I love combing wool; to align the fibers and draft out a long top, roll into a bird’s nest and spin worsted from. Through the years I have found a way to comb that is easeful and meditative, a dance with the wool between the combs. In this video I share my thoughts on combing and how I do it, and hope it is easeful for you too.
Course outline
The lecture is 40 minutes, but I have divided it into six sections for easy access to the parts of the lecture. I go through why I comb and what types of wool I comb. The main part of the lecture covers how I comb, divided into three stages of the process.
All the videos have keywords for your convenience. A couple of them have close-ups.
All the videos have on-screen key words and a summary in the text below each video. The key words are also helpful if you want to scroll back and forth and find a specific section in the videos. The lecture is in spoken English, with captions in English.
I comb long locks of Swedish Leicester wool with my mini combs.
More courses
You can find more courses, challenges and short lectures in my online school. Three of the short lectures already published are on the topic of wool preparation: Picking the fleece and teasing the wool and carding the teased preparation.
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write weekly posts, mainly about spinning. Do subscribe!
I share essay-style writing on Substack. Come and have a look!
I am writing a book! In November 2025 Listen to the wool: A why-to guide for joyful spinning will be available. Read more about the book here.
Myyoutube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook pagewhere I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden or to book me for a lecture.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons are an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden!by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Last week I taught a five-day course in spindle spinning at Sätergläntan Institute of sloyd and craft. Today I invite you to a peek at A Spindle a Day 5!
For the past year I have turned down every request for teaching to focus my energy on writing my book, Listen to the wool. The five-day course at Sätergläntan is the exception, and I have looking forward to it immensely.
Words and more words
The two to three days a week when I work from my home office I have been writing before work, from 6.30 am to 7, plus a couple of hours on the weekend. In May I started a seven-week writing course that demanded even more of my time, but was incredibly nourishing for my writing. Our son moved into his own apartment and our daughter graduated from upper secondary school and the spring has been busy to say the least. I haven’t had the time or the energy to spin for the past few months.
It always feels good to be back at Sätergläntan, but perhaps especially this year. The magazine room where I’m weaving has the most beautiful light in the morning just before breakfast.
Coming to Sätergläntan to teach has been the spinning reward after months of not spinning. The course wouldn’t be without writing, though. The chapter that was next in line was a very good match for teaching – a section where I talk about the importance of talking, of using spinning vocabulary and of referring back to the terms we have established during the course.
The progression of rolag making! And some beautifully and blissfully spun yarns at the top.
When the students were practicing I made notes of their questions, their struggles and successes and how I could meet them where they are. There was so much to reflect over in the classroom. And it was such a treat to get to teach again, be among other spinners and to hold the tools in my hands. I had spent so much time spinning in my head for the book and felt truly nourished in the company of spinners and spindles.
A Spindle a Day
The course is an immersion in wool preparation and spindles, we focus on one spindle type a day for four days – suspended, supported, in-hand and floor spindles, and prepare all the wool we spin with combs and cards. Every new day builds on the previous days in every aspect except for the specific technique of the spindle type for the day. By the fourth spindle they don’t really need much introduction, they know all the parts by now and just need to translate them to a different model.
On the fifth day the students get to do a wool tasting, where they get to explore five different wools for fifteen minutes each, with combs, cards, hands and spindles, all individually and in silence. The very last thing we do before we go back home is a spinning meditation, which usually is very appreciated. This year was no exception.
Photo session on day 4: Supported spindles
The five students formed a tight-knit group and I had the chance to give them proper individual feedback, something I value highly when I teach. Every student has their own context, way of learning and skill level and I want to be able to meet them where they are.
Five sweet souls
I always get a little nervous to start the course. By now I know my curriculum and how I can sharpen my teaching. What I don’t know is who the students are, how they learn and how they work as a group. Usually everything turns out wonderfully, but there is alway that tension before we have settled in the classroom an in the group. We had a lovely mix of people this year – an archaeologist, a teacher, a pharmacist, a librarian and a musician. They all brought their experience, their curiosity and their warmth to class and turned the week into such a sweet time.
Day 1: Suspended spindle and day 3: in-hand spindle. Note the instructions drawn on the hand in the right picture: Spin counter-clockwise with the left (v) hand (and clockwise with the right).
I always learn heaps when I teach, but this time I learned a little extra. One of the students was from Germany and I got to practice my spinning vocabulary in German. A little wonky at first, but it was nice to give the student some rest from taking in everything in Swedish. I also learned a lot about adapting my teaching and my classroom to individual circumstances. Everyone doesn’t learn the same way and everyone doesn’t have the same conditions in the classroom. I am grateful for being reminded of that. They might need adaptations in light, sound or in what tools they can use, or just take a nap to recharge. This is all good and I get to cooperate with them to create the best context for them to learn and explore from where they are.
Book progress
The chapter is almost finished and after that I have only five more to write. Dan and I are renting a cabin right between the two biggest lakes in Sweden and we will spend a lot of the time taking photos for the book. It suddenly feels so real. I have seen the book in my mind for so long, with pictures taken here in the vast landscape, and now we are here. Smack in the middle of the real thing it all feels strangely unreal. But oh, so good.
A huge thank you to C, K, J, G and U! And to Björn Peck for providing spindles for the course and for the students to buy.
Happy spinning!
You can find me in several social media:
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write weekly posts, mainly about spinning. Do subscribe!
I share essay-style writing on Substack. Come and have a look!
Myyoutube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook pagewhere I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden or to book me for a lecture.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons are an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden!by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
I am writing a book! In the later half of 2025 Listen to the wool: A why-to guide for mindful spinning will be available. Read more about the book here.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
I have been planning for this course for a few years now and this August I finally started recording the videos. October and November were the months of editing and in December I have put the course together on my course platform.
Every now and then perple have asked me to create an online course for beginners. I have been a bit scared of it, though. There is so much responsibility with beginners and I haven’t been sure I am the right person to do it. But then, last year a friend of mine asked me if I could create an online course in suspended spindle spinning for beginners in Swedish, and I did, and it was a success. And so, this new course, in English and with English captions, is based on that course in Swedish, with a couple of additions based on questions I got from the Swedish course.
