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BETWEEN FRIENDS

ONE COMMON THREAD
The regular newsletter of the Friendship Spinners - Summer 2007

Between Friends is the quarterly newsletter of the Friendship Spinners. We meet on the second Saturday of each month from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at various locations around Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Lunch is usually potluck. Dues are $15 per calendar year. For more information about meetings or to place and ad, contact the newsletter editor Linda Donahoe. To join, contact treasurer/membership chair Nancy Reid.

Upcoming Spin Ins

Aug. 11th	Bernheim Forest
Sept. 8th	Natural Dye Workshop at Martha Richard’s home*
Oct. 20th	Bernheim Forest Colorfest
Nov. 10th	Franklin County Co-op, Frankfort KY
Dec. 7-8	Shakertown Retreat

Click on the location for driving directions.

* Natural Dye Workshop site has been changed. Click here for more information.

From The Program Chair

Fellow Spinners,

Can you believe it? This year is more than half over! Where has it gone? I declare, the older I get, the faster time flies. Must be time to stop counting birthdays. St. Meinrad was a wonderful place for our Summer Retreat. Other than my allergic reaction to an antibiotic, I think everyone had a great time. The meals, sleeping and meeting rooms, grounds, setting, etc. were all outstanding. The tour by Brother Kim was awe inspiring, as well as mind boggling. I feel we got a big bang for our buck. Should this be a place to consider for the next summer retreat after our 2008 retreat?

All the Friendship Spinners at St. Meinrad's would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to Donna Starcher for all the hard work and time she put into making arrangements for the Summer Retreat. Donna, we really appreciate everything you do.

A loud round of applause to all the Friendship Spinners involved in the Coverlet Exchange! Your patience, persistence, frustration, tears, time, and hard work paid off. The completed squares were beautiful and exceeded all expectations. We are an amazing group of people, and those mentors are phenomenal! But, just when you thought you were done, there's more work ahead. Life's like that isn't it? By June 2008, those squares should be sewn, crocheted, knitted, whatever, together to form a completed coverlet. At next summer's retreat I think we should have a Parade of Coverlets. If you thought exchanging completed squares was exciting, can you imagine 20 completed coverlets in the same room? We may have to hire security!

Speaking of coverlets, the completed coverlet forms are due at, or before, the August meeting. After that, I will be tracking you down. If a form isn't turned in, you won't get a booklet. We did so well on the squares, the coverlet form should be a piece of cake.

Last but not least, to better reflect the wishes and desires of our membership, the board has decided to conduct a survey. This should be out by September, I hope. I strongly encourage you to fill out the survey and return it. We as board members take our jobs seriously. We DO need your ideas, suggestions, and concerns to accurately represent you, our members. We can't change what we don't hear about.

As always, please feel free to contact any of us with your comments, questions, and concerns. Looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting.

Carol Wixom

Treasurer’s Report
and Proposed Changes in Dues

The balance in the treasury is $1200. Petty cash has $14. The club made $340 on classes at the retreat at St. Meinrad’s; a nice chunk of that was Viv Maraman’s decision to donate her class fee back to the treasury. Thanks, Viv!

There has been a fair amount of discussion so far this year about raising dues to $20 annually. We decided to talk about it all year and then vote in November on the issue. Little bits of feedback have been trickling in, and so we’ve decided to do a survey to see just what the membership thinks our priorities and goals should be; what activities we ought to engage in; what level of organization and education we should have; where we should, and shouldn’t, be spending money. To this end, we’ll be putting out a survey in September, and getting the results back to you in time to make an informed decision in November. Please take the time to fill out and return your survey when it arrives, and thanks for your participation!

Nancy Reid

Rent-A-Loom

Don’t forget, the club owns a lovely little 4 harness floor loom that rents out for only $25 a month, with a $100 deposit. If you’ve been wanting to try weaving and have hesitated at the high initial capital outlay, try it first to see if you like it! The library also has the books to get you started, and there are several qualified teachers in the club as well. Contact Nancy Reid to reserve the loom.

News from the Library

The library black boxes are bulging so please contact your friendly librarian who will bring you a specific book or a series of books [like how to weave towels] to the next meeting - just e-mail Tori. Hopefully all boxes will be open for viewing at the August meeting!

Tori Kleinert

Save the Date!!

November will bring us the “THIRD” ANNUAL NORTH AMERICAN LIVESTOCK SPIN IN on November 11, 2007. We will meet that Sunday in the south wing lobby to spin and take some time to see wool on the animals! Just remember to pack a lunch and your wheel and come help welcome spinners from all over North America! We will have admission tickets and parking passes available in October. Questions? Call or e-mail Tori.

