Sharon Wichman
The Sprang Lady's Apprentice

Following the creative urge where it leads me.

 In February of 2020 a long chain of synchronicities led me to a weekend sprang class taught by Carol James and sponsored by the Duluth, MN Fiber Guild. Two weeks previously I had no idea what sprang was, but I felt a strong pull to take the course. By the end of the weekend I had talked Carol into teaching me all the basic structures. In order to remember what I had learned, I kept spranging every day, and became obsessed with having my hands in the fibers and playing with new patterns.

I love using other people's discarded yarn to experiment with the many possibilities that sprang offers. Almost all the yarn for my sprang creations are from estate sales, rummage sales, or asking friends if they had any yarn they are ready to part with. With a new type of yarn on the frame, I ask "what happens if...", listen to the yarn, and start playing.

Photo by Dottie Frank

My previous obsession was with nature photography. Now I'm turning the camera to these beautiful and enigmatic fibers. I still get to lie on the floor and contort into awkward positions to get image I want, but I don't get quite as dirty

Photo by Tara O'Brien Pride

One of the joys of sprang is that I can combine my obsession with fiber with my obsession with labyrinths. Whenever I come across a flat expanse of snow or sand (snