July Edition of Whorled News

Carson Sierra Spinners & Weavers
2120 Ives Ave
Reno NV 89503
Sharon Campbell, Editor
(775) 846-9095 (cell)
(775) 969-3121 (long distance)

Officers:
Co-Presidents: Toni Pearce and Mary Bayer
Secretary: Judy Wells
Treasurer: Doris Woloszyn, (530) 993-4296
Whorled News is published bimonthly, six times a year on odd months.

July 11th Guild Meeting is at Mim Bullard’s in Ranch Haven. Brown Bag.
Driving directions: From Reno, drive north on Hwy 395 to the first Red Rock exit, after the Stead Blvd exit. Drive 20 miles to the Sierra Ranchos Valley, and take the first left (after Jeanette Miller’s alpaca ranch ) onto Arabian. It’s a dirt road but has a county sign. Drive up into the valley and turn left on Rancho, then continue several hundred yards and turn right on Thoroughbred. Mim is about two miles up and on the right – 455 Thoroughbred Circle. If you are coming in from California, the north Red Rock exit is 13 miles past the exit for Hwy 70 at Hallelujah Junction and only turns right. Continue four miles from the State line, past the volunteer fire house and turn right on Rancho, at mailbox central. There is a cell signal at the mail boxes. Mim’s number is 775-969-3249. You must use 775. Drive about two miles and turn right on Rancho, then continue several hundred yards and turn right on Thoroughbred. Mim is about two miles up and on the right – 455 Thoroughbred Circle.

August 8th Guild Meeting location is the Bartley Ranch School House. Potluck.

Drive .8 mile west from the intersection of McCarran Blvd and Hwy 395. Turn left (south) on Lakeside Drive and continue .4 mile. Bartley Ranch is at the north base of Windy Hill. Turn left on Bartley Ranch Road and continue several hundred feet to the parking lot on the right, following the bridge. Bring something for the White Sale; proceeds go to the guild treasury. Plan to shop from fellow guild members. There always seems to plenty of temptation for the fiber soul and wallet. This meeting is Potluck.

MAY 9, 2009 MINUTES

Welcome and Introductions: Toni. co-president, called the meeting to order and welcomed the members. Introductions were done. Sixteen people were in attendance.

Treasurer’s Report – Doris
We have two more members. Nancy Pryor gave $12.00 to the guild from the Weaving Study Group. We have received $392.00 from the fiber sale and there is still more money to come in. To date we have received $80 for the scarf project being promoted by Keep the Fleece. These funds will be sent to Keep the Fleece, who in turn will send the donation to Heifer International. Our current balance is $1250.34. with our insurance already paid.

Membership runs from January through December. Send dues to: Doris Woloszyn,
P. O. Box 229 Chilcoot, CA 96105 and make checks payable to: Carson Sierra Spinners & Weavers.

Committee Reports

Old Business

State Fair – Amy
To see the fair competition handbook, go to the fair Website. Google Nevada State Fair to find the site. There is a new novice section in the skein category for individuals spinning less than one year. Items entered into the fair must have been completed since August 2008.

Weaving Study Group – Nancy Pryor
The May meeting will be at Judy Wells’ home on May 16thth from 10AM-2PM. Judy will e-mail directions to her house. Meetings are going well. There is lots of repetition so individuals could join in any meetings. We have been working on how to plan a warp. Nancy’s purpose is to simplify loom weaving for others. Cost is $20.00.

Keep the Fleece World’s Largest Scarf Project – Heidi
We have earned $80 in donations toward this project at this time. Annabelle will take the scarf next. Remember when you have the scarf to add your information to the journal. Amy asked the people who run the fair whether we could do the scarf project at the fair. The livestock people from the fair were very excited about this project and wanted to possibly feature this in the fair promotion.

Carson Valley 4-H Days – Toni
Toni participated and said they were lots of great questions from the kids. The second day there were a lot more kids. She thinks this might have been due to the newspaper article.

Meeting Site for November
Linda Lindsay will contact the Carson City National Guard Armory to see if the space is available. Mary B. has reserved Sky Peaks for November just in case the Armory is not available.

Meeting Locations
Jan- Sky Peak , Feb. & March – South Valley Library, April, June, August, Oct. & Dec –Bartley Ranch, May-Doris Woloszyn, July- Mim Bullard, Nov.- to be determined.

Storage of Guild Items – Toni
Annabelle has taken the tubs with the fair items from Toni and is storing them for us.
New Business

Western Heritage Festival – Amy
It is being held on May 30th from 2pm-7pm. A space is being held for us. Period dress is not required. Mary B has been working on this. Arrive prior to 2pm in order to set up.