Picking, teasing and carding the wool to prepare for spinning.
Even if I still feel like a beginner at teaching beginners, I decided that this is the time and I am so happy to be able to publish this course.
Onlinekursen på svenska lanserades hösten 2022 och fanns tillgänglig under ett år. Är du intresserad av att kursen ges igen, hör av dig till Ullförmedlingen.
What you need
To take Spindle spinning for beginners you only need four things – a suspended spindle, a pair of hand cards, wool and time. Even if spinning may develop into a material sport over time for some people, a beginner’s course should be accessible with as few tools as possible. I do however show a couple of techniques with other tools as bonus and inspiration, but they are not necessary.
What you will learn
The course is about creating yarn on a suspended spindle, not just spinning it. This means that I go through all the steps of preparation – picking, teasing (with four different techniques) and carding. Then we move on to spinning, both with a park and draft method to keep the sequence linear, and then unparked for those who are ready to spin, draft and keep control over the spindle simultaneously. We transfer the singles to prepare for plying, ply them into a 2-ply yarn, make a skein, soak and finish. If you want to work with washed wool you need to was your wool beforehand, the course doesn’t cover washing.
We also look at drafting theory, spindle models, trouble shooting and spinning with both left and right hand as spindle hand. All through the course we look at how to work in a way that is sustainable to you.
Who can take the course?
Anyone can take this course. You may be a total beginner in spinning. Perhaps you learned decades ago but haven‘t practiced since then. Perhaps you have sheep and want to learn how to spin their wool. Or perhaps you spin on a spinning wheel and you want to learn how to spin on a suspended spindle. Do spread the word to friends who want to learn or who you secretly want to want to learn. Either way you are very welcome to the classroom!
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
Myyoutube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook pagewhere I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden or to book me for a lecture.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden!by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
I am writing a book! In the later half of 2025 Listen to the wool: A why-to guide for mindful spinning will be available. Read more about the book here.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
I always finish my longer courses with a wool tasting – an opportunity to try samples of five unknown sheep breeds, prepare and spin them. But it is also a lot more than that.
This past week I have been at Sätergläntan craft education center, teaching my five-day course A spindle a day. Every day for four days the students get to learn about a new spindle type – suspended spindle, floor spindle, in-hand spindle and supported spindle.
This is the sixth time I teach at Sätergläntan, and the fourth time I teach this particular class. Sätergläntan craft education centre is a beautiful spot in County Dalarna in Sweden, with both year-long courses and five-day summer courses. Any day of the year Sätergläntan is sparkling with craft, crafting and crafters. The opportunity to talk about crafting at any of the meals during the week is truly unique, and very dear to me.
Students in deep concentration on suspendera spindles and in-hand spindles.
My students have had their share of joy, frustration, revelations and insights, all from their skill level and way of learning. My challenge as a teacher is to do my best to meet every student at their level and learning process. It is also a great inspiration.
Explore and learn
Although we focus on one particular spindle type each day, the knowledge the students get from one spindle type is of good use to them for the spindle types to come. They learn about the Twist Model and how they use it with all the spindle types, as well as how to work with the fiber we happen to have at hand for different purposes. Through the whole course the students also prepare their fiber. I encourage them to play and explore to be able to make informed decisions as they go.
Floor spindles and supported spindles by Björn Peck. In the background (right) spindle cases by me.
For the course I brought all the spindles for the students. That means 10 of each of the four spindle types I taught in the class. Suspended spindles and in-hand spindles for the students to borrow and floor spindles and supported spindles from Björn Peck for purchase. And there were purchases. My suitcase was a lot lighter on the train back home.
Wool tasting
The wool tasting takes place on the fifth day. By then the students usually feel safe in the group, they know their strengths and challenges and they have built a bank of experiences. They have made mistakes and learned from them. The lessons are worked into their muscle memories.
Wool tasting is an exercise I came up with when I started teaching summer courses at Sätergläntan. In the wool tasting the students get to try a sample of one unknown fleece for fifteen minutes, for a total of five different fleece samples. During these fifteen minutes the students’ task is to prepare (some of) the wool, spin it and take some notes on a wool tasting table I provide them with. They fill in their first impression of the wool, how they want to prepare and spin it, and what the result was. On the edge of the wool tasting table are holes so that they can attach a yarn sample. Everything is done in silence. As they explore the wool, take notes, prepare and spin it I sit and watch, secretly fizzing of pride of my students and the decisions they make.
A diploma
In the wool tasting the students get the opportunity to put all they have learned to the test. When I teach I want them to be able to go home after the course has finished and continue on their own, exploring and making choices based on the tools and the experience they have. And they really do. The table they fill in is just for them, I have nothing to do with it. But the questions I ask them in the table guide them into noting different things about the wool before they start, as they work, and how their little yarn sample turns out when the fifteen minutes are up.
The time limit isn’t there to stress them, it’s rather to force them to make intuitive decisions and not overthink their choices. As they are finished they don’t only have have a table with yarn samples, they have made their own diplomas of the just finished five-day course.
A spinning meditation
After the wool tasting we have a chat about their experiences of it. One final thing is left: The spinning meditation. This is when we spin together in silence. I guide them into noticing aspects of their spinning like the wool, the fiber, the spindle and the motions. Toward the end I invite them to close their eyes as they spin. This is another opportunity for them to realize how, through the week, they have gotten to know their wool with all their senses, trusting that it will guide them if they allow their hands to listen.
If you want to try a spinning meditation, I have a spinning meditation video in English and Swedish.
After a few train delays I finally got back home to my family. I will keep this week at Sätergläntan in my heart and hope to come back next summer. Thank you spinning students and other crafters for a wonderful week!
Happy spinning!
You can find me in several social media:
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
Myyoutube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook pagewhere I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden!by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
It’s that time of the year when I create a five-day challenge. This time I invite you to flow. In the Flow challenge you ge the opportunity to just be in the spinning without expectations.
