them.

In addition to some things about combing, carding, and spinning wool from a fleece, here are additional acquistions from working with the fleece from my friend, the anonymous Zwartble sheep:

1) a deep appreciation for those who clean and prep fleeces for those of us who usually just buy prepared top, roving, and batts--they've done the hard work, and we have the fun of spinning and using the wool;

2) a heart-felt thanks to the shepherds who breed and grow sheep specifically for the wool, and take extra care when raising and shearing the sheep:  coating the sheep, providing them with good nutrition, hold off on the stress as much as possible (one of the things I learned from the Deb Robeson video is how stress can make the wool more fragile), and all the other things I don't even know about that make for a quality wool that is a joy to spin;

3) a greater desire to support shepherds to grow sheep (especially rare breeds) for hand spinners.  It is nothing if not an expensive proposition and if we don't support them we will lose them.  I will search out some sources online but, more importantly, I want to seek out local flocks, or at least those in my home state (which, admittedly doesn't grow many sheep and most of those are for meat) and work with them to get quality fleeces, and encourage them to continue with their work.  (Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival, here I come!  I'll be saving my money.)

Rules? What fun!

"Rules are made to be broken" has always seemed an odd adage, though I have broken my share of rules--usually unintentionally but, still, my share have been broken.   I think perhaps it has been a matter of the "why " of rule breaking.  The intent determines the quality of the breaking and, when it comes to fiber arts and quilting, the creative intent makes all the difference; breaking rules just for the sake of breaking them seems unnecessarily disrespectful of the artists and craftsmen who have come before us and established the rules--though that establishment was likely as unintentional as my breaking!

Sometimes I break rules unintentionally, conjuring unexpected creative opportunities.  At least,I allow them to be creative opportunities after I have explored some colorful turns of phrase.  After making mistakes I learned to figure out what I could do to work the happy accident into a new design, instead of "fixing a mistake."  I didn't always approach it this way, especially in quilting (in which I have the most experience) and I have unfinished projects to prove it!   Over the years I have seen and heard quilters who are desperately seeking just a bit more of a particular fabric to finish a quilt.  I will grant you that there are times when you don't want to explore new design opportunities but most of the time my quilts have benefited from stepping back when I make a mistake, looking at the design, and then looking at it again from another angle (sometimes literally).  I have learned to not make the suggestion to other quilters, though, unless I know them well; I have gotten horrified looks from some when I have suggested substituting another fabric from their stash.   It is what our foremothers would have done, out of necessity; think of all the antique and vintage quilts we cherish for just those qualities that we sometimes reject in modern times.  They are those bits of fabric or design that cause us to wonder what happened so the quilter did that.  Quilts (and, I think fiber creations as well) are all about stories, and these accidental designs tell such interesting stories!

Sometimes we break rules with a specific intent to come up with something new and different, trying out the "what if?" possibilities.  In this case I think it might be better if we do this after we know some very basic rules, for the sake of some structural integrity, if nothing else.   Judith Mackenzie, a marvelous spinner and fiber artist, tells of a teacher she had who allowed students a certain number of happy accidents and after that they had better be able to tell her why they were doing what they were doing differently.   I adore looking at "what if," and given all the wonderful new ideas and techniques that fellow quilters and fiber artists are coming up with, it's not an uncommon activity.(I'm constantly amazed and admiring of people who have developed techniques that, even when shown how to do them, seem inconceivable--how did they come up with these things?)

Over the past few days I have immersed myself in a gluttony of how-to videos, because I have a great deal to learn and learning is one of my favorite things.  Watching them in such rapid succession has made it apparent that experts have different rules about the same things, and they are sometimes in direct conflict.  What one expert explains as a "must" another expert will say, "What a waste of time!"  

 Granted, this can be a confusing thing for beginners in a craft if they aren't experienced enough to know head from tails.   The key is to try them out for ourselves and find out what works best for us, personally.  That takes time and practice, and as a person with a very short attention span who wants to know how to do something and wants to do it well NOW that can seem a daunting prospect.  But happy accidents along the way make the practice a joy.  Any art that has hard and fast rules, with artists who always follow them, will not advance or stay truly alive and thrive, or tell a good story.

Breaking rules--what fun!!  I'm all for it.  I don't do New Year's resolutions but if I did, I would make one to break some rules in quilting, spinning, weaving, and any other fiber-y activities I undertake.

