You may have noticed that the LC blogger for the Handwork Circle (me) has taken a (very long) hiatus!

MY DISTRACTIONS AT LOCAL CLOTH (all good and fun)

There are so many things going on at Local Cloth that beg my attention, both in-person and zoomishly. 

• There is the Shop Local Cloth in-person store where nearly 40 artists and craftsfolk (including me) sell their products.  
• There is now the in-person handwork circle the first and third Thursdays of the month, 1-3pm.  It is currently led by Ciel Jensen, a neighbor of mine in Leicester as it turns out.  I lead the zoom handwork circle on all other Thursdays at the same time slot. 
• There is the spinning interest group once a month where various things might happen, such as spinning marled yarn to help Judi Jetson who will be teaching a class on the subject.  
• Or, as in this coming Sunday's spinning event, we will get to take a peak at the newly processed local fiber destined for the Blue Ridge Blanket project that has recently been funded.  Farmer-to-mill-to-spinner-to-weaver!  
• And, we will be treated to a visit by Trish and Ann Hord-Heatherly who will discuss their fiber farm and bring fiber for us to drool over and buy.
• Afterwards, since the board of Local Cloth has two retiring officers, a small party is planned to celebrate and thank them for their service.
• And then a small meeting to plan for one aspect of SAFF coming up this fall!  
• Oh, and then there are the times that I volunteer at the Shop Local Cloth store at 408 Depot St and in the process also become another customer what with the time to browse in between customers.  Shout out to Vasanto-I bought your felted purple vest.  I love it.  

I am not the busiest person at Local Cloth by any stretch. Lots of wonderful volunteers; we are, after all, a non-profit.  

HANDWORK CIRCLE 2021

Over the past year, the in-person handwork circle has proved very popular  and a few sessions were held outside prior to Omicron and the cold weather.  Even with masks, the in-person handwork circle is still popular.  There are some of us who are also very comfortable in the zoom circle despite the inability to see colors and projects very well. It is very cozy at home.  

This past week was an unusual one since the Shop LC inventory prohibited the in-person group from meeting and so we carried on over Zoom. Yes we are having fun, and yes we are at home, and yes we look better in person and not with our chins in the air!  Susette Shiver, Camille Daunno, Karolyn Burkhart-Schultz, Paula Entin, Ceil Jensen, Mary Kelley, Rebecca Norris, Kathleen Lewis, Martha Brandon.  Yesterday Kathleen asked everyone to tell a bit of their history leading up to present day fiber interests which was fun.  We are a highly educated group.  A few have had lifetime professional interest in fiber.  The rest of us have had a lifetime hobbyist interest with recent increased education via classes at Local Cloth and elsewhere in town. Everyone has tried many techniques and fiber applications.  Rebecca is the only one we know, however, that stitches Japanese temari.  We hope that she will teach a class this year at Local Cloth or perhaps start an interest group.

A GREAT DEAL ON THIS YARN/FABRIC, BUT WHAT FIBER IS IT?

Several times we have discussed how to identify unknown fibers in the form of yarns and fabrics.  The burn test is very accessible to a novice, but requires more than a modicum of caution and preparation.

Here are some recent data collected from the internet:

From www.threadsmagazine.com

a video and chart (see below)

and another video on burn test for yarns.

Signing out for today,

See you all soon, 

Susette Shiver