I have been thinking a long time about what my next five-day challenge should be. The first two have been very popular (nearly 1200 people have enrolled) and I have learned so much from your comments and questions. Even if they both have had elements of exploration and play, there has been a technical side to them too. The Flow challenge is all about your own process, and about letting it be what it is, right now, today.
A flow retreat
A challenge seems too rushed a word, but I still call it that as it is part of a tradition of annual five-day challenges. Feel free to look upon it as more of a retreat, though, with an invitation each day for five days. A journey inward, where you get to discover your relationship with fiber, preparation and spinning.
A goal and an un-goal
The purpose of the challenge is for you to explore your relationship with the wool and the process. The goal is an un-goal – to strive inwards and detach yourself from expectations and results.
In the Flow challenge we explore our process.
You will get five text lessons over five days. Each lessons has a theme where I encourage you to strive inward and spin for the moment. In each lesson you will also get a task to work with at your skill level.
All lessons have a background, an example and an invitation. In some lessons I also give you links to further reading or things you can prepare for the next lesson, should you wish to. You decide how much you want to do and how much time you want to spend on each lesson, or invitation. The important thing is that you do this for yourself and no one else.
Requirements and material
You can take the challenge at any spinning level. This challenge is just about you and your process. To take part you will need
My spinning space.
a spinning tool of your choice – spindles, spinning wheel or e-spinner
wool preparation tool(s) of your choice – combs, cards, flicker.
(part of) a fleece, washed or unwashed
15–30 minutes a day to work with the challenge
A space where you can work reasonably undisturbed
If you wish, pen and paper to take notes of your findings.
You are free to work with the lesson whenever you like and for as long as you like.
Your time, your space
The time and space you prepare is yours with yourself and with the wool. Give yourself time to be in the wool, to be in your hands and allow the wool to guide you. Give the time and the space as a gift to yourself and as a thank you to the wool for all it has to teach you.
Spend some time with your process.
I hope you enjoy the Flow challenge and that you learn something from exploring your process.
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
Myyoutube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
I have a facebook pagewhere I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden!by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Last week I looked back on what happened during 2020. This week I make plans and dreams for this year – teaching, writing and creating. As well as a heads up for you on what I plan to make happen I see this post as sort of a business plan for myself. Once I publish this I can’t go back, right? This is what’s coming up in 2021.
A lot of things are still uncertain when it comes to Covid. Therefore many things are uncertain for me, just as it is everywhere else in the world. But that won’t stop me from dreaming and making plans.
Writing
My plan is to keep the blog as I have so far, with a weekly post. There may be an occasional article coming up in spinning magazines too. Sara Wolf’s book Knit (spin) Sweden (where I am a co-writer) is at the printer’s as we speak but has got stuck there due to, again, Covid. I think that the first copies are being distributed to the people who have signed up for preorders, though. As soon as the printed book is in Sara’s hands the work with the translation to Swedish will begin. Yay!
I also want to explore my writing. I have always loved writing – crafting the sentences, dressing feelings and observations in well chosen words and phrases. finding a balance between lyric-like interpretations and clear, concise descriptions. Giving birth to a new piece that will make its way into the world and become a part of the readers’ lives. But I have never studied writing or taken any writing courses. This is something that I am curious about and a rabbit hole I am eager to fall into. Who knows where it may take me?
Teaching, coaching and lectures
As I told you last week quite a few courses and events got cancelled in 2020. There will be a risk of cancellations this year too. I have a coupe of weekend courses planned in April, one of which is already on my course page. As we speak I am also preparing for a zoom lecture in March.
In the spring of 2020 I taught a zoom course in weaving with rya knots for a guild and I will be teaching a course series on zoom for this guild in the beginning of the year. I’m really looking forward to this series as it is a new course that I will get the chance to explore.
Coming up: A fleece course at Sätergläntan craft education center.
If all goes well I will teach at Sätergläntan craft education center in the end of June. The five-day course is quite similar to my online course Know your fleece. The students bring their own fleece to the course and we go through different tools to investigate and explore the fleece. I really look forward to this opportunity and hope to learn a lot.
Coming up: 1:1 video coaching sessions!
Coming up: Coaching
I am also preparing for 1:1 video coaching sessions. This is a totally new field for me and I am very excited to start this adventure. I have no public page for this yet, but if you are interested, just contact me and I will fill you in with the details. The coaching session will only take place if I think I can help you. Therefore you will need to fill in a questionnaire before any money is transferred.
Online course(s) and webinars
I do have several ideas of online courses. Some of them are more technical and others have more of a mindful focus. I hope to make at least one of them happen during 2021.
Coming up with ideas is no problem. Getting started can take a while. Once I have started things can move pretty fast and soaked in a creative flow. The finishing takes a lot longer than I think and is packed with procrastination. Once I have launched I get steam rolled by a heavy attack of imposter syndrome. But it is all part of a process I need to get through to get a course out to you.
Anything can happen on a live webinar! It can be scary, but also exciting since everything else I do is so edited. Webinars are live, unedited and refreshing!
I love live streaming webinars for you. In the practical and theoretical research I do to prepare for them I learn so much, as well as from your questions. The next sheep breed for an upcoming breed study webinar is already in my mind. I hope you haven’t gone tired of Swedish sheep breeds. There are lots left to cover!
If you are interested in a zoom lecture or custom made course for your spinning group or guild you are more than welcome to contact me. And of course my online school is always available for you with both paid and free online courses.
Spinning and making
A lot of spinning, weaving and knitting projects are waiting for my attention. I always have a plan to work on the oldest first, but then an idea comes and bothers me until I give that my attention and my structure has been wrecked. A loom warped with Gute yarn is under our bed, a sock yarn is on the spinning wheel, lots of fleeces in the sofa bed and plans and dreams in my mind.
I have a queue of spinning, weaving and knitting projects to learn from.
