And of course, that combination means fiber, for me! :) As my 50th approached, I started to think of all the things I haven't done that I really want to do, and which may remain in my power, supposing a meteor doesn't target my house. Some things probably are out of my reach--I guess I'll probably never visit Scotland, among other places, so I just have to remember how fortunate I've been to have visited and lived in so many other countries, and let go of Scotland. Music, too. I'll never have a piano, let alone a harpsichord, because my path took me to looms instead. I have to cherish the fiber and enjoy music second-hand.
But when it comes to fiber, there's no reason why I can't make some of my life goals come true! After some thinking, I came up with these goals. I'd love to hear what others have in mind for their life goals, as well. You might give me the inspiration to change my list :) I want to spin linen singles to use in weaving 100% handspun cloth. Women used to do this routinely 200+ years ago, in North America. One of my favorite books is A Midwife's Tale, and that book, in the fiber production section, frequently mentions weaving handspun linen. Keep Me Warm One Night has some lovely pieces, including shifts at 70+ ends per inch plain weave. I doubt I could ever do that; for one thing, the flax available today isn't impressive and I'm not so dedicated to my dream to want to raise and process the flax myself :) But even to do just a table runner would be a thrill. Ditto handspun singles woolen yardage, fine enough to sew a man's plaid-type shirt from. Probably Shetland wool, since we raise it and I really love the stuff :) It has that perfect frizziness that says this is warm and cosy cloth, while still having next-to-the-skin softness if chosen wisely. I've done a couple blankets and a coat from Shetland so far, but nothing that could be cut and sewn for a shirt (the coat was a bog coat). A Shetland ring shawl, or something close, would be another goal. I love lace knitting, and I would shape the shawl according to modern methods, not the original, authentic way, but I would love to make one that looked like the real McCoy. I need to figure a way to set up my combs for easier use first--since I lost my workbench to make room for the AVL, I haven't done as much hand-processing of wool because there's not much place to put combs or drumcarders. Interestingly, though, all the Shetland postcards and photos collected in Sharon Miller's books show handcarding, not combing, wool. I've experimented with that (but without, as yet, trying oiled wool) and not had much luck. I think the Shetland they were dealing with was either rooed undercoat or very short neck wool, either of which would be fine enough to spin into a ring shawl, whereas what I have isn't really; I'll probably have to buy a fleece from a breeder who specializes in super-fine Shetland. And, I would love to knit a handspun hap shawl as well. I've always been interested in what everyday people make for themselves, and hap shawls are a wonderful example of that. Which brings me to another everyday once upon a time kind of thing--I want to weave wool yardage on a Warp Weighted Loom, similar to what Anglo-Saxon women were weaving in England before the Conquest. It's been very difficult to find the info I need for something reasonably authentic. I haven't access to the really scholarly information that might provide thickness *and* twist angle info, or enough info on wool type that I can choose a modern wool most similar to what was available then. And of course the wools raised there changed a lot between the time the Romans bugged out and William bugged in :) Making the WWL should be pretty easy--I have a Kati-Meek-style trapeze for warping, and WWLs aren't really that different--add a crossbar at the bottom and a shedding mechanism, and voila! WWL! And I have a nice selection of spindles to choose from, so no problems there. I'm hoping a scholar I know, who says she's keeping an eye out in the literature for the info I need, will come through soon. Another goal that might get achieved a little sooner is a pair of fair-isle gloves at 12 stitches per inch, similar to what people used to knit. Actually, they were probably finer still, but I think I can do 12, I'm not sure about finer :) One of the first fiber goals I ever had was from an early issue of Spin-Off with an article written by Rita Buchanan--those of you who know this issue will remember a cover with a photo of a pair of red gloves and a pair of gray gloves, draped over a model of a great wheel. I saw that when I'd only been spinning a few months. I finally made a pair of 8 sts to the inch loves, a blend of wool of various colors making a gray from a distance with a touch of mohair for strength, back in 98 or 99. I love those gloves! They give me pleasure, even though they're so simple, every time I wear them, just as my handwoven dish towels do. Now I want to push the envelope of gloves. I've done some sampling, and really like there result, but making the time to do it for real, especially without a dedicated comb-place, is difficult. Less lofty, I would like to weave curtains for our computer room, which is something of a solar trap in the summertime, and a cotton blanket for my bed. Someday, a wool blanket for my bed, too (handspun), in the fall colors I love. I actually have the cotton for the summer blanket, but haven't gotten that far with the curtains. So, that's my life list of fiber goals :) Each of them expands my horizons a bit (sometimes a lot!), deepens my understanding of the lives of women before modern technology, and provides an heirloom that my family may or may not cherish--still can't convince my DIL she's not allergic to wool :) but it's nice to think of handing them down at least one time. What's yours? Respond quickly: In a couple weeks, we're off to the Northern Michigan Lamb & Wool Festival, and I have some spending money for supplies and equipment :) Holly
