Tip of the Month - May!

This month I've got a tip for spinners!

I've been teaching for a very long time, as some of you know, since the early 80's actually, and over that time new spinners have brought second hand wheels into the class that they haven't been able to get to work.  All that needs doing to the vast majority is:

A little oiling on most of the moving parts.

Most modern wheels don't need oiling, but old models do!

To remove the old nylon fishing line Scotch Tension band, which has set in position and won't allow adjustment, to a long length of linen buttonhole thread. (Yes, this will fray, but cut off the frayed bit and re-tie to the spring/elastic band and it's as good as new!)  This tip was given to me in the early 80's by Sue Hailey Harris at one of her silk spinning workshops and has been the best thing I've done on all my old wheels!

The linen comes in brown.....

...and white.

A change of a worn drive band, correctly set so that it can be used with all ratios.  (If you have a stretchy nylon one, don't forget to remove it when the wheel is not being used otherwise it will stretch too much and you'll have to take a chunk out!)

Hay presto!  The wheel works again!

My Studio and Loom Shed!

We moved in August last year and I've been moving both my studio and loom shed around a bit!  It always seems to take a bit of time to get settled in a new space, but I really wasn't happy with the studio space.

So over the last couple of weeks, when I had time, I began to re-organise my space.  I use a laptop computer and my chiropractor had told me to raise it so that I would get less neck pain and have spent a week or two using an old bed table, the ones that can be used in bed, raised and lowered and adjusted to an angle.  This was so useful that I realised that my studio table needed some adjustment.

I took one of the leaves off my table and positioned it so that it could be at one of two angles, depending if I want to stand or sit to work.   I also took some useful advise from the Craft Corner Blog.  It's aimed at the sewing community, but never the less, it's got some great tips to keep your space nice and neat and I hope you find it useful, too!

I've still some refinements to the table, but I'm pleased with it so far.

My library!

Just a small part of my yarn store!





I'll show you my "loom shed" in another post.