Rancho San Rafael Botanical Society – Marilynn Clarke
She passed around information on the Michigan Fiber Festival. She also mentioned that May 16th is a program being put on about fire abatement. Their June 6th meeting will be the annual plant sale.

Upcoming Fiber Festival – Sharon Campbell
Sharon mentioned that in October is the Warner Valley Fiber Festival. She will provide more information in the future about this event.

Local coffee from Chilcoot – Doris
Doris mentioned the coffee she served today is from a local coffee place in Chilcoot. They also have a coffee club. If anyone is interested just let her know and she will provide you with information.

Donated Items Available – Toni
Toni mentioned to look at the donated items that were available in case you might wish to make a donation to the guild for them.

Printing CSSW Newsletter – Amy
To print the newsletter from the blog site: Click on title newsletter, and then you can print only the newsletter pages.

Show ‘n Tell
Marilynn – showed a book she has found to be very good Natural Dyes by Gwen Fereday
Annabelle – angora knit shawl
Toni – her new flying llama tattoo
Janet S. – skein of handspun wool
Virva – her first knit pair of lace pattern socks
Amy –working on purple zippered hoodie jacket; sample of handspun & dyed purple yarn
Sharon – hand knit Shetland Chullo hat
Connie – a table runner which is her first hand-woven piece; skein of handspun & hand painted
merino mohair
Nancy Pryor – finger gloves knit with Nora Crayon yarn

The meeting was adjourned.

Your LYS (Local Yarn Store) Report – Allison Judge
I put together a short questionnaire for two newly opened yarn stores in our community. Over the months I will be sending out questionnaires to other yarn stores in Reno, Minden, and the California Foothills area. We are so fortunate to have so many choices now. I hope the shop owner's answers to my questions will encourage you to seek these shops out!

Name of store: Woolly Notions
Telephone: 530-836-1680
Location: Hwy 89, Graeagle, CA
Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 10am to 5pm, with plans to be open 7 days a week for the summer
Owner: Victoria Williams

1. How long have you been knitting? Nine years
2. What other fiber interests do you have? Interested in all - just not enough time!
3. What possessed you to open a yarn store? Love of yarn, putting together projects, sharing that enthusiasm with others and the sense of community that goes along with a small shop.
4. When did you open your store? April 4, 2009
5. How do you see your shop serving the local community and/or the larger community? To encourage creativity by providing a positive, nurturing and welcoming environment to do so.
6. Do you have special knitting/fiber events planned? On-going classes, winter projects and workshops.
7. What do you offer besides yarn? Needlearts supplies, books, gifts by local artist: Clio Art Glass, Seqoria's Beeswax Candles, Rustic Roosts birdhouse and jewelry by Sublime Serendipity.
8. What knitting (or other fiber craft) projects are taking up your time these days? A top out of the CEY Make It Modern booklet and a Noro cardigan.

Note: You can find Woolly Notions just south on Hwy 89 on the east side about 1 block south of the junction of Graeagle Johnsonville Rd. She and husband Matt have renovated one of those really cute red and white houses that line Hwy 89 - Allison

Name of Store: Lake Tahoe Yarn Company
Telephone: 530-587-1060
Location: 10250 Donner Pass Rd Ste 1, Truckee, Ca 96161
Hours: Tues - Sat, 10 - 5:30pm
Sun, 11-4pm
Closed Monday
Owner: Kelly Hechinger

1. I've been knitting since I was a little girl. I think I was about 6 or 7 when my Aunt Daisy taught me. (I don't know if she was really my Aunt)

2. I love almost all fiber. I'm not a huge fan of the artificial types but I now realize they do have a place. I have a fondness for alpaca/wool combos and my newest love is cashmere.

3. I opened a yarn store to fill a need. My own as well as the community. The knitters and crocheters needed a place to go. Plus I felt like at this time in my fiber evolutionary education, I had learned enough to take a shot at it and hopefully do a good job.

4. I opened Oct 1, 2008, just as the market started to drop.

5. I think any local shop should make it a point to do what they can to improve their community. Whether it's clean up days or walking to support cancer or knitting baby sets or warm hats for people less fortunate. We should all do our share. I think knitters are very grounded people and feel a strong need to knit in support for their communities.

6. I have several special summer events planned. June 27th is going to be a fun dye day, July 18th is going to be a Tahoe Luncheon Cruise with Lorna Mizer formally of Lorna's Laces and new author of "Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting,” doing a book signing during the cruise, and August 8th a kayak day on Tahoe, beach lunch and beach knitting.

