Founder member
Base: Leicestershire
Guild related interests: Spinning, Dyeing, Knitting

I have been spinning for over 20 years and was professionally taught by Elizabeth and Malcolm Palmer in the 1990s. I love teaching people to spin, and my aim is always to encourgage and inspire. I have taught several of the present Guild members, and I sometimes think that I may have learned as much from them as they have from me!

I think there is a lot of nonsense talked about long draw spinning, such as (a) it is difficult, and (b) you have to spin from rolags. My mission in the Guild is to 'de-bunk' these misconceptions, along with the idea that some things in spinning are right and some are wrong. Who wrote the rule book? There isn't one! So how can you be wrong ? There are different opinions, but they are only opinions. What matters to me in spinning is that people can enjoy the same satisfaction, rewards and fulfilment from it as I do. And to do that, I think you need to be able to spin long draw and get results in a reasonable timeframe; life is too short...

On the home front, I think I am a very happy and fulfilled 'country' sort of person. I have three children and seven grandchildren, and I have a BSc degree and no time for TV or politicians! I live in Stoke Albany with my husband Bob, have an Irish Draught horse called Nola, and five hens. We grow most of our own vegetables and lots of fruit - raspberries, cherries, strawberries, apricots, plums, apples, pears and grapes. Bob is retired and helps look after the horse, hens and garden, while I work part time as a medical secretary. I ride my horse several times a week with my friend Linda, and I also enjoy making cards and rugs, cooking and reading, as well as choral, classical and old traditional folk music. Bob and I have a boat on the Nene which we really enjoy in the summer. We have written a book which is on sale on Amazon (it's now in its second edition) called 'How To Get Free Publicity', which we wrote after working in PR together for many years.