I have no concrete plans for YouTube videos, but they usually come to me in the moment or through your questions. So I have no doubt there will be more videos this year! In the mean time there are lots of older videos on my channel, feel free to check them out.
Balance
To maintain some sort of balance with a full time job, a family, a business and time to breathe I need some sort of structure and tools. I have made lots of changes in my life recently and found routines that give me a lot of energy and peace of mind. Yoga and meditation are vital parts of my morning and evening routines. My daily dip in the lake gives me a rush that stays with me for hours and I can’t wait for my next bath. In fact, I’m going there as soon as I publish this post.
I also look forward to conversations with you, I learn so much from these. Your feedback, dedication and participation makes my work possible. So thank you, stay in touch!
Happy spinning!
You can find me in several social media:
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
2020 is over and a new year is waiting to be discovered in all its possibilities. To be able to plan my upcoming year I want to look back at what has happened fiber wise in the past year. If you have been following me for a while you can revisit 2020 with me. If you are new here – a warm welcome – you have the chance to catch up on what has happened. This is 2020 condensed.
From all of me to all of you: Happy new spinning year 2021!
“It’s New Year’s Day. 2021 is on. May s he bring us peace, health, light and love. And wool. May she bring us wool. Happy spinning. Happy new year!” It’s 3.5 degrees Celsius in the water and 2.5 in the air and a lovely day for a morning bath.
Stash and grab
In the first month I focused on reducing my handspun stash. I had spun a lot that I hadn’t really found a project for and the handspun cupboard was bursting in its hinges. The burstiness (it’s a word) stressed me and I realized I needed to do something about it. I made lots of projects of these neglected skeins and leftover balls and we use practically all of them daily.
During the autumn of 2019 I had already started a project and I finished it in January. In the stash I had lots of naah yarn and warp thrum. My first stash busting project was seven woven chair pads with rya knots. All in all I used 1 kilo of stashed handspun yarn for warp, weft and rya knots for seven chair pads. The satisfaction! And we use them every day. I also got on a band weaving frenzy and made five handspun bands with a small rigid heddle in a few winter weeks. And suddenly I realized how much you need hand woven bands.
Weaving a rya chair pad.
Bands!
Seven handspun chair pads took 1 kilo of handspun yarn off my stash.
Years ago I started a stash busting blanket project. I had woven 10×10 cm pin loom squares of odd balls of handspun and finally got to a blanket worthy amount. Read about my blanket, and while you are at it, check out Anna’s pin loom blanket project too! She spun her squares on a medieval spindle specifically for the blanket and it looks beautiful.
Bulky singles and commercial flax yarn in my new curtain.
A lovely stash buster blanket of medium thickness.
Perfect for a winter day.
With lots of skeins of Navajo spindle spun bulky singles I wove a curtain with a loose sett with the singles as weft and commercial flax yarn as warp. I used an old sheet as a background and mended a hole with a flea market lace ribbon.
I have mended lots of other things during the year and I always feel very satisfied doing it. The rest of the family also turn to mending now rather than discarding something that is broken or worn.
Breed studies and webinars
During the past year I have written blog posts about the wool from four different Swedish sheep breeds – finull, Jämtland, rya and Klövsjö wool. I have also managed to live stream three of them in live breed study webinars. Making the breed study webinar takes a lot of time – around 10 hours for one webinar. I am nervous all day before a live stream, but once I go live I love being with you and learning through your questions. So thank you for showing up at my webinars. We are doing this together!
Klövsjö sheep Frida’s outercoat, spun worsted on a suspended spindle.
Combed whole year’s outer coat from the rya ewe Lina and the rya ram Bertil. Spun on a suspended spindle.
One of this year’s live breed study webinars was about Jämtland wool.
Nypon (Rose hip), a silver medal winning finull fleece.
Backstrap weaving
In the beginning of the year I took a few courses in backstrap weaving. Since then I have started to explore this beautiful way of weaving where you as the weaver are also a part of the loom. Being so close to the weaving process has made me understand and respect it on a deeper level. During the year I have woven a weaving bag, a camera strap, a belt bag and a stick wrap on my backstrap loom. At the end of the year I also published the video Weaving with the trees where I weave on a backstrap loom in the northernmost corner of Sweden.
I wove a weaving bag! Photo by Dan Waltin
A camera strap for Dan’s birthday.
The Frida Chanel bag is comfortable to war across my hip, either to the front or to the back. Photo by Dan Waltin
In the video Weaving with the trees I weave a stick wrap for my loom parts in Abisko in the northernmost corner of Sweden. Photo by Dan Waltin.
Tech tips
I have tried to blog about how I work with different tools and techniques. One of my most important and foundational concepts that I teach in every class is opening up the twist to achieve an easier draft and less strain. In Finding a fleece I walk you through a lots of useful tips to find fleece to work with. Don’t miss these two blog posts!
Finding a fleece and Opening up the twist are two of the most important posts from 2020.
I am a happy beginner at embroidery, but I did manage to spin a lovely embroidery yarn as my contribution to the 2020 Swedish spinning championships. The skein gave me a gold medal. In this post I walk you through the rules of the championships and how I spun the yarn.
An embroidery yarn that got me a gold medal in the 2020 Swedish spinning championships.
During the fall I have been experimenting with sock yarn and found a way to spin a cable yarn with a rya/mohair mix. I gave my husband a promise of socks from this yarn in a colour and model of his choice for Christmas. Still, I am sure there will be enough yarn for another couple of socks too.
I spun a lovely cabled sock yarn from a rya/mohair blend.
A couple of videos with tech tips have left the editing board as well. In the beginning of the year I released a video where I spin by a lake from the cut end of flicked locks. A bit later a video where I spin on a Portuguese spindle in the forest. In the early fall I finished a lovely video where I spin on a great wheel in costume at the manor hall of Vallby outdoor museum (Swedish version here).
Three videos from 2020: Spinning on a great wheel, spinning on a Portuguese spindle and spinning from the cut end.
