Roc Day: Try Spinning This! 

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Happy New Year, everyone!

Running out of fiber?! Here are some other things to try your hand at. Bring what you can, and anything else you can think of to spin. Suggestions:

Newspaper, don’t forget the comics and ads for some color

Pattern paper (This will be supplied, there is plenty)

Magazines

wrapping paper

tissue paper

fabric

tinsel

Easter straw

Plastic bags

Japanese paper

Thread and/or fine yarns to ply with

Shred or cut papers in direction they tear most easily.

Water spray bottles to lightly mist paper, a towel to wrap them in.

Scissors, rotary cutter, straight edge, cutting boards.

Spinning

Newspaper, pattern paper, magazines and wrapping paper: to spin with one strip, it should be aprox. ¾” –  1 ¼” wide, depending on how heavy you want the yarn.  Twist an end and add that to your leader. Begin spinning to add twist. When there is about 3” left, overlap ends and continue spinning, and so on. Misting paper very lightly may help.

You might also try cutting thinner strips with the paper shredder and try spinning it more like roving.

Plastic bags can be cut in strips ½” – 1”+. Cut off bottoms and tops of bags and discard them. Cut strips across bag so you have loops of plastic. Put your hand through a bunch of these loops, pull one off at a time and chain them together until you have desired length, and spin. Ply if desired, either with itself or with another material. I would use the thinner strips if you plan to ply it with itself. You can try shredding the plastic and feeding that like roving, too. 

Fabric can be cut in thin strips, Easter basket straw and tinsel–try spinning it like roving. Mix things together.

Japanese paper: If you would like to try this, washi paper, made from bark, is recommended. I believe it can be bought locally at Hyatt’s, craft store may carry it, too. Rather thin strips can be cut, links on how to do this can be found in files in the guild’s ravelry group. This process is rather complicated, but I think it could be somewhat simplified if anyone would like to try using this type of paper.

Links: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/common-threads-guild/pages/Roc-Day-2014-Spinning-paper-plastic-etc-links

As it turns out, I am unable to join you for this. Amanda has graciously agreed to run the meeting. Hope you all have fun, wish I could be there. Liz