The videos:

I am enrolled in a many Craftsy classes about quilting; the videos I've been watching the past few days have been about spinning and weaving because I'm still very much a beginner in those areas.  They are all available from Intervweave and yes, I have bought a lot of videos--these aren't all of them--but mostly over a period of 2 or 3 years; I just revisit them:

How I Spin, Rita Buchanan

The Gentle Art of Plying, Judith Mackenzie

A Spinner's Toolbox, Judith Mackenzie

Weave a Good Rug, Tom Knisely

Loom Owner's Companion, Tom Knisely

Spin Art, Jacey Boggs

Spin to Weave, Sarah Lamb

In Praise of Simple Cloth, Rita Buchanan

From Wool to Waulking, Norman Kennedy  (Mr. Kennedy has some great stories and memories of spinning and weaving over 60 years, beginning as a young man in Scotland)

Top Ten Thanks

I am thankful for many, many things but for this blog it seems appropriate to express thanks for those things around quilting and fiber arts; I am thankful today--and every day:

1) for Family, whose support is ever-present:  for Mom and Dad, who taught me that I could do whatever I set out to do--and respected that I could decide what that was; for my siblings, who love me in spite of myself and encourage me in ways large and small (and always "have my back");

2) for Mom, who taught me to sew, knit, crochet, embroider--among many other things;

3) for Friends, who help me to laugh, who hold my hand when I need to cry, and who just seem to always be there when I need them;

4) for all the Quilters and Fibert Artists, beginners to masters, who inspire me every day with their talent and creativity;

5) for Quilters and Fiber Artitsts who give of their time and talent to those who need kindness and comfort;

6) for Quilt Shop Owners and Staff, who have shared so much and given me so much;

7) for Designers of all those gorgeous fabrics and fibers with which we get to work;

8) for Inventors who create the technology that makes it all easier, from rotary cutters (and rulers!) to longarm machines to beautiful and functional spindles, wheels, and looms;

9) for the Internet and the World Wide Web, which give us ready access to an unimaginable wealth of resources and opportunities for sharing and inspiration;

10) for all the People in the world who love quilts and knitted, crocheted, spun and woven pieces.

I am thankful for it all, and especially for all of you; Happy Thanksgiving!

Ten for Ten

I'm 10 for 10 on my 10 for 10 challenge! 

A few weeks ago I challenged myself to design 10 quilts from 10" squares.  (All right, I already had a couple of designs completed, and one pattern published, with another in the works.)

I confess that I actually designed 15 or 20 quilts over the course of those weeks, but I decided it would be nice to actually LIKE all the designs, so it took some time and I learned a few more things to put in my designing toolbox.  You likely have learned other things, or things diametrically opposed to what I found works for me.  Then again, maybe these same things won't work for me next week.  That's the fun of designing, isn't it?

Here are 3 methods I used to get at the initial designs:

1) Pull out some 10" squares, cut them up and sew them in different ways.  Or, sew them and cut them up in different ways.  Putz.  Play. Toss them out and start again.

2) Start with a design in EQ, and then try to figure out how to piece it.  This one can be rather fun, but it can also be rather frustrating.  I'm pretty much math- capable but when you start doing seams on top of seams on top of seams on top of inserts on top of diagonal seams, well....then it's off to method #1.  Pull out the squares and just start putzing away on them until it comes out as you envisioned it--or something close to it.

3) Picture something in your head, then try to make it work using either method 1 or method 2.  What you see in your head at 3 a.m. does not necessarily translate into a usable or attractive end.  Sometimes it's just ghastly. 

Some of the time it works out just as you planned, and sometimes it doesn't, but even then a little more hacking, er, cutting and sewing yields a serendipitous prize.  I won't show you the piece from the original thought process (I think it was merely dull, not ghastly) but here's what happened when I did some more cutting; it wasn't square because of the cutting, so I just kept make slices and inserts until it was square, and then did some rearranging.  These are test blocks, and don't necessarily use the fabrics I would choose for the end.   So, this is #7.2, after 7.1 alpha test (and beta, for that matter) failed:

 

I'm not sure what my next design challenge will be; half of my 10 for 10 designs are pieced now, and others will be pieced over the next few weeks.  But in the meantime, what shall the next challenge be?  Any ideas for me?

Confessions of a Quilter

As I was traveling across the state this week, thinking about a class I'm teaching this week, I had reason to think about why I make some quilt patterns over and over again, and can't wait to finish just one of other patterns (if I finish it at all).  None of chooses all the same patterns as favorites as do other quilters, so it certainly is related to everyone's personalities and preferences.  I can put quilt patterns into four categories.  These are categories that are illustrative of my short attention span and other personality...quirks.   Your categories would likely be different.