Meditations
As a way of developing my writing and opening up to a more personal way of expressing myself and my fiber journey I have been experimenting with what I call meditations. In these I let my sensations steer my process with both fiber and words and just enjoy the ride. Read about the knowledge of the hand and my relationship to the morning. Find peace with my warping and fleece meditations.
Find peace with some lovely meditations.
Teaching
As for many other teachers a lot of my planned courses have been cancelled this year due to Covid. I was however one of the lucky ones who was able to teach at Sätergläntan in the course I call A spindle a day.
Supported spindles and floor supported Navajo style spindles at my 5-day course A spindle a day at Sätergläntan.
I did launch a couple of courses in my online school. The free five-day challenge Fleece through the senses became a huge success from the start. So far 444 people have taken the course and contributed with their explorations and experimentation. Later I launched the course Know your fleece – a course about going deep into your fleece to find its soul.
Online courses: Fleece through the senses and Know your fleece.
The crisis has opened many people’s eyes to different ways of communicating. In early July I was invited to a zoom meeting with a spinning guild in the east coast of Australia at 6:30 in the morning. In December I was hired as a speaker at a guild meeting in Washington state in the U.S.
Writing
Apart from the 52 blog posts I have written in other contexts too. I love writing articles for spinning magazines since it makes me explore and challenge my writing even more. For Spin-Off I have written about Textile heritage and how I teach at Sätergläntan. I also published the Sweater pattern Selma Margau for Spin-Off. And of course I didn’t miss the PLY Support spindle issue. I wrote an article I simply call the Flick. In the beginning of the year the Swedish craft magazine Hemslöjd featured me and my spindles in an article.
The flick in PLY’s support spindle issue
Shooting for Textile heritage article in Spin-Off magazine. Photo by Cecilia von Zweigbergk Wike
Selma Margau pattern in Spin-Off
Article about spindle spinning in Hemslöjd magazine. Photo by Sara Mac Key.
My contribution to Sara Wolf’s book Knit (spin) Sweden has been taking up a lot of time, energy and love this year. The book is at the printer’s as we speak (a bit delayed due to Covid). You can preorder the book if you want to make sure not to miss it. A Swedish translation is in the pipeline as well.
A large part of the work I do is free and my goal is to keep it that way. If you want to support my creative work and make sure it can go on in a sustainable way, do consider becoming a patron at my Patreon page. You can pick a monthly payment of your choice. A new feature is the possibility to pay annually and get two months for free.
Happy spinning in 2021!
You can find me in several social media:
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Sätergläntan craft education center in its prettiest midsummer dress.
Yesterday I came back from Sätergläntan center for craft education. I have been teaching a five-day course in different spindle techniques. I call the course A spindle a day, referring to both the outline of the course and of the way spinning keeps me healthy – it makes me feel focused, peaceful and and sharp.
The rooms bursts with creativity on A spindle a day. Spindle by Wildcraft.
Sätergläntan bursts of crafting and creativity and it is a very inspirational place to be. This is the second time I teach at Sätergläntan, the last time was last October when I taught a five-day course in supported spindle spinning. I feel so lucky to be able to teach here. Only a couple of weeks ago Hazel Tindall and Nancy Marchant taught classes here.
A spindle a day
In October 2018 I taught a five-day course in supported spindle spinning. The principal of the center asked me if I wanted to come back and teach this summer. I did. From previous courses I knew that many people want to learn how to spin on a supported spindle, but I also know that there are many other spindle types that people want to learn. I sketched up a new course and called it A spindle a day.
I wanted to create a course where people could learn different spindle types, but also to really enjoy the superpowers of the slowness of spindle spinning. Spindle spinning allows you to focus on quality. You get time to listen to the wool and find out how it wants to be treated to be able to spin its best yarn.
Practicing spindle techniques is also a perfect thing to do outdoors – all you need is a spindle and some processed fiber and you are good to go. After all, that’s how people have been spinning for tens of thousands of years.
Day 1: Suspended spindle
The first part of day 1 was dedicated to wool knowledge and processing. After that we were ready to spin!
Wool knowledge
We started the first day with some basic wool knowledge. We looked at some of the Swedish breeds and their characteristics – staple length, crimp, fiber types, fineness etc. Handling wool from the very beginning helps us get to know the wool and understand what the characteristics do in a yarn and how we can enhance certain characteristics in the way we prepare and spin the yarn.
Combing wool
We also needed some wool to spin with, so we spent the next lesson combing. Some had combed before but hadn’t really got the hang of it and some had not combed at all. We used mainly a very dense Swedish Leicester wool that was a challenge to separate.
Don’t rush your combing. It needs your love and attention just as much as the spinning does. Combs from Gammeldags, wool from Värmland sheep.
We also looked at desired characteristics of hand combs – Tine length, sharpness, tine rows and distance between the tines. All these aspects will have an impact of the yarn we spin. As a spinner I need to adapt my combs to the wool I use and the result I want.
Suspended spindle
Most of the students in the class had spun on a suspended spindle before, some for a long time. They took the time to focus and practice. Some of them had never set the spindle in motion by rolling the shaft up the thigh before and were amazed at the speed it induced.
A lot of speed is inserted in the spindle when the spinner sets it in motion by rolling the shaft up the thigh. The spindle was made by the student.
The most experienced spinner played the game “how long can I spin before I need to roll the yarn onto the shaft” and set the spindle in motion with her feet.
You don’t need a spinning wheel to use with your feet for spinning! Spindle by Forsnäs Hemman.
Beginner spindler
There was one student who had no prior spinning or wool processing experience. It was my responsibility to meet her at her level and find the right step size for her to make progress and shine. And she did! It was wonderful to see how she worked with the wool with determination and dedication, how she understood the concept of drafting and found the point of twist engagement.
A new spinner is born. With dedication and determination she approached the suspended spindle and made impressive progress. Here she is parking and drafting. Towards the end of the day she started to skip the parking part.
