This table is the beginning of a great Spinning Trip taken by Jeanne Zinda and myself.
Actually, the idea was born with a phone call from Ramona LaMavalla from Keams Canyon on the Hopi Reservation.
As a result of sending out press releases all over the state I received a call from Ramona LaMavalla. She had read in her local paper about the Mountain Spinners and Weavers Guild here in Prescott. She attends The Church of Christ in Polacca and they had been given two 8 by 6 foot sacks of Tunis Sheep fleeces. Ramona asked if our guild would like some of this fine wool. I replied -- why don't you spin it yourself. Ramona said, no one in the area could spin. Well, that was enough for me to ask if she would like to learn how to spin. The plans for the Spinning Trip went into action.
During several guild meetings I requested donations of spindles, wheels and books about spinning.
The first donation came from Jane Patrick from Schacht Spinning Wheel company. She send several wonderful Schacht Spindles. After Jane's spindles came in the mail, I launched an e-mail to the guild newsletter and more donations came in. Joanne Manginelli donated several drop spinals to add to the spinals donated from Schacht.
Christine Brearton, Guild Member donated this wonderful Ashford Traveler Spinning Wheel and Carol Baltz from The Bead Society donated the Ashford Elizabeth. Both wheels were oiled, polished and tuned up for Ramona to teach Spinning at her church in Polacca. I hope that this encourages the art of Spinning to flourish in the Polacca Community and the surrounding areas.
I took along this fiber from Ashland Bay. This is the German Wool, and I thought it would be good to have roving to begin with the drop spindle while the Tunis Wool was being cleaned and dried. That was the first process taught -- cleaning the fleece.
I purchased several Dye Kits from Louet so the group can experience the dying of their Tunis Wool at a later date. All of the instructions are in the kit so it makes it easy to do yourself.
Bottles of Wool wash were used to wash the Tunis Fleece, and I left several there for the rest of the washing!
Cynthia Crull, guild member donated several books and I took what I had here at home.
Tomorrow I will continue the adventure of the spinning trip and get more input from Jeanne Zinda on the information I wrote today.
In the future I encourage everyone to think about what they have in their stash and contact me how to get the spinning equipment, and books to Ramona for her spinning project. This is just the beginning! You Can also Help.