Posted by fiberxspin on May 20, 2010
On the internet I hear about people wanting to learn to spin or weave all the time without spending money on instruction. They either buy the absolute cheapest materials that will make it difficult to learn with, or they buy very nice materials and get upset when they don’t have the skills to make the best out of those materials. There are some great self taught spinners and weavers but there are many techniques that need to be taught or shown.
In the 20th Century the United States developed a great tradition of guilds and conferences for fiber artists to attend. Guilds are typically local monthly meetings with programs that can cover a large quantity of topics, members will teach or give show and tell or teachers from other locations will travel to teach workshops and give lectures. Many guilds have libraries and equipment so that members can check out, this often includes notebooks from past workshops and events, out of print books and old magazines, current books, magazines, videos, and equipment like looms, wheels, drum carders, and sometimes other things many people wouldn’t even think they’d need (we have a rag cutter and a rope maker in my guild). The workshops brought in are often quite inexpensive compared to what they would be at a fiber festival, and you are learning with people you see on a regular basis.
Don’t be intimidated to join a guild because you’re new, they are used to new members, that’s what keeps them going. Go to a few meetings, volunteer to do something small even if you’re not a great spinner or weaver you can take notes, or maybe you have business connections in your town, can be the treasurer, or have lots of garage space to store things, or at least you can bake cookies for the meetings. You learn skills that will be very useful being around fiber artists and you’ll pick up skills at meetings. Then it’s your turn to stick around and help the new members.
Another complaint I hear keeping people from going to guilds is that they think no one in their area spins. There are guilds in most if not all states in the US. If there isn’t one that meets in your town, there is likely one within an hour, and even if you can’t make their normal meetings, ask them if they have study groups or if they can recommend someone closer to you for you to meet with. Spinners and weavers don’t want to be alone, we’ll do whatever we can to get new people interested. Many will do whatever they can to get you hooked. I’ve had people give me equipment and fiber, loan me wheels and looms that cost more than I make in a year (yeah broke college student speaking), and sit with me while I dropped spindles and pulled my selvedges too tight. But I’ve taken classes in spinning, weaving, fiber prep, color theory, and teaching weaving at my lys, through my guild, at a weaving conference (entry to come), and at fiber festivals.
Do not think that you are alone. Even if you live in the most urban city or in the most rural place far from any towns, there are spinners and weavers close. You can find them on Ravelry, Weavolution, or Google. Leave a comment and I’ll help you find groups.
S