Changing hands
When I teach spindle spinning I encourage, no, I make my students change hands. I want them to be able to use either hand as spinning hand or fiber hand. All hands in my class need to learn and be comfortable with how to control the fiber and how to control the yarn. I am a firm believer that you understand more about the spinning process and spinning mechanics if both hands know both tasks.
All the students did as I told them and they were amazed at how it actually worked after the initial learning process.
Day 2: Floor-supported spindle
On the second day all the students were beginners again, none of them had any previous experience of the floor-supported spindle.
Navajo spindle by Björn Peck
A floor-supported spindle is, obviously, supported by the floor. It is thus a long spindle, somewhat longer if you sit on a chair than if you sit on the floor. We focused on the Navajo spindle where the spinner spins longdraw from hand-carded rolags.
Practicing bulky singles on a Navajo spindle. Spindle by Björn Peck.
Carding rolags
With Navajo spindle spinning there are no short cuts – you need to make hand-carded rolags and they need to be even. The quality of the rolag will have consequences for the spinning process and the yarn you are spinning.
There are no shortcuts – Navajo spindle spinning requires even and consistent hand-carded rolags!
Most of the students had experience in carding, but they all realized what difference dedicated time and thoroughness can do for the result. They learned quickly, though, and were amazed at their own progress – after a few loose and uneven rolags came concentric and even ones that made the teacher very proud.
A thick singles yarn spun from hand-carded rolags on a Navajo spindle. The wool comes from the Värmland sheep Viola.
Let your hands listen to the wool
With a Navajo floor-supported spindle your hands need to communicate. Those of you who have watched the beautiful video of Navajo weaver Clara Sherman spinning on a Navajo spindle have heard her talk about the hands knowing and feeling what to do. This is very true when it comes to Navajo spindle spinning. The spindle hand is rolling the spindle shaft up the thigh and the fiber hand is holding the rolag ever so lightly. No hand is on the yarn to control it. The yarn is created in the cooperation between the hands, like a choreographed dance. The hands therefore need to listen to the wool to know when more twist needs to be added and when to add more length to the yarn or to open up the twist.
Learning to spin on a Navajo floor-supported spindle. Spindle by Björn Peck.
Being a beginner in a known field
The students I teach are generally experienced spinners. But when they come to my classroom they are beginners again. This can cause lots of frustration. As intermediate and experienced spinners they have so much knowledge. They know how wool behaves, how to draft and what they need to do to the yarn to get it where they want. They just don’t know this particular tool. I need to remind them to be patient and have respect for their own learning process.
The weather wasn’t always spinning-friendly, but when it was we took the chance to spin outdoors. Navajo spindle by Björn Peck.
Day 3: In-hand spindle with distaff
Mid-week we are tired. The students have been stuffed for two days and their brains need time to process all the things they have learned. And that’s ok. Sometimes we need to stop and listen, take a break or a step back. Still, they managed to take in and flourish in a new spinning technique and a new way to handle the fiber.
In this section of the course we also looked at some historical aspects of spinning. How did they spin in Central European medieval times? How did the Vikings spin? We also looked at French, Portuguese and Balkan spindles, which are all spun with a similar technique and with a distaff.
Twiddling
For the in-hand (or grasped or twiddle) spindle, the spinner holds the upper tip of the spindle between their fingers and turns the spindle in the hand. After some practice you can let go of the spindle and allow it to spin freely for short periods, still in the hand, always ready to grasp again. This was a challenge to the students. They thought they would never be able to control the spindle in the hand, but before lunch they all did!
Handling in-hand spindle and distaff is not a walk in the park.
Managing the distaff
The next step was to add the distaff. That too was a challenge – to hold the distaff while at the same time draft with the fiber hand, twiddle the spindle and keep an eye on the yarn going diagonally over the chest. They managed that too.
We’re taking our in-hand spindles and distaffs for a walk.
In fact, we even went for a walk with our spindles and distaffs. Now, that’s progress!
Day 4: Supported spindle
It’s Supported spindle spinning Day! Supported spindle and puck by Björn Peck.
This is my game. I have taught lots of classes in supported spindle spinning. I know what to do, I know my course outline and I know the most common challenges the students face.
This time I was dead wrong.
These students have, step by step and in other contexts, become acquainted with most of the skills needed for supported spindle spinning, and they didn’t need much of my assistance before they were spinning away on their supported spindles. They didn’t have to start with a leader to practice the movements and angles, they had already practiced them the previous days with the other techniques.
Learning supported spindle spinning after suspended, floor-rested and in-hand spindle spinning turned out to be a smooth process.
Old skills in a new package
This is the thing about new skills – even if you are totally new to a thing, you always have some older skills you can apply to the new ones, albeit in a new package.
They know from the floor-rested and in-hand spindles how to change the angle between spinning and rolling onto the shaft.
With the in-hand spindle they have practiced fine-motor skills for twiddling the spinning tip.
Early on the first day we talked about opening up the twist to achieve a more even yarn and they have practiced it ever since.
Since day one they have practiced wool preparation and know what consequences it has for the quality of the spinning and the yarn.
For nearly every question they have asked I have encouraged them to analyze and find the answer themselves. They have started to analyze more themselves now and understand more why things happen the way they do in their spinning.
They know how to pack a mean permanent cop.
All I had to do was to coach them in flicking and encourage them to analyze even more.
I’m so proud of them!
Spinning on a supported spindle from high quality hand-carded rolags. Supported spindle and puck by Björn Peck.
Day 5: Wool tasting
The fifth day was only half a day, so there was no new spindle. Instead the students put their new skills to the test in a wool tasting.
Testing new skills
They got five different wools and a chart. For each wool they were to make an initial assessment of the wool – what was their immediate feeling of the wool?
A lot of dedication was invested in the wool tasting.
They prepared and spun the wool and made a sample, taking notes of preparation method, spinning technique and spindle type. For every wool they got fifteen minutes. The room was quiet and the air thick with concentration. They were all dedicated and knew exactly how they wanted to prepare and spin the different wools and made thorough notes. It was a joy to observe!