1) Can't Make Enough of Them/Have Radar That Sees Perfect Fabric for Them.
I love patterns or techniques that are one block, structurally, but yield a different-looking block each time.  My first experience was Bethany Reynolds' "Stack 'n Whack," and I made plenty of them.  Then I discovered H.D. Design's "Four Patch Stacked Posies" and I like those even better--and made even more of them.   A few years ago I found  Maxine Rosenthal's "One Block Wonders," and I've been making them ever since; here's the most recent:

Crazy quilt blocks are all different, and there is almost unlimited opportunity to make it your own.  Love 'em.

Improvisational piecing is intriguing, because everything is a little different as you're cutting and piecing.

Oddly, though, I don't especially like to make sampler quilts.  No idea why.

2) Wonderments: Techniques/Rulers that Make Difficult Blocks Easy.
Top of my list these days:  Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star Ruler.  If you have followed my Facebook page you know that I can't seem to make enough of these.   And I bought a Christmas panel on a shop hop last weekend that I plan to dress up with Lemoyne Stars. 

Twister quilts are great fun because that twist turns a "fabric" of plain squares into something that looks hard, but it is easy, easy, easy.  (Sorry, Jeanine, I know this one is in the "Never Will Do Again" category for you.)

3) Classics.  They're classics for a reason.   Who doesn't love a Nine Patch?

4) Never Will Make Again.  All right, it was an experience, and I learned something, even if it is that I will never make another one.   I may even LOVE the quilt, but still know it's the only one. These tend to be very complex, and probably a great many small pieces, especially if there are a great many of the same block, with the same fabric.   It's not that I can't make them, it's that my attention span starts getting a little (or a lot) snarky with me.  And short. I make a block, been-there-done-that, let's move onto something else.

5) Stash Squatter.  It's still in pieces, in my UFO stash.  The odds are staggeringly high that I will never finish the darn things.  No disrespect to the patterns or the designers, they just aren't MY thing, but are right up the alley of other (better!) quilters than I.

6) Bore-dered.   Have I mentioned the short attention span thing? (My friend John says it's really just a heavy tendency toward multi-tasking. Thanks, my friend, for 30+ years of putting a positive spin on my quirks.)  I find that I am moving more toward Quilts Without Borders.   I can't tell you many quilt tops are sitting in my studio, waiting for borders.   It seems that when I finish the main part of the top I'm ready to be finished.  Bored.  (Have I mentioned the short attention span?  Oh, I have?)  Sometimes a quilt screams for a border or two, and sometimes it's happier without.  Or, maybe it's me that's happier without it.  I'll own that.

So what, you ask?   Why worry about categorzing? I find that it's easier for me to buy patterns/books/rulers that I will actually use if I'm more aware of my own quirks and limitations.    Goodness knows I have patterns/books/rulers I bought before I had figured out all of this.  Once in awhile I'm seduced by something I'll never make but they end up as just more  "decor" in my studio.

How would you categorize quilt patterns in your mind?  Hey, we might find that we can trade some of those unused patterns and books and rulers, if yours are quite different from mine!

No Hasty Retreat

It's quilt retreat season, at least in my neck of the woods.  (I don't know about any local-ish spinning/weaving retreats; maybe I can work on that next year.)   For unknown reasons, this year I'm noticing more how my quilting friends approach a retreat.  I'm definitely a lightweight.

Me?  The night before a reatreat, or maybe even the morning of, I turn around in my studio a few times and grab a few project bags.  I could turn 100 times, stopping at every compass direction, and still not be out of UFOs outside my reach.    I grab a sleeping bag, pillow, towel and flashlight, load up my sewing machine and chair, a few rulers and rotary cutter, and I'm on my way.  (I always have my electronic gadgets for audiobooks, so I don't have to think about that.)

However, not so with many of my quilting buddies.  Months ago they started cutting out quilts for retreat.  "Seriously?  We're barely into the same YEAR as the retreat!"  Weeks before the reatreat they start to ask if I'm ready for retreat.  The answer, any day before the first day of the retreat, is "no."  (Or, yes, depending on how you look at it--with my method, I can load up and go to a retreat on very short notice.  I've never been invited to a spontaneous retreat, though.  Hmm.  That might be kind of an interesting concept to pursue.)

Once at the retreat the differences become more noticeable.  The bunkrooms and cabins are filled with very homey quilts and homemade pillowcases, rugs outside the shower in the bathroom, and sewing stations that rival the coziest, most efficient workstations that any quilter could wish for.

