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We love to share stories from makers and students that keep rare arts and trades alive.
Earlier in May an enthusiastic Rare Trades Centre workshop participant - Mary - was a student in our first Learn To Spin Workshop with amazing artisan Dawn Lim.
It was during this workshop that Mary learned the basics of hand-spinning and plying wool fleece and developed a keen interest in the skills on display.
“Learning to spin lit a fire in me, and has become my favourite craft practice,” Mary declared. “I find it meditative and a great stress-reducer, and I can create beautiful yarns I can use to make even more beautiful things.”
Excited by the experience and knowledge gained through Dawn's workshop, Mary went online and purchased a pre-loved spinning wheel that she could use to further her interest. The spinning wheel required some TLC and after a few weeks refurbishing the wheel to a good working condition, she set off on an adventure spinning and plying wool yarn. The adventure continued as she went on to buy a blending carder that enabled her to mix wool of various colours to create multi-hued skeins.
In the last week of July, Mary participated in a sold-out Rare Trades Centre SAORI Weaving Workshop with Prue Simmons and brought along 20 skeins of plied wool yarn that she had spun to use in her new piece.
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