Want to know the wools in the wool tasting? From the left: Norwegian NKS, Dalapäls wool, Svärdsjö wool, Gute wool and Huacaya alpaca.
So much of what they had learned during the week came in use in the wool tasting. They had been provided with lots of tools and in the wool tasting they proved that they knew how to use them.
Spinning meditation
The last thing we did before lunch and journeys homeward was a spinning meditation. I hadn’t planned it, but one of the student had taken one of my previous courses where we had had a spinning meditation and asked if we could do it again. And it was a very suitable finale of a wonderful week.
A bench, some yarn and a meadow. The simplest things in life can be the most powerful.
Spinning, especially on spindles, can be truly meditative and is one of the superpowers of the craft. For me, a spindle a day keeps me balanced and focused. Perhaps it also keeps the doctor away.
Happy spinning!
You can follow me in several social media:
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private. If you like what I do, please tell all your fiber friends and share these links!
Spinning on a supported spindle, a new online course
Spinning on a supported spindle is something that lies very close to my heart. Supported spindle spinning may be my most favorite spinning technique and also the technique I have been teaching for the last 2,5 years. Through my classes I have seen the most common mistakes and beginner’s struggles. In the online course I try to address these issues to give you as many tools as possible to learn how to spin continuously and effortlessly.
The superpowers of supported spindle spinning
This technique has so many superpowers and I will go through each one in the course. With supported spindle spinning you can
spin in different places than other spinning techniques
experiment
spin in crowded places
focus on quality
spin very short fibers
find inner balance
spin faster than with other spindle techniques
produce a yarn that is extremely thin
spin with more ease and less strain than many other techniques
Meditative
One of the most compelling traits of supported spindle spinning is that it is meditative. That is true for many spinning techniques, but there is something extra special about the rhythm of supported spindle spinning. If I feel stressed I often take a supported spindle and spin for a while. It lets my brain rest and find balance.
Spinning on a supported spindle is truly meditative
Quality
Another one of the most powerful features of supported spindle spinning is that you can focus on the quality in a way that no other spinning technique allows. With supported spindle spinning you have a 100 % control over drafting and tension. Your hands control both fiber and yarn and at a distance from your eyes that allows you to carefully watch and feel what is happening in the drafting zone. This means that you are able to study the behaviour of the wool closely achieve the result you want right there, between your hands.
Less strain
Many people say that supported spindle spinning puts less strain on arms and shoulders than other types of spinning. When you spin on a supported spindle you move your arms minimally. That means that arms and shoulders can rest in the motion and your fingers will do the work with the help of low friction against a smooth bowl surface.
I had one student who had constant pains after a car accident. Some spinning techniques were difficult for her to do for longer periods of time due to the pain. But after the course she said that she could spin on a supported spindle for hours. It really warmed my heart to hear and I was truly happy for her.
Course design
In the course I will walk you through supported spindle spinning step by step. Everything in the course is video-based so that you can see what I do. There are 4 sections and 11 theoretical and practical lessons. All the lessons are captioned and there are informative titles for important keywords and concepts. I have also included a glossary pdf so the you can look up important terms during the course.
Course outline
In the course we will look at
Getting to know your spindle: We get acquainted with the spindle and look at why we spin on a supported spindle
Yarn exercises: With step-by-step exercises with yarn we isolate the movements and learn movements, hand positions and yarn angles without having to manage fiber and drafting at the same time. We also look at spindle anatomy and differences in models and design.
Managing fiber and technique: We spin with fiber and practice park and draft at our own pace. We also dive a bit deeper in technique.
Spinning continuously: We let go of the last preparational exercises and learn how to spin continuously.
The outline of the course
Material requirements
To be able to take the course you need just a few things:
A supported spindle. If you don’t have one you can take my free course How to pick a supported spindle and bowl to find out which model that will work best for you.
A spindle bowl. This could be a special spinning bowl or a household bowl with a smooth surface.
A piece of yarn for the yarn exercises.
Fiber to spin with. Pick a fiber that you are comfortable with.
Who can take the course?
To make the most of this course you will need to know how to spin on a suspended (drop) spindle and be comfortable with spinning on a suspended spindle. You need to know how wool and fiber behave and how a spindle behaves. You can still take the course if you don’t know this. However, I think you will get the most out of the course if you do know how to spin on a suspended spindle and that you are comfortable with spinning on a suspended spindle.
When you have finished the course you will know
why we spin on a supported spindle
the basic movements and techniques of spinning with a supported spindle
why we do what we do in supported spindle spinning
With practice you will learn how to spin continuously with a supported spindle.
The course will be available in my online school this Saturday March the 2nd.
Live webinar: Spindle ergonomics
This Saturday, March 2nd at 5 pm CET, I will host a live webinar. I will talk about spindle ergonomics and how we can adjust our spinning to avoid pain and strain. I will also talk about the online course.
This is a chance for me to meet you (in the chat at least, I won’t be able to see you) and for you to see me live and unedited. I am terrified about this but also very excited. And I know you will be kind webinar participants and not eat me alive.
The webinar has already taken place
Happy spinning!
You can follow me on several social media:
This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. The content I create is totally free from advertisement. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
Follow me on Instagram. I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better posts and videos. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private. If you like what I do, please tell all your fiber friends and share these links!
This past week I have been teaching spinning at Sätergläntan – a five-day course in supported spindle spinning. Seven spinners have learned basic and intermediate techniques and developed new skills and perspectives on spinning.
Sätergläntan – a nordic center for craft education
Sätergläntan is a crafting institute that offers courses in different crafting techniques. The center is situated in the beautiful county of Dalarna, which has a very rich cultural and crafting heritage. Students at Sätergläntan can take one, two or three year courses in weaving, sewing, woodwork or forging. Sätergläntan also offers five-day courses in different crafting techniques.
Sätergläntan main building
Every corner of Sätergläntan is bursting with craft and creativity. From the creative minds of students and teachers to the littlest things like beautifully carved door knobs or embroidered flowers on armchairs. Inspiration is everywhere.
