Real People Online: Teri Pittman (Part 1)

Everywhere I go on the Internet I run across the name Teri Pittman -- in email lists like Socknitters, on her web site, and in Internet conferences. Teri is a handspinner and a knitter. She processes wool with combs and cards. She's a knit desiger and a spinning teacher. On the Internet, she's probably best known for her mailing list, Spindlitis, and the associated web page on hand spindles, which includes photos and reviews of several types of spindles. If that isn't enough, she's also a weaver and hosts the Small Looms Mailing List.

I talked to Teri this week by email.

How did your interest in fibers and handwork develop?

My mother was one of those fiber dabblers. She knit, did embroidery, sewed, and anything else that took her fancy. She taught me to knit in my teens and I've inherited her inability to finish a project! I made a lot of badly fitting sweaters, learned to crochet, and finally taught myself to spin back in the 70s. I've tried, over the years, to research and improve my knitting and spinning techniques. I also made a lifestyle change, from factory work to high tech, just so I can afford all that fiber!

Is fiber preparation important to you? Do you generally start with whole fleeces and comb or card? What fibers do you prefer to use?

I am a wool person. I like other fibers, like silk. But what I am happiest working with is wool. I like to buy colored fleeces and my favorite way to prepare them is Viking combs. I'd like to have a range of different, peasant style combs to play with. I'm considering the Louet Dutch combs next. Long wools comb very easily and fast. I also send some fiber out to be processed. If you really like spinning and have limited time, why spend a lot of time doing your own fiber prep? Well-prepared fiber is the secret to good yarns.

You mention on your website that you like using the Mongold spindle because you got tired of spinning fine yarn and wanted to work with "long luster wools," in your words. I'd like to hear more about this. Do you think this is a progression that many spinners take, from thick-and-thin yarn to fine yarn and then to worsted weight?

No, I think people are pretty much stuck on spinning fine right now. I had been spinning a lot of fine fiber and fine yarns. It took a lot of the pleasure out of spinning for me. When I realized that, I took some time and

Go To Page: 1 2 3

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic