Sunday, September 19, 2010

honing

Last weekend was the Endless Mountains Fiber Festival. Due to a camera glitch, I don't have any photos of the event. I'll have to link you over to the Antique Spinning Wheels blog. I had a very nice time doing demonstrations, and meeting new people, and visiting with old friends. After all the preparation for the festival, it seems to be over with so fast! I'm still getting caught up with putting things away and catching up on paperwork and house and garden chores...

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Today, I wanted to take some time out for myself. Spinning flax is at the top of my list, I need to hone my skills for the upcoming event at the National Museum of the American Coverlet. I will be presenting the Double Flyer Spinning Wheel, and I'm very excited to be a part of this educational workshop.

Under a gorgeous September sky, I decide to work outside, on my mother's little saxony flax wheel. I gave the wheel a nice rub down before I got started. When you polish a wheel, it gives you time to pause and admire its finer points...like the wonderful turnings....

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or the makers marks...

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or the detail to the treadle...which sorta looks like a cross section of one of the maidens...

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Once the wheel was cleaned up, I worked on dressing the distaff. Then, I decided to make myself a little water pot.

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Several years ago, at a workshop about spinning in the old way, I heard a story about a little flax water pot that was made out of a gourd. So I grew the gourds, but life gets busy and I never had time to make the water pot. Today was the day.

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First, I drilled a hole in the neck, and dumped out all the seeds. I'll set those aside and plant some more gourds next spring. IIRC, these were mini bottle gourds and I don't remember where I got them. Should have written it down!

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Next I drilled some holes, and braided some flax for the handles. I knotted the end before threading it though, so I would have a wick. Then I filled the pot with water. Fabulous! It works like a charm! Every so often I simply pinch the wick on the bottom of the pot, and my fingers catch the drip of water from the wick. I like it so much better than a regular water dish! When I use a water dish, the water drips all over the place from my fingertips. The wick provides just the right amount of water, moistening the fingertip and thumb. When I get a chance, I will buy some flax seed and make a proper flax mucilage made from pouring boiling water over about a tbsp. of flax seeds.

I practice first with one hand, then the other. Warming up for double flyer spinning, letting my fingers know the flax and remember the movements...I spent a few hours spinning the flax and just soaking up the sun, listening to the river flow by and the occasional crow of the rooster. It was enchanting. Flax knows its power over me, and I am mesmerized...

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Next thing you know, the light is fading and its time to start supper. I didn't fill the bobbin, I will have to work on that during the spare moments I find in the coming week.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Awesome water bowl. Love it!

Janice in GA said...

That's a great idea for wetting your fingers for flax!

Kristi aka Fiber Fool said...

I've never spun flax before. I love your gourd and can only imagine home well it works. Thanks for the sharing part of the process and the gorgeous wheel!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Hi Cyndy, I thought of you this past weekend when we were touring. I am going to make a post about this. Of course you would have to tell me what I saw. Ha... Your wheel is beautiful. It is a work of art of itself let alone the flax etc that you spin on it. The water grourd is ingenious.

Jody said...

What a lovely little wheel. Nails instead of hooks on the flyer....is that because it is supposed to spin flax?

Cathy said...

Nice to have something so special from your mother.

Gourds - what a terrific idea! I grew gourds for birdhouses - now a better idea!

thecrazysheeplady said...

The gourd bowl is excellent! I always enjoy your posts, especially the ones about flax. Some day I'll get up the nerve...

Sharon said...

I love your photos as always! Love the gourd bowl - I love making stuff, especially from something I've grown! I think its absolutely amazing that you can spin with 2 flyers - thats great - get double the work done!!! Good luck with the upcomming workshop.

Mette said...

I have a book which describe the work of a Danish farmer´s wife a 100 years ago. About spinning flax it says that a girl had to spin wool for a couple of years, then practice on tow for 4-5 years before she was ready to spin the precious flax.
Thanks for a lovely post.

finnsheep said...

Great idea with the wick!

Leslie Shelor said...

Awesome little water bottle. You've given me an idea of what to do with the charming little bottle necklace my sister-in-law made for me. Now to get back into flax spinning practice!

elizabeth said...

Your water pot sounds perfect! Hope you're enjoying the fall weather!

cindy said...

What a super idea to wet the fingers with just the right amount of water!!Your pics are very well composed!

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