Spinning Workshop, Part Deux

Today I was out the door early and driving through the Oregon countryside to Damascus to the Fiber Arts School.  When I Google mapped directions it took me the "back way" through the country and I'm so glad I found that way to go as it's so lovely and rural.  We have LOTS of nursery farms that grow trees and shrubs.  My route takes me through a little country town called "Boring".  I've gotten a kick out of the newspaper stories over the years such as "Boring Girl Wins Contest", or "Boring Business Opens", etc.  Today our instructor planned to introduce us to an array of different fibers to spin.  The first one was wild, to say the least.  It was all kinds of different fibers, including snippets of other yarns and even tree tinsel!!  I joked to the teacher that it looks like someone swept up at the yarn factory.  

It was kind of like clown yarn with all kinds of bright colors. 

It wasn't super easy to spin as there were so many different kinds of fibers and yarn snippets in it. But it was an experience, for sure!

Can you say bright? 

Here is the teacher, Joanne.  She's holding the hank of fiber she gave us to spin. 

This is after I'd plied the yarn and wound it on my niddy noddy.  Wow! 

Here is my unique and wild and crazy skein of yarn hung on my spinning wheel for a photo op.  :-) 

Here is our instructor showing my friend Gracie a spinning technique.

NEXT.... was a delight.. silk.  A wonderful unbleached silk - spinning it was a wonderful experience, it felt so soft and smooth as it ran through my hands and twirled into spun yarn. 

She also gave us some blue green Angora goat - Mohair.  First we spun the silk then the mohair and then she had us ply the two together.  I learned that I'd have preferred to just ply the silk together as I loved it so much more than the mohair.  Below is a shot of the activity... my high school friend, Kevynne, brought her Lendrum wheel made in Canada. 

Then the best was last.. Joanne gifted me with a large batt of Angora rabbit!  Angora is possibly the very softest fiber to spin.  I had a very enjoyable hour spinning this on my wheel.   

And here is my pretty bunny fur all spun up.  Isn't it pretty!?  What is funny is since we brought the wheel back into the house the dog has smelled the bunny on the wheel and hasn't left it's side since.  I haven't plied this but will soon. 

Another shot of my wild yarn. 

Closer.  Fuzzzzzzzzzzzy!! 

What would you make with this?  LOL!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)