Fun on Spin Day

 We had a capacity crowd at the Silk Weaving Studio for Spin Day on Apr 18. Kim McKenna, our gentle, patient and uber-knowledgeable guide for the session, taught us how to spin directly from mawatas, or silk hankies. We also learned how to discern the difference between good quality and not-so-good versions, and how the resulting yarn's qualities are such a direct reflection of that.

 We also learned that the size of a drop spindle is proportionate to the size of the yarn you're spinning. This little beauty is called a tahkli, and relatively weighty brass whorl does a smashing job in the hands of a skilled spinner. Spinners with spinning wheels got tips on tweaking their wheels to get the best results.

Here's some silk yarn, spun by Kim. Plied, beautifully balanced, and with an irresistible slub. Doesn't it make you want to do this???
Thank you, Kim, for passing on your always amazing knowledge; thank you to all who came to spend a few hours in this gentle pastime.