7. Besides yarn I sell roving, teach beginning spinning, knitting and crocheting classes. I also sell hand woven blankets, placemats and kitchen towels.

8. One of my newest challenges is adding beads to knitting, I also just learned entrelac, thanks to a wonderful class given by Allison Judge, that I'm enjoying trying out in new colors. I've also become quite smitten with lace. I see a cashmere lace scarf in my future!

I learned knitting as a kid. Somewhere along the line in my teens I picked up crocheting and embroidery. Included in there somewhere was counted cross stitch, crewel, and sewing. Then came quilts for my children, and hand quilting. Then about 12 years ago I went to a craft fair and saw a woman spinning. I went home got on line and ordered a spinning wheel. I had no idea how to use it, but I knew I needed to know. Once again through the Internet, I found Allison (she used to be in Truckee and I worked for her) She now lived in Reno and invited me to a CSSW meeting. There I learned the final detail I needed to have my wheel up and running and spinning wool. Lots of spinners are also weavers, so there started the fascination with weaving. I took a class at Hazel Ryland’s house in Carson over a weekend and dove head first into weaving. Along the way I learned about different fiber types and how they behave. Why some are good for one thing but not another. That brings me to today and now I can pass along some of what I have learned from my awesome mentors.

My biggest hope is that I always have a shop that is warm, friendly, inspiring, educating and fun! This is the goal in my life right now. I also have to thank a wonderful husband who has put up with serious fiber addiction problem and all the 4 legged kids who never seem to mind the fiber and bring me nothing but love!

Note: since the survey, Kelly has done the dye day but plans to offer more. And she’s very excited to be moving to a new locale. Look for her at her new address on Donner Pass Road in the Gateway Center come September 1st. - Allison

Woolgathering 2009: COLOR and a fleece harvest on the farm. Four days and full-moon nights in Surprise Valley, October 1st-4th. Hosted by Warner Mountain Weavers 530-279-2164 and Sophie’s Icelandic Sheep. More information on their website

GUILD QUESTION: We are approaching the time when we’ll need to buckle down and start working on Christmas presents. This question is for sock knitters. Toe-up, top-down or do you have a preference? And what is your favorite sock yarn and/or pattern, or sock that you were so happy with that you know you will knit it again?

Amy Shannon: Once I found a few good stretchy cast-offs, I became a dedicated toe-up knitter. The best part of toe-up is that you never have to worry about starting the toe in time to not run out of yarn. Beyond handspun, the best sock yarn I have used is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. It is superwash, soft, and very durable. I have yet to wear a hole in any socks I have knit with it, even though I have machine washed them a hundred or so times. Just beware the dryer, for they will shrink if machine dried.

Connie Vann: I've never tried toe-up socks, so I can't vouch for them. But, I enjoyed knitting Alligator Lace Socks out of cotton-cashmere yarn. I like to knit any kind of sock pattern that works. And, I love socks as a take-along project. Actually, I still have much to learn about knitting socks.

Mary B: I like very simple socks with little if any pattern made from DK weight yarn on size 2 two needles to push the stitches together to made a substantial fabric. Must be top down on three dps while drinking (either hot or iced-depending on the season) I like the meditative rhythm of going round and round and measure the parts of the sock using my index finger and length of the needle. I use subdued colors of yarn that can be machine washed and then dried flat. Socks for me need to feel cushy to feel good. I am behind and am planning on knitting several pair this summer, along with a couple of scarves and a sweater for my great niece. Happy knitting everyone!

Sharon Campbell: I’m a toe-up knitter wanna be. Amy showed me how to do the provisional cast-on and I’m practicing on some leftover sock yarn. Meanwhile, I could knit top-down socks in my sleep. I’m sure the reason I enjoy them so much is because they’re portable, open to improvisation and they’re what I know. I’ve incorporated some lace patterns from my Harmony Guide and been very happy. As for yarn, I like how Lorna’s Laces feels on my feet, but I don’t like how the colors pool in spots instead of being spread out. I also like Knit Pick superwash sock yarn but the colors are really limited. The socks do feel good. I don’t like the self-striping yarns like Regia because they feel abrasive on the soles of my feet when I walk. I’ve just discovered a new yarn by Indie Dyer that is custom dyed for Jimmy Beans. It’s tightly twisted yet still soft and the color repeats are short so the color is spread evenly. I can’t tell you how they feel though, as the pair I’m knitting are a gift.

