Spinning a yarn

Fabrics, sewing and handcrafted items have always fascinated Mary-Helen Binger.

When she moved to Utah five years ago, one of the things she brought with her was a kilogram of unspun Australian wool she purchased as a memento from a business trip to Australia. She decided that she wanted to learn how to spin.

On a whim, she drove out to the Wasatch Fiber Festival in Coalville. At the event, there were fleece judging contests, spinning demonstrations and other activities related to the fiber arts.

"I fell in love with fibers. I loved the look of roving (and) fleece. I asked right there and then how I could buy a spinning wheel and what one to start on," she said.

Binger is now the president of the Wasatch Woolpack Handspinners, a group of mostly women from around the Wasatch Front who get together once a month and on other special occasions to spin together. Luli Josephson, WWH treasurer, said the group is interested in promoting the fiber arts, especially forming a network of community awareness and understanding of hand spinning.

"Some of us are interested just in the process and creation of hand spinning ... (while) others are knitters and want to create their own yarns," she said. "This is a group of people where you can learn how to hand spin and get connected with other people who do various fiber arts. Over the years Salt Lake has been a very active weaving community."

Both Binger and Josephson said the fiber arts are currently undergoing a renaissance, and interest in them has increased over the past few years. Knitting especially has a larger following. Crocheting is also having a resurgence in popularity.

The nice thing about spinning is there is only a minimal amount of equipment needed to start, Josephson said.

"All you need to spin is some kind of hand spindle (and) fiber," she said. "It's portable, very sociable, creative and productive."

Laurel Wright, who lives in the East Millcreek area, said spinning came in a roundabout way for her. She was interested in Navajo rugs and weaving. She bought a Navajo loom and decided that she wanted to learn how to spin Navajo yarn. This naturally led her to seek spinning groups in the area, and she joined WWH in 2001. She now specializes in spinning cotton, which is more difficult than traditional wool to spin.

Spinning is a way for her to unwind from the cares and concerns of her life.