Diane's Drop-In, 2011 Jan 4

What a great time we all had at Diane's Drop-In!

I wasn't the only one who had never seen a swift before, though I have had a yarn/wool-winder since I was a teenager and it is one of my favourite pieces of equipment.

Another piece of equipment was used, too, a wicked-looking machine called a picker.  I need to get a better description, but roughly speaking what it does is tear apart clumped fibre.  Diane is a SERIOUS spinner and I'm lucky to have been invited to drop in and to see her special equipment plus what Judy brought.

(Diane is on the right, Judy on the left.  Judy has recently become a distributor for Louet! I enjoyed meeting Marilyn and Elaine, but another regular, Betty, did not make it. )

Someone asked if I was a spinner or a weaver, or what, and I smiled broadly and replied, "As of yesterday, I am officially a spinner!"  I had done my first length of yarn with a Tabachek Russian spindle, and I was delighted about that. 

Diane let me use her Louet Junior drum carder (on the left of the coffee table) to work on some discarded kid mohair for practice. Obviously I don't need a carder, but wow, it's sure a fine piece of equipment.

(p.s.  Click on a photo and it will enlarge.)

There was a great deal of energy in the room, lots of laughs, and lots of learning.   I'm really looking forward to next week.  Thanks, Diane!