what is joan doing ?

Arizona Fiber Arts Festival 2026

Friday Afternoon

Spinning Hemp Fiber FH6

JULY 2025 VISIT TO WAKONDA & WINFRED, SOUTH DAKOTA HEMP FIELDS

Karll Lecher-Me-John Peterson

Friday morning Spinning Cotton on the Takli Spindle.FH1

Ken Meyer - Me in Winfred, SD

SEE MY HEMP SECTION FOR MORE DETAILS

Spring 2025 marked another exciting chapter for fiber educator Joan S. Ruane, as she and her daughter Judy traveled to Ireland to connect with spinning guilds and share expertise in cotton and hemp spinning education. This visit brought together centuries-old traditions and modern fiber knowledge across several regions of Ireland.

On May 10, Joan met with a welcoming group of spinners in Dublin, followed by a visit the next day to County Laois at Mount Henry Farm, a historic fourth-generation farmhouse. There, a dedicated group of spinners gathered to learn, exchange techniques, and explore the unique qualities of cotton and hemp fibers in spinning.

After several days immersed in Ireland’s breathtaking landscapes and historic castles, Joan traveled west to the Galway area, where she spoke to a large and engaged group at the Crusheen Community Center. Each gathering reflected the generosity, curiosity, and deep-rooted fiber knowledge of the Irish spinning community.

Joan is deeply grateful for the kindness and hospitality extended throughout the journey, as well as the rich exchange of spinning wisdom shared along the way.

This summer, Joan continues her educational travels with a visit to South Dakota, where she will explore the state’s thriving hemp industry. She’ll be visiting Ken Meyer’s hemp processing plant and surrounding farms—key contributors to South Dakota’s position as the nation’s leading hemp-producing state.

Stay tuned for in-depth hemp spinning information, photos, and online lectures, all coming to CottonSpinning.com later this year.