Planning Begins for 2008 Retreat

We are planning a summer retreat for 2008. We have reserved the dates of June 13, 14, and 15 at Shakertown at Pleasant Hill. We have invited Katharine Cobey of Cushing Maine to come back to Kentucky for a knitting workshop. Katharine has been here before and everyone wants her back to teach us more, more, more. If you are unfamiliar with Katharine's work she has been featured in the book by Melanie Falick entitled "Knitting in America". In the book Katharine is described as wise and powerful, learned and talented. She has much to tell the world and chooses to communicate her message through knitting. Katharine's art invites the viewer in and encourages contemplation. Often her creations are provocative social commentaries about homelessness, about aging, about marriage, about the environment. They sometimes take the form of clothing. She knits shapes that are about clothing and the life that clothing expresses.

We have also invited Ann Brown of Mount Sterling. She has been teaching this year at the Maryland Sheep Show and Greencastle Fleece Fair. She teaches a class in making braided rugs from roving. Her new book entitled The Shepherd's Rug, a Braided Wool Rug from Roving is a must have for every shepherd and fiber artist. We are lucky to have this gifted fiber artist so close to home.
So mark your calendars and ponder the possibilities.

Betty Beshoar

Change in Dye-In Workshop

The September 10 meeting will be held at the home of Greg and Martha Richard in Boston, KY. Our Dye-In this year will be a "Solar Dye In". If you wish to join in the fun, please bring these items. You will need a gallon glass jar and lid--label it with your name, about a pound of clean wool fiber or yarn, 2 or 3 colors of ready to use dye such as Country Classics or Jacquard brands, vinegar if needed along with your dye. We will set up the jars and dye in a sunny spot in the yard and let it do its thing while we enjoy the day spinning with our friends. If you need some travel information, please refer to your e- or s-mail newsletter.

Coverlet Weavers!!

I have talked with Jaine Faries and asked her for some information for the washing of our squares. She says that she fills the washer with HOT water (no soap). She lets it agitate for about a minute, spins the load, and then takes each piece out and smoothes it into the shape and size needed. The pieces are air dried. If you are hesitant to try hot water, (owners of dark colors especially red) do a test run with your sample square. Good luck with your construction of your coverlet.

Martha Richard

Weaver’s Exchange 2007

This years Weaver’s exchange will be two heirloom quality tea towels. Please make a note that we are changing the date of the exchange to the January meeting of 2008. Hopefully this will help with the crunch around Christmas and make the retreat at Shakertown a little more relaxing. Please remember those of us who participate in this exchange spend many hours working on these projects, and put in only our best work. If you are unsure as to whether your work will fit in, please ask myself or Martha Richard. The purposes of this exchange, besides getting two great towels, are to learn something and to push your ability.

Here are the rules:

• 2 Heirloom Tea Towels, minimum finished size 16” x24”.
• No ghost weavers, only your own work please.
• Towels must be done when you come to the meeting, this includes hemming.
• Use 10/2 cotton or smaller, cotton/linen blends or linen.

There has also been some interest in a Novice Towel Exchange. The rules would be much more relaxed, if you are interested let me know and if there are enough people who want to take part, I’ll set that up. E-mail me if you are interested.

Sandy Duffy

From the Archivist

Here are some techniques for gradation dyeing silk or wool yarn (or roving).

Technique I: Using regular acid dye, start to dye it at a lower than normal temperature. Have another pot of plain water next to the dye vat, at the same temperature. The darkest part of the work will be at the bottom. Dip the wetted-out fabric back and forth, between the 2 vessels, getting deeper and deeper VERY gradually, and raising the temperature, slowly. If your vats are narrow, you must keep the width of the fabric changing, to avoid vertical streaking in the folds. Rinse from the pale end, using flowing water, which carries the excess dye towards the darker area, avoiding staining the lighter part.

