Theadora Perplexa shows me what I could do with a couple more skills, when I get around to them… She says this netted silk snood is edged with a tablet-woven band.  Verrrry nice! There’s a book in the library about netting, so I’ll be set for that when I get there. Continue reading Netting

Ann tells me the best little story, from Spin Span Spun – When the Europeans first started importing cotton, they didn’t know if it was animal or vegetable, so they decided it was a cross.  Little sheep growing on a plant.  But the tale is a sad one–(the tiny sheep attached to the plant) would graze in a circle around the base of the plant, and when they had eaten all the grass they could within the reach of their stem, the poor little things starved to death. Sacrifices must be made.  Here’s a picture, which will indeed appear as … Continue reading Fiber’s NJFE Illustrations

(I’ve moved this entry’s publishing date up just for Spoon – he sent me these links – which are really great woodcarving and wheel examples from the Hungarian countryside.) However, this isn’t quite what I had in mind when I was talking with Spoon Guy about a possible distaff design! Woman beating man with distaff I had something like this in mind.  Or this.  Or these, from an SCA article. Check out this wheel, and its distaff, all turned!  Or all these designs!  Here’s a wheel similar to mine in age, being used for flax spinning – but it’s backwards … Continue reading Distaff designs

Continuing my series about the demo with the above silly name, here’s a status report on that very ambitious list I posted yesterday.  Remember that for now, I’m assuming 2007= Season 1. Fiber source – Local animal (alpaca/Gulf Coast sheep) vs local plant (flax/pina/cotton)    Season 1 – Make contact with sources; start cultivation of flax/pina/cotton.Status: Have a pound of espresso alpaca, and sources for more and other colors.  Am pampering pineapple plants in garden, and starting flax seeds. Fiber preparation – Carding / retting    Season 1 – Acquire working carding paddles and learn to card wool.  Try harvesting … Continue reading Fiber’s Not Just For Eating…(Status Report)

Yesterday I laid out my general strategy for convincing the world’s citizens to try making their clothes from scratch.  Well, okay, for not looking at me funny while I do it. The five demo subjects are: Source fiber Prepare fiber for spinning Add color Spin fiber Ply or weave fiber I’ve decided I’m not really interested in tacking on actual clothesmaking to this list.  Why?  It doesn’t fall down to the bottom of the needs pyramid very well.  If you become an expert on tailoring, you’ll be copying fine paintings in no time – and although I am taking on … Continue reading Fiber’s Not Just For Eating…(Demo tactics)

which is the tentative title for the ambitious demo display I seem to be in the middle of working up. As usual, I’m trying to situate what I do in a larger context, so it has MEANING.  I find I am turned on by notions of independence and accountability.   So the idea of knowing where your stuff comes from is very attractive to me – it seems more responsible than the typical ‘buy it from a store and let the big guys worry about it’ modern mentality. Of course, it’s a lot more work.  I am interested in so many … Continue reading Fiber’s Not Just For Eating…(Demo plan)