NEXT MEETING: July 1st, 2026

The next meeting is Wednesday, July 1st, from 6:30 - 9:00 P.M., in the Arts Room / basement of the Tippe Arts Federation Building.  Doors will be open between 6:15 - 6:30 p.m.  (Doors are locked after this time; please call Elise if you arrive late to gain entry.) 

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Business Agenda

Item # 1.  Upcoming Fiber Events

·        August 12 - 16, Michigan Fiber Festival, Allegan MI
michiganfiberfestival.info

Item #2.  Requests for Spinning Demonstrators

·        Saturdays, May 23 through Sat, Sep 12 - Saturdays 1 pm - 4 pm Canal Days, Wabash & Erie Canal, Delphi, IN. Spinners are invited to come spin any Saturday afternoon during "Canal Days" season.  See Linda C. for more information.  Special request for this Saturday, July 4^th!!

·        Mon. Jul 20 through Thurs, Jul 23 Tippecanoe County Fair, (2 pm – 5 pm & 5 pm – 8 pm) These demo days are tentative: more discussion and commitment is needed by members.

·        Saturday, July 25 (8 am – noon), Homesteaders Market Day (at Stockwell Farmer’s Market), Stockwell, IN at the church courtyard.   https://www.tickettailor.com/events/stockwellfarmersmarket

·        Any updates to share on this fall at the West Lafayette Library?  Dates?  Times? Details?

Item #3.  Feast Updates

·        The Feast Application for our spinning demonstration group has been mailed to TCHA.  (Reminder that The Feast is held later than usual this year on Sat/ Sun Oct 24 & 25.)

Item #4.  Meeting Notices

• Help Needed!  To rearrange the room at the beginning and end of each meeting.  In order to fit members + wheels, please move &/or stack tables and place chairs to make a large round circle of spinners in the opened room.  Please keep at least one (or two) table(s) near the back wall outlets for use by those with e-spinners.

Item #5.  Show & Tells

• Please share your show and tells -- (purchased or prepared) fibers, yarns you've spun, finished items you've made, etc.
• In particular: If you took spinning lessons with Diana H., what final project or blended yarn or dyed yarn did you produce?  Please share!

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Meeting Program –  Dyed Braid Three Ways – OR – Cable Yarns with Gold Silk –OR – Open Spin

I am at a small loss for what we’d like to do at this upcoming meeting, so if you have a chance to reply, please do.

·       Does everyone need more time to complete the dyed braids three ways?

·       Although we have done this in the past, we have enough new people who haven’t seen this, we could repeat the Cable Yarn using gold silk, resulting in a yarn that looks like a gold chain.

·       Or we could just “hang out” for a meeting.

Let me know your thoughts.

If you’re still working on your dyed braid, you may need:

·       Your dyed braid

·       Your wheel (or drop spindle)

·       Four empty bobbins, ready to go!

·       Handcards

If we decide to do the gold silk cable yarn you will need:

·       Your wheel or drop spindle

·       At least one empty bobbin

·       Knowledge on balanced plying (group help available)

·       Knowledge on Andean plying (group help available)

See you all on Wednesday!!!

 

NEXT MEETING: June 3rd, 2026

The next meeting is Wednesday, June 3rd, from 6:30 - 9:00 P.M., in the Arts Room / basement of the Tippe Arts Federation Building.  Doors will be open between 6:15 - 6:30 p.m.  (Doors are locked after this time; please call Elise if you arrive late to gain entry.) 

Business Agenda

Item # 1. Upcoming Fiber Events

-       June 5 & 6, Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival, Franklin IN. hoosierhillsfiberfestival.com

 

Item #2. Requests for Spinning Demonstrators

-       The Farm at Prophetstown State Park, Family Day: THIS Saturday!! June 6, 11am - 3pm

-       Canal Park in Delphi - Saturdays, May 23 through Sat, Sep 12, 1pm – 4pm

o   Wabash & Erie Canal, Delphi, IN. Spinners are invited to come spin any Saturday afternoon during "Canal Days" season. See Linda C. or Vilija D. for more information. 

-       Any updates to discuss regarding West Lafayette Library fiber-related event(s) ? (Ella S.)

-       Dates coming up in July (we can discuss at July meeting):

o   Mon. Jul 20 through Thurs, Jul 23 Tippecanoe County Fair, (2 pm – 5 pm & 5 pm – 8 pm) These demo days are tentative: more discussion and commitment is needed by members

o   Saturday, July 25 (8 am – noon), Homesteaders Market Day (at Stockwell Farmer’s Market), Stockwell, IN at the church courtyard. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/stockwellfarmersmarket

Item #3. Feast of the Hunter’s Moon – Sunday October 24 & 25

• Feast Applications are due July 15^th. Want to confirm Feast volunteers – and capture others who weren’t at previous meeting -- before submitting application. (Reminder that The Feast is held later than usual this year on Sat/ Sun Oct 24 & 25.)

Item #4. Meeting Notices

• Help Needed! To rearrange the room at the beginning and end of each meeting. In order to fit members + wheels, please move &/or stack tables and place chairs to make a large round circle of spinners in the opened room. Please keep at least one (or two) table(s) near the back wall outlets for use by those with e-spinners.

Item #5. Show & Tells

• Please share your show and tells -- (purchased or prepared) fibers, yarns you've spun, finished items you've made, etc.

 

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Meeting Program – Continuation of “Dyed Braids Three Ways”

 

You will create three separate-but-color-related yarns from your 4 oz braid:

 

To Prepare your braid:

-       Fold your braid in half lengthwise. At the mid-way point, break your braid in half (pull it apart – don’t cut!). Set half aside.

-       With the other half, fold this again in half lengthwise, and again at this new mid-way point, break your braid in half. You now have one section that is half your braid and two sections that are one-fourth of your braid.

 

Yarn 1: Navajo Ply

-       Will be a 3-ply yarn, using one-fourth of your braid.

-       Spin one-fourth of your braid either end-to-end (you may need to pre-draft), or another way you choose, but create long stretches of the braid’s colors, onto a single bobbin.

-       Navajo (chain-ply) the resulting single to create a 3-ply yarn.

            - How to Navajo Ply: On an eSpinner, on a drop spindle, on a spinning wheel

 

Yarn 2: Muddled Mix

-       This will be a 2-ply (or 3-ply) yarn, your choice; you will use one-fourth of the braid to create this yarn.

-       Divide this one-fourth portion of your braid, lengthwise, into either 2 (or 3) equal amounts, depending on whether you want a 2- or 3-ply yarn.

-       Spin 1 (or 2) of these long sections end-to end (with pre-drafting if necessary) onto 1 (or 2 separate) bobbins.

-       With the remaining half (or third) long section, it’s time to get out your handcards! You will now completely blend all of the colors of this section together to make a muddled mix of the braid’s colors.

-       Then spin this mix onto a second (third) bobbin.

-       Using a standard 2-ply (3-ply) technique, ply the singles together to create a 2-ply (3-ply) yarn.

 

Yarn 3, Fractal Ply.

-       This will be a 2-ply (or 3-ply) yarn, your choice; you will use one-half of the braid to create this yarn.

-       Divide this half portion of your braid, lengthwise, into 2 (or 3) equal parts for as many plies as you’d like to spin. If you’re spinning a two-ply fractal, you’ll split it into two parts. If you’re spinning a three-ply fractal, you’ll split it into thirds.

-       With the first part, spin it end-to-end (using pre-drafting as needed) onto a single bobbin.

-       If you are making a 2-ply yarn, you can split the second part, lengthwise, into 2, 3, or 4 sections. These will be spun end-to-end, keeping the original color sequence of the original braid, onto a second bobbin. Using a standard 2-ply technique, ply the singles together to create a 2-ply yarn.

-       If you are making a 3-ply yarn, the following is an example recommendation:

o   Many spinners will split the second part into two lengthwise sections. This is sometimes called a 1:2 division. You’ll spin these two sections one after the other for your second bobbin to create the same pattern as the first, just on a smaller scale.

o   To complete the three-ply fractal, you’ll continue by splitting the third section into three (or four) parts lengthwise for your third bobbin—called a 1:3 (1:4) division. Again, it’s keeping the original color sequence of the original braid, but at a smaller scale.

o   Using a standard 3-ply technique, ply the singles from the three bobbins together to create a 3-ply yarn.

- Links about fractal spinning: Written Explanation

 

This program is based on the Spin Off Magazine’s 5 Ways to Prep and Spin a Braid. I’ve also put in links for each technique above that will hopefully help (or at least be a good reference)

 

Finally, here’s a folder with some various written explanations and pictures that I’ve downloaded, mostly courtesy of the West Lafayette Public Library’s online subscription to Spin Off Magazine.

 

If you plan to participate, please bring:

-       Your dyed braid

-       Your wheel (or drop spindle)

-       Four empty bobbins, ready to go!

-       Handcards

-       Balance (optional)