You could look at my approach as spontaneous, efficient, economical.  Or, you could look at it as bad planning on my part.  (I'm going with the former, but feel free to make your own choice about that.)  In any case, this time I'm going to try my friends' approach and see if it works for me.  Of course, I' already behind because I didn't start cutting out months ago, and didn't start packing weeks ago.  (In my defense, I do sometimes think to myself, "I suppose I could this at a retreat."  I've not kept track of how often that results in it accompanying me to a retreat but my best guess is that the number is not very high.  Have I mentioned that I have a LOT of UFOs?)

So, I'm asking all of you, dear readers, to help me out with adopting your approach. (I know, there's not much time.)   Here's what I've done so far:

1) Made a Nancy Drew pillowcase.  I'm a retired librarian, and there aren't many women my age who didn't absorb every Nancy Drew.  There were other candidates for the retreat--notably one of the hotochocolate pillowcases I made this week--but I think Nancy is going to win out.  Maybe I'll make a pillowcase for every retreat!

2) Started pulling out UFOs to take.  One must always take more projects than one could possibly complete--that's a retreat law.  It's also necessary for me and my short attention span.   While adding to this pile, I excavated some projects that I had LONG forgotten about, and cleared off a shelf.  There is every possibility (well, probability) that that shelf is going to fill up again when I get back and put the UFO right back on the shelf.  But I expect credit for the intent.

3) Cut out a quilt for a new pattern.  My friend Jeanette, who plans ahead for these things, will have me beat on this one by about 37 quilts, but sometimes you have to start small.

4) Thought about a quilt I might take with me, to put on my bed.  But do I have to color coordinate it?  Go with scrappy?  Decisions, decisions....

5) Gathering chocolate and tea bags.  That will make my sewing station home for me.  :-)

So, what else?  I suppose I could pack some sheets, and use those instead of a sleeping bag.  My roommates might welcome the absence of the rustling of the sleeping bag when I toss and turn.  I'm going to opt out of sewing/quilting my own sheets, though.

Maybe this retreat I'll be at least a medium-weight.  Next time I could....wait, I could weave rugs for the cabin, and under my feet in the sewing lodge.  Then I could......create a quilting monster??

What do you take to a retreat that makes it feel cozy and warm for you?

Getting the better of my stash (Let it go, Karen!)

You may remember from a previous post that I'm trying to get the scrap chaos in my studio under control, and spiffify the space. (You know you all understand what that word means.)  Part of that is a pledge to not have more scraps of any one color than will fit in the fabric bins I'm making.  That I did not put a deadline on that pledge is not an oversight.   One day I'll decide on a deadline.

I'm not a quilter who can take a pile of scraps and systematically cut them into standard sizes; it's just not going to happen.  I'll cut leftovers from cutting projects but I just won't do it with an existing pile of scraps.  (And I also realized this week that I have YET to use any of those standard-sized strips and scraps that I've cut anyway.  Getting control of those controlled scraps is the next step.)  So, my answer?  Crazy patchwork blocks--utilitarian crazy blocks.  (They'll be fun and pretty--I hope--but won't have all the embellishment usually associated with crazy quilting.)  Semi-crazy, maybe?  The point is that the pieces can be fairly large, and I'll make my way through the scraps more quickly.  That was the plan.  It doesn't seem to be working as quickly as I had anticipated but...ever onward.

I just grabbed a few scraps from each of the color-sorted stacks of larger scraps and got to work.   Part of the challenge is to use all the scraps, whatever color or intensity or saturation.  It will all work together in the end. 

The biggest challenge for me, surprisingly, is letting go of small, small scraps.  I have pieced little tiny crazy blocks because I felt guilty about not using every little bit of fabric in a quilt.  I still don't like to "waste" fabric by throwing it away but I need to let the itty bitties go.  I can release them to the folks who make dog beds from fabric and batting scraps but I NEED to let them go.  It's hard for me!

Scraps this size?  Let them go, Karen.  Yes, you could make a little tiny crazy piece but then what are you going to do with it?   Release it to the comfort of our canine friends.

And when I trim the edges of a block?  That is always the end of the line--I won't debate about whether or not the piece is big enough to use in another block.  Let it go, Karen.  (Oh, but what about that red piece on the lower left corner?? It might be big enough.)  Just let it go.  :-)

So, in the end I have blocks that aren't masterpieces but will make a fun quilt. (Do I want to use sashing between the blocks?  I haven't decided yet.)  If I make a block every day or two, I'll get there.

In the meantime I need to make some more fabric bins.  I can use scraps for that, can't I?

How do YOU control your scrap stash? If you're one of those quilters who can cut those standard sizes--and then use them--boy, do I admire you!  I wish I knew how you do it!