The Crafts
Weaving
Weaving is the production of cloth by the interlacing of two distinct sets of threads, the warp and the weft.
The threads running top to bottom (longitudinally) are the warp, with those running from side to side (laterally) forming the weft.
Weaving in its simplest form involves holding the warp threads still and taut, often in a solid frame, and interlacing the weave threads between these. The introduction of foot, and later water powered looms, however, has greatly increased the speed and quality of woven materials.
Weavers often begin on small frame looms as these are small, portable, relatively inexpensive and easy to set up.
When the time comes to progress on to the more advanced looms we are lucky enough to have a number of looms and experienced weavers in our Guild to help members through the process.
Dyeing
Dyeing is the process of adding colour to textiles such as fibre, yarn or fabric.
There are different types of dyes and different methods of dyeing. Natural dyes include plant and vegetable materials such as woad weld and onion skins. Some natural dyes need the fibre to be mordanted with a chemical to enable the colour to stay in the fibre and not fade.
Natural dyes can produce different colours depending on the time of the year and weather the plants have experienced. This makes natural dyeing less predictable than acid dyeing but more exciting.
Acid dyes are made from chemicals and an unlimited range of colours can be achieved with them. Acid dyed fibre and fabric is more repeatable and more colour fast than natural dyes.
The Guild enjoys dyeing workshops using all types of dyes and methods of dyeing. Dyeing can be undertaken using a microwave, a steamer, and by boiling fibres in a saucepan etc. Eco printing is popular at the moment which is a technique of pressing flowers and leaves into fabric and applying heat to it. The imprint of the flower or leaf is left on the fabric.
Spinning
The process of "spinning" - drawing out and twisting together plant and animal fibres to form a yarn is ancient.
Drop spindles – Top whorl – Bottom whorl – Turkish.
Some of the earliest aids to spinning were drop spindles, although their form has changed a little since prehistoric times when they were likely to have been a handy stone on the end of a stick. Current drop spindles are mostly made of wood, with a metal hook, or notch to guide the yarn onto the whorl.
Drop spindles rely on the yarn that is spun being strong enough to support the spindle that is being used. For very fine fibres a very light spindle is required, for heavier weight yarns a heavier spindle (which will spin longer) can be used. Some fibres such as cotton, however, have a very short staple length and some projects (such as orenburg lace) require such fine yarns that even the most delicate drop spindle would snap the yarn.
Support Spindles
Finer yarns are impractical to spin on a drop spindle but these problems can be overcome by using a supported spindle. Here twist can be added to fibre, but as the weight of the spindle is supported by the spindle ‘bowl’ there is no extra tension through the yarn. There are many types of supported spindle including Tibetan, Russian and Phang.
Spinning wheels
Spinning wheels are believed to have originated in the 1200s, their designs slowly evolving to the foot-powered versions that most people are familiar with today. They have allowed spinners to greatly increase their productivity, and have been so important to society that they have been incorporated into fairy tales, art and music.
There are many different types of spinning wheels within our Guild. Most members would recommend that you spend a bit of time trying out different wheels before you purchase one. Your height, preference for single or double treadle, what weight of yarn you think you’ll spin, and whether you want it to fold away and travel with you are all important considerations when choosing a wheel. The Guild has a number of wheels that members can try.