I love to spin. I love it with every fiber of my being. But I have to confess, I learned spinning against my "better" judgment. Almost twenty years ago, my friend Sarah called me up one day and said, "I'm coming to visit you. I just learned to spin, and you need to try it."
Sarah and I have been friends since third grade, and we had embroidered and knitted and crafted together for years, so ordinarily, I would have jumped on board. But I was stressed. I said, "Come to visit, but I have a new job and a new baby, and I need a new hobby like I need a hole in the head." To which Sarah, the true friend that she is, said, "Wow! You REALLY need this. I'll be there tomorrow." So she arrived, we packed our infants into the car and set out in search of my local fiber arts purveyor. When I saw the beautiful wheels and the gorgeous fiber, I was hooked. Two decades, several wheels, countless pounds of fiber, miles of yarn, spinning books and classes, and new friends later, I still thank Sarah for her wisdom in not listening to me.
So when Sarah called me ten years ago and said, "We're going to weaving class so we can weave with our handspun," I wholeheartedly agreed. And I fell in love with fiber all over again because weaving extends the creative experience and all that I love about spinning. The process is meditative, the equipment is beautiful, there is a lifetime of opportunity to learn, and, most of all, when you spin the yarn that you weave, you can make a product that is uniquely yours, unique in all the world.
Wouldn't this be a great use for yarn from a handpainted roving?
Shadow weave shawl handwoven with variegated yarn by Diane Kelly. From Handwoven Jan/Feb 2021. Photo by Joe Coca.
When I learned to weave, Handwoven magazine took its place on my shelves next to my issues of Spin Off. It's been a wonderful way to learn about weaving techniques, a source of inspiration, and a way to connect with the weaving community.
When you subscribe you get access to past issues, including ones where we explored the weaving possibilities of different fibers. The March/April 2012 issue was all about plant fibers, from flax to fique (a relative of the pineapple). And in January/February 2013 we "rediscovered wool" in interesting blends, for new uses, and from local producers.
You don't need costly equipment to enjoy the projects in Handwoven. We're including projects that can be done with rigid-heddle looms or 4-harness looms and techniques such as tablet weaving and kumihimo that don't require a loom at all! There are plenty of projects with variegated yarn, just the right use for your beautiful painted rovings, and we'll be adding suggestions in many projects for substituting handspun or using it together with commercial yarns.
Log cabin is handsome and easy to weave with a rigid-heddle loom, and what a great use for natural-colored fleece!
Pillow handwoven in log cabin with natural-colored wool by Jane Patrick. From Handwoven Jan/Feb 2012. Photo by Joe Coca.
One good turn deserves another, and just as my friend Sarah and countless teachers and fiber friends have shared the joy of spinning with me, I hope to share the joy of weaving with you. If you're a spinner who weaves or who is considering weaving, I hope you'll give Handwoven a look. So jump on in. The fiber's fine!
