teaching an old dog new tricks

That would be me. October has flown by, but I spent it teaching, and learning new things. First, to my surprise, Marjorie asked to learn nalbinding, as did another friend. Of course I said I would teach them. I love teaching nalbinding. So we sat down to learn the Oslo stitch. That's when I found out they are both left handed. So, I very quickly had to learn how to teach left-handed nalbinding. By the end of the evening, we had arrived at terminology that makes sense no matter if you are left handed or right handed. (Thank you, Marjorie.) No matter which hand you are using, you are looking at the front of your thumb (the nail side), and you work the stitch off the back of your thumb (the pad side). The working thread lies on the inside (between thumb and index finger), and the needle approaches the stitch from the outside of the thumb.

By our second lesson both women were confident nalbinders. Marjorie had taught the stitch to another friend, and she was ready to learn something new. I will not take the credit. They were both very quick learners.

Later in the month I spent a day with my friend Vibeke, while she taught me to throw pottery on the wheel. I came home with quite a few little pieces, but just as many were disasters. Two things were difficult for me - centering the clay, and making straight sides (I never did accomplish that). Here is what I made:

The straight-sided piece in the back, and the inkwell in the center were made by my friend Heather. The other three pieces are mine.

The three rather small pieces in the foreground are mine. 

I also made a tiny bud vase, and a spindle whorl (I couldn't help myself).

It was fun playing with shapes. They rarely came out exactly as I had pictured them as I placed the clay on the wheel, but I am pleased with my results. Vibeke is a great teacher. It will take a long time for me to be able to really control the clay. I will need much practice to make a piece with reasonably thin walls. But I left at the end of the day feeling like a good beginner. Now let's hope I have good luck with the glazes. (Patience, grasshopper. The clay has to dry and be fired first.)