I received an email today for a call out to glass artists for an upcoming show at The Fallbrook Art Center. I thought I should pass the information on to all of you. If you’re in California and want to be a part of this show check out the show requirements here. There’s plenty of time to get your application and images of your work to them since the deadline is April 1st. There are two divisions you can apply for. There’s Jewelry, Functional Work and Production work that will be in the Gallery Store and in the main Gallery will be unique work. Check out their timeline and see if this is a show for you. And if you get in let me know so I can post it here. Good luck!
Have you read?
Book Review: Hand Spinning
I don’t have a lot of experience with spinning yarn, and I don’t really think you could learn it from a book. There are so many variables and the learning curve is so much lower if someone who knows what they’re doing can watch you and guide you along the way (especially when it comes to spinning with a wheel).
So I wouldn’t say that you can learn to spin form Pam Austin’s book Hand Spinning: Essential Technical and Creative Skills, but looking through and reading this book might inspire you to want to try.
It covers the basics of learning to spin with a drop spindle (which you maybe could figure out with a book, and perhaps a video to reinforce the basics), spinning wheel or e-spinner, different spinning techniques, how to choose a good fleece and prepare fiber for spinning, an overview of other fibers for spinning beyond wool and plying and finishing yarn.
It also delves into using color and dyeing yarn and methods for changing the structure of yarn and making different textures.
This book provides basic instructions and lots of photos that will inspire knitters who haven’t gotten into spinning yet to learn more about it. For people who already know the basics of spinning, this book might inspire them to try different techniques, delve into dyeing or try a different method for preparing fiber before spinning.
As someone who doesn’t really spin (I took a class on a drop spindle more than a decade ago and I own an e-spinner that’s still in the box) I found this book a little intimidating, but I think that might have been the way it was organized not so much that the information isn’t good. For example it talks about getting proper tension on a wheel before it talks about the parts of a wheel, so it can be hard to imagine how a wheel works if you haven’t already used one.
Still, for pure inspiration and getting knitters fired up to learn more about spinning, this is a good book. Spinners who already have some experience but want to improve their skills or try something new are sure to enjoy it, too.
About the book: 144 pages, paperback. Published 2023 by The Crowood Press. Suggested retail price $36.99