How Did I Come to be a Spinner - 1981 Part 2

 After my husband Rich had finished his seminary degree, we moved to his first ELCA Lutheran parish in Brandon, South Dakota, 1973. 

I took a rigid heddle weaving class in nearby Sioux Falls. 

As an accomplished seamtress, weaving was nothing short of amazing!  That I could create cloth, unbelievable!  This colorful little mat was my first night’s weaving, I was only to do an inch, instead I couldn't stop and had to re-warp the loom before next week's class.  

It's important to note, I started BK, before kids, which meant AK, after kids, weaving progress slowed way down, and the little loom spend more time in a closet than being used.

Ten years, two moves, two kids later we were in Rapid City, South Dakota. After my second child. Carl, started running at 10 months, I decided I needed a night out each week.  I found a kindred group who happened to be hand spinners, but they would tolerate me bringing my little loom to our weekly get togethers.  

At that point in my life, nothing would stop me from the once-a-week meeting, leaving my hubby with the kids and heading to this little group to weave and chat.  I was weaving more and beginning think of woven cloth like fabric.  I began cutting, and sewing my handwoven cloth.  What a gift it was to get out of the house and be creative again.  

1) This short cream and red vest was cut from a lightweight shawl and sewn with hand stitches. 

2) The dark red and forest green vest was my first Mobius vest, shaped by one fold on each side.  See "Creating the Mobius Vest" for the how-to information. 

3) Purple Prairie skirt and vest from cloth woven on my 20” RH loom.  First cut and machine sewn.  The skirt has multiple panels for front and flounce.

I watched the spinners who were progressing slowly, teaching themselves from the few spinning books on the market in 1981.  On beautiful weekends we chose to spin/weave in a park. Observers would ask, "What in the world can you do with that yarn?"  My friends always pointed at me saying, "Look you can weave."  

However, most seemed to still be spinning on their first bobbins.  Spinning was soooooooo sloooooow.  I knew how long weaving took, to make cloth, cut and sew, even more time.  Starting by spinning the yarn, before weaving, then sewing, seemed like an impossible, or at least ridiculous idea.