I tried to start a dialog about what spinners would like to see in Spin-Off on another list, in hopes someone would be 'listening', but it fell flat.
What if we do that here? How could an editor not want to get genuine, honest feedback? Imagining the perfect fiber mag for my wants and needs... 1. Lots of reproduction spinning/weaving info. There's so much going on in this area that's not readily accessible to the average fiberist, and it's exciting stuff. There's so much we, as contemporary spinners and weavers and knitters, can learn from how these crafts were practiced 100-5000 years ago. 2. Info on the technique the magazine is supposed to be about. I do get tired of articles that have one paragraph on spinning technique, but 3-4 pages on a knitting pattern. Sure, that might mean there are articles about long draw spinning every year, but there are refinements of technique every year as well. At the very least, when there is technique, I hope it would be accurate and not misleading. Presenting one long-draw technique is OK, but also acknowledge that there are other long-draw methods, and highlight those at another time. 3. Lots and lots of inspirational projects, again making sure the articles focus not on the patterns, but on the techniques of making the yarn that go into those projects. The point, to my mind, isn't a cookbook of knitting pattern recipes, but a pantry full of spinning technique ingredients that I can make up my own unique project from :) 4. Each item pictured or written about should represent quality craftsmanship and design. No more slanted overtwisted stitches, unless it's an article about how to avoid them! No more lumpy bumpy unless the item made needs that type of yarn! As a beginner, I was inspired by projects that looked expert, even when they weren't really, not by projects that looked like they were made by a 3 year old. As a more experienced fiberist today, I still find the quality projects inspiring, even if I've long been able to do the skills easily. 5. The breed info is OK, but it would be nice to see the swatches extend beyond one chunky knit, one lace knit, and one coarsely woven that seem inevitable. Why should not more people participate in making the swatches and adding their observations? 6. Wouldn't hurt to have a feature at least once a year that discusses the challenges in raising good fiber. Go to the source! Whether irrigating quality organic natural colored cotton or shearing quality natural colored wool, spinners will benefit from hearing the difficulties that bring fiber to their hands. 7. Ditto, perhaps, info about mills, particularly cottage carding mills since those handle the vast majority of handspinning fibers. I don't remember ever seeing an article about how to choose fibers for processing, let alone one that really went into a mill and showed the processes to readers of Spin-Off. 8. Lots of articles on aspects of using color, dyeing fibers, choosing the right fiber for a project, designing handspun yarn for the end product, basic design considerations that take a project from blah to WOW, etc. There used to be occasional articles of this sort, but lately there seem to be very very few. 9. On the subject of research. It's hard to fit into a normal life (and budget)! :) Perhaps Interweave Press could offer a research grant once a year to a fiberist with a specific project to ultimately be published in one of their magazines. I know, I know, someone will say that's the role of the HGA, but I don't often see anything but 'art' come out of their magazine. If research is being done, it isn't visible. 10. Maybe, to inspire beginners, there could be a column focusing on one beginner-level project in each magazine. I would select a given technique and structure the project and the article to explain and apply that technique. Perhaps IP could even offer a kit to make approaching the subject more accessible to beginners not within easy reach of a source for fibers or equipment. Or they could contract with one or more of the big spinning supply businesses to provide the kit. That's all I can think of at the moment. What would others like to see? Holly To stop mail temporarily mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: set nomail To restore send: set mail