Musings from Sage Creek: Sharon Campbell

How was it that I came to be chasing a snake around the house? Growing up in East San Diego County, I’ve been afraid of snakes as long as I can remember. My parents had my 8th birthday party at a county park, to which a rattlesnake brought high drama. The ranger killed it, and then gave an impromptu talk on snake etiquette to the rather large group of picnickers who had gathered. I asked for the rattles but surrendered them to the college kids who groaned, wishing they had through of it first. I realized that I didn’t really want them – yuck.

Some three years ago I discovered the broader world that comes with blogging. The word blog is a contraction of web log. I started by reading blogs of other hand-spinners and weavers, and finally and timidly at first, I embarked on my own. It’s a wonderful virtual forum and opportunity to exchange ideas. Most weaving blogs are on the East Coast, and I think it’s because that’s where the weaving mills in America were and where the tradition has stayed on. Also, home looms are just more available back there. I discovered that whenever I added Nevada to a post, readers would be amazed at how different the High Desert is. They are especially fond of our gorgeous clouds, as am I.
One day about three weeks ago, Ian had the garage open and was stacking firewood inside, replenishing our stock of snowy weather dry wood. He came in the house and asked if I wanted to see what he had just taken out of the garage. It turned out to be a gopher snake that he had relocated to the top of the bank using a lawn rake. The snake came back down, and Ian removed one angry hissing snake with the rake again.

Quite a while later, we were relaxing on the front porch when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a piece of wasp’s nest or something honeycombed, but then it moved and darned if it wasn’t that same snake. I ran in the house for my camera. Ian asked if I wanted him to move the snake again, but I was starting to feel sorry for him. Besides, I could see a blog post shaping up. I followed that snake as he moved around the perimeter of our house and garage. He was tentative and slow but directed. When he rounded the corner of the garage and saw the woodpile, he shot right for it.

We realized after the fact, that Ian’s stacking had startled the snake and he exited the pile to enter the garage and two subsequent relocations. He was just trying to get back home. I had no idea that snakes had the ability to know a place and return to it, but this guy did. We haven’t seen him since. I’m sure he’s busy taking care of the rodent population in the woodpile and I got a great blog post out of it.

GOLD DISCOVERY DAYS: Spinning, weaving, fiber arts demo opportunity at the 50th Anniversary celebration in Plumas Eureka State Park near Johnsville/Graeagle, CA on July 18 & 19, 2009. Period costume is encouraged. Call 530-836-1182 or 530-836-0783 for information. You can also contact Anna Harvey at 916-217-8220.

CLASSIFIED ADS: (A free service to our guild members. Ads run six months unless otherwise requested)

Instructions: Learn to spin! Private and semi-private lessons available in Reno and can be arranged at a convenient time for you. Lessons are 2 hours long and include fiber. Spinning wheel rental is also offered for those students completing a lesson. Contact Allison Judge, fiberist@sbcglobal.net

Shetland Sheep: Small primitive breed. Wool, breeders or meat custom cut and wrapped at Wiggins in Chilcoot or do it yourself. Ever tasted Shetland meat? I have samples if you'd like to give it a try! Mimi Bullard 969-3249

Loom for Sale: For Sale like new, Kromski Rigid Heddle Loom 24 inches $200.00 firm. Call Vivian Olds, 575-5516 (7/09)

Loom for Sale: 8 Harness Gilmore 42" Loom. Includes Bench, Removable top tray, shuttles, raddle & clamp and 12 yard warping board. I purchased this loom new, a few years ago from Gilmore. It is beautiful and in excellent condition. Original cost was $2187.00 not including the bench and other accessories. Need to sell, will consider all reasonable offers. You can reach me via Email. 1960bndonohue@msn.com Nancy Donohue (7/09)

Loom for Sale: I have a well traveled and seldom used 4 harness Leclerc - Nilus loom for sale. I was wondering if the information could be passed on to your Spinners and Weavers group. I would love to find the loom a good home. My name is Paula Pennington phone (530) 694-2380. I live in Woodfords. Paula Pennington merganser@gbis.com (3/09)

Yarn for Sale: I have a large quantity of lamb’s wool and lambs wool/mohair in skeins. The yarn is medium gauge 2-ply and is ready to be dyed. Skeins range in size and cost is $15 - $20 per lb. The wool was raised in an organic environment on my friend’s farm in Southern Alberta Canada. Contact: Tricia Boyko at triciaboyko@hotmail.com (3/09)

Spinning Wheel: Ashford Traditional spinning wheel for sale. Spins perfectly. Single treadle, single drive, scotch tension. $250. Contact Allison Judge, fiberist@sbcglobal.net