Exotic Fibers

My workshop - three days of exotic fibers with Robin Russo - surpassed my high expectations.  She handed us everything needed to luxuriate in the topic:  exquisite fibers, handcards, combs, drumcarders, hole-punched sheets to keep track of samples, lap cloths, enthusiasm, and boundless knowledge of the subject.  I cannot EVER say enough good things about Robin.

We sampled and spun fibers in six categories.  I don't even remember any more where one day's fibers began, and the next finished.  Down fibers included camel, yak, qivuit, cashmere (two different preps), buffalo.  South American camelids covered alpaca (suri and huacaya), llama, llama down, guanaco, and an interesting crossbreeding of llama and alpaca called huarizo.  (There was public conjecture as to who was mama, who would be papa, and how each possibility could possibly be accomplished.)

Angora rabbits included black giant, English, and German white.  We all coughed through this group.  Angora flies EVERYWHERE.

Angora and other goats covered kid, yearling, adult locks, and top.  Then we danced over to cashgora in top and roving, and sidled quietly up to Pygora A, B, and C (pictured).  Yum.  Pygora B is great bang for your fuzzy buck.  Softer than A, but less expensive than C, the spinner can only smile while this stuff cascades through her fingers.  

Silk:  Bombyx, tussah, mawata, eri, muga.  The latter two are different breeds of silk-producing caterpillars/moths.  Eri is white, with scroop - that crunchy feel and rustling sound silk makes when you handle it.  Muga is luscious, tawny, smoother than tussah, toothier than bombyx, almost an ideal cross between the two.  I bought three ounces from Northeast Fiber Arts (Robin's sister's shop in VT) to handspin and knit an exquisite shawl.  

On the afternoon of the third day, we blended batts.  The front table was filled with wool, mohair, alpaca, silk, and color.  

These fibers were transmogrified into a batt.  (Manise picked the mains, I picked the accents.)   Robin also invited us to blend on combs.  I did who-knows-what here, then spun from the comb.

 

 

 

Flashes of experiences throughout the week highlighted what an odd gathering we were.  By Tuesday, the front of my pants yielded an entire fiber batt by itself.  I have no idea what the hotel staff thought of all this.  It was entirely normal to have grey and dyed Gotland locks sitting on one's hotel dresser in a clump (courtesy of Swedish Ingrid), and a small niddy roosting on the bedside chest of drawers, showing off reeled silk from Robin's cocoon demo in the workshop.  

Enough for now.  I am sorting and packing for Rhinebeck next, brat that I am.  

I still have lots to report.

 

 

Comments

[margene]

I cannot imagine how you and Manise absorb it all. What a treasure trove of information, which you both will use, as you are both fine spinners.

[Carole]

All that fiber would overwhelm me! And I can just picture you, covered in fiber, running through the hotel so that you can learn MORE.

[Caroline M]

I've never been tempted to spin from the comb, I'm worried about leaning forward and spiking something soft, delicate and part of me.

I regularly suffer from spinner's armpit, I must look a sight with balls of brightly coloured fluff clinging to me.

[Anne]

More, More MORE! (bouncing in my seat). Looks completely and totally awesomely wonderful. :D

SO glad you left the salt-mines for that.

[Hillary]

Can't wait to hear more about it. Have fun in Rhinebeck.

[gayle]

Enjoy Rhinebeck!
I hope you kept notes during SOAR - how could you keep all new knowledge straight in your head? Overwhelming!

[Lorette]

I am so jealous. And your new wheel looks gorgeous.

[Melissa G]

I've been slowly working through my own fiber experiments. So far I've learned that prep is key.

[sarah]

scroop! scroop!

[Chris]

Exotics, in combo or alone, are luscious, ain't they. and so nicely suited to your new wheel. Glad you had fun!