Technique II: Heat vinegar or citric acid solution in a saucepan on the stove until almost boiling. Put yarn in the pot, remove pot from heat and cover. Let it sit in the hot vinegar about 15 minutes, so it's thoroughly wet, but don't let it cool. Mix 1/2 tsp of dye (be sure to use one of the "pure" colors - mixed ones split into weird patches) into 2 cups of room-temperature water until smooth. Put the dyestock into a container wide enough to hold your yarn without folding it (if you fold it, the dye will "wick" differently along the fold). Now, rig up something you can suspend your yarn from so that it hangs vertically. A clothesline is great if you have one indoors. Squeeze the vinegar gently out of your yarn so as not to crease it, and hang it up - clip the top edge only to the clothesline, don't fold it over. Place your dyestock container underneath so that the bottom few inches of the yarn is submerged. The dye will wick up the yarn gradually and you'll get the gradation effect. Let the scarf sit until it cools, then rinse under hot water, wash with Synthrapol, and rinse again. Results will vary depending on the color. Try redipping in vinegar and then in dye.

Technique III: Soak your fabric or yarn in vinegar, and hand paint the graduation, as you did before. Do not attempt to batch the fabric. Simply hang it to dry, with the white portion at the top, of course. When it is dry, wrap it in paper, pellon, or muslin, etc. and steam to set the dye. You can see instructions for steaming in a stock pot at www.prochemical.com, look under instructions for acid dyes.

Jean Covert

Upcoming Festivals

Aug. 4-5th	Shakertown Festival
Aug. 18-19th	Woodland Park Art Fair, Lexington KY
Oct. 5-6th	St. James Art Festival, Louisville KY
Oct. 5-6-7th	Woolfest, Falmouth KY
Oct. 20th	Bernheim Colorfest, Bernheim Forest
Oct. 20th	Fiberfest, Corydon IN
Nov. 2nd	Fibermania, New Albany IN

Recipe

Baby Blue Salad

2/3 lb mixed salad greens
Balsamic Vinaigrette
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Place greens, blue cheese and strawberries in a large bowl. Toss with Balsamic Vinaigrette and top with Sweet and Spicy Pecans.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
½ cup balsamic vinegar
3T Dijon mustard
3T honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small shallots or green onions, minced
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper
½ cup olive oil
½ cup water

Place ingredients in jar with lid and shake.

Sweet and Spicy Pecans
¼ cup sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup pecan halves
2T sugar
1T chili powder
1/8t ground red pepper

Stir together ¼ cup sugar and warm water until sugar dissolves. Add pecans; soak 10 minutes. Drain, discarding syrup. Combine remaining sugar, chili powder and red pepper. Add pecans, tossing to coat. Place pecans on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring once. (I tripled this to take to St. Meinrad.)

Sandy Duffy

Want Ads

Big De-Stashing Clearance

• Warping board: beautiful old maple, clear lacquer finish, 19 yards. $70
• Inkle Loom: string heddles already tied. $40
• Book Charkhas (two of them!) NOT Bosworth, these are the primitive Indian type. Some minor tune-ups needed, but all the parts are there. $40 each
• Border Leicester roving: clean, white, and shiny! $16/#
• Felting Needles: 38 RBI, $1/each
• Angora Blend Yarns: 85 angora/15 superwash merino; or sock yarn in 50 angora/30 nylon/20 s.w. merino. Both sport weight in white, $9.50/oz

Nancy Reid

Schacht Might Wolf

8 harness 36" Loom. It has a high castle and tray, (great for tools) It comes with warping board and reeds. It is in wonderful condition and ready to use. $1500.00 I have photos that I can e-mail. Marilyn Fischer.

LeClerc Loom

36” 4 harness counter balance, several shuttles, bobbins, lots of warp thread, M.Davison weaving pattern book, 8 dent reed, sectional warp beam, $450 for all. Pat Sweasy.

Next Planning Meeting

The next planning meeting of Friendship Spinners will be Monday, Oct. 18th, 2007 at the home of Betty Beshoar in Frankfort, KY. All members are welcome to attend and participate. For directions contact Linda Donahoe.

Driving Directions to Spin-Ins

Bernheim Forest

From Louisville:
I-65 south to exit 112. Turn left, go east for 1 mile. Entrance sign on the right

From Lexington:
Take 1-64 west to I-265 (Gene Snyder). Go south and west toward I-65. Go south on I-65 to exit 112. Go east (left) about 1 mile. Entrance is on the right.

To Martha Richard’s Home

Please see your s- or e-mail copy of the newsletter for directions.

Franklin County Extension Office

From Louisville and Lexington:
From I-64 take Exit #58 to US 60 W. Travel about three miles to a large intersection with overhead green signs. Turn right onto Georgetown Road (US 460 E) and travel eight tenths of a mile to the next light and turn left onto KY 2822 (Steadmontown Rd). The extension office is the second left on the corner of Lakeview Court behind Lakeview Park.