Teaching supported spindle spinning: Basics
We started the course in supported spindle spinning with getting to know the spindle and used yarn to learn the motions step by step. We also talked about the super powers of supported spindle spinning, spindle anatomy and differences in models and design. On day two we used the park and draft method and finally the students started spinning continuously.
This student was basically a beginner spinner and the yarn on the spindle is her very first yarn on a supported spindle. A very smooth and well-spun first yarn! Spindle from Malcolm Fielding, spindle in the background from Texas Jeans,
Almost all of the students were experienced spinners, but most of them had never touched a supported spindle before. There was so much experience in the room and we had lots of very rewarding discussions about technique, wool preparation and the anatomy of the spindles.
Swedish spindles from Björn Peck
In earlier courses, I have had spindles for the students to borrow for the duration of the course. When the courses were over, I could only recommend them to buy their own spindles from spindle makers from the U.S. or Australia or in some cases the U.K. That meant that they would need to wait for at least a couple of weeks before they could practice what they had learned on the course. By that time they would probably have forgotten a lot of what they had learned. And it bothered me a lot.
This time, I brought Swedish spindles for sale! I have a cooperation with wood turner Björn Peck from Stockholm. He has made beautiful and very well functioning supported spindles and bowls in local Swedish woods after my instructions. I am very happy and immensely proud of this cooperation.
When I teach, I am very strict and force my students to try all of the spindles from different makers. I don’t tell them who made what spindle until they have knowledge about what to look for in a spindle. Before I reveal the makers I ask the students which spindle they liked the most. Since I have had Björn’s spindles in my stash, a vast majority of the students have opted for his spindles over all the other brands.
I don’t sell the spindles outside of my spinning courses and Björn doesn’t have them on his web site. Yet. If you are interested in buying them, he can open up a web shop. Just let me know.
Eager students comparing spindles and bowls before making a decision on what to buy. Spindles and bowls in maple, apple, walnut, bird cherry and laburnum from Björn Peck Woodworking.
Intermediate
Day three we started the intermediate section with plying on our supported spindles. We looked at different methods of getting the singles off the spindles and arranging them for plying. Also, we made lazy kates from paper bags and shoe boxes, plied from toilet rolls, center-pull balls and tennis balls. We 2-plied, Andean plied and plied on the fly. Several of the students had been looking forward to learning how to ply on the fly on the supported spindle, and they all learned the technique and seemed to enjoy it very much.
Students are making progress! Spindle and bowl from Björn Peck woodworking. China bowl is an Asian rice bowl.
We also pretended we were spinning seated on a rock in the forest (just like I like to do in my videos) and made skeins with arms and legs and yarn balls with our thumbs as nostepinnes. There is not much room to bring niddy-noddies or other tools to the rock in the forest, so learning how to use your body to take care of the yarn is very convenient.
Analysis
On day four we started digging deeper in analysis. So far, the students had applied their previous spinning knowledge and skills to this new tool and technique. Now we turned it all around and looked at what supported spindle spinning can do for our spinning with other tools.
Deep concentration and lots of interesting theories in the analysis section
Spinning on a supported spindle gives us the opportunity to control the yarn in a way I don’t see in other spinning tools. This makes it possible to spin with a very high quality.
When you spin on a supported spindle you have control with your hands on both fiber end and yarn end. You hold the fiber with the thumb and index finger of the fiber hand and the yarn with the same fingers of your spindle hand.
Supported spindle spinning gives you the opportunity to have control of both the fiber end and the yarn end with your hands. Spindle and lap bowl from Forsnäs Hemman (private).
With most other spinning tools you have control of only the fiber end. Even if you can have both your hands on the yarn and fiber on a wheel, your hands never control the tension. In supported spindle spinning your hands have total control of the tension of the yarn in both ends. This is a super power we need to take advantage of! By having this amount of control we can fine tune the yarn and master it in more detail than with other spinning tools. For this reason, I usually experiment and try out fibers and yarn on a supported spindle before I scale the production up on a wheel. Now, that’s a super power! You can see an example of this in my video Slow fashion 2 – from sheep to shawl.
Mindfulness
Another super power of spinning in general, and supported spindle spinning in particular, is the mindfulness it brings to the spinner (and to the people around them). Spinning on a supported spindle gives me the same sense of calm and peace that I get from meditation. I use the creative parts of my brain when I spin, but spinning also opens up my creative thinking. If I feel I’m in a jam, I take a break, spin for a while and – voilá – my creative thinking is back on track. We talked about this in one of the last sessions of the course. We also did sort of a spinning meditation. I had never tried it before, but I think the students enjoyed it. In fact, one of them solved a problem during the spinning meditation that she had been struggling with all week.
Wool tasting
Finally, on day five we did some wool tasting! I came up with the idea earlier this year. Compare a wool tasting to a wine or chocolate tasting where you get to try different brands or products and compare them. In the wool tasting the students got five different fibers to prepare, spin and compare.
The fiber samples and charts for the wool tasting
They each got a chart where they noted characteristics of the fiber, what they wanted to do with it, how they prepared and spun it and how the result came out.
Lots of activity in the wool tasting. Spindle and bowl from Björn Peck Woodworking.
They got ten minutes with each fiber. The spinners quickly entered the crafting bubble and the spinning energy was intense in the room. Everybody was deeply concentrated on the making.
Carding long Rya lamb locks
They got the opportunity to use all the new skills they had learned during the week and filled in their wool tasting charts with great enthusiasm.
A finished wool tasting chart
And the fibers in the wool tasting? Well, it was actually not just wool. We kicked off with Gute wool, turned sharply to heavenly soft alpaca, went straight ahead to mulberry silk, surprised with Leicester longwool with nepps and finished off with long lamb locks of Rya.
The wool tasting results from one of the wool tasters. From above: Gute wool, alpaca, mulberry silk, Leicester wool with lost nepps and rya wool.
All in all it was a successful course where the students made great progress. I learned at least as much as they did and I got lots of new pedagogical tools for my teaching tool box.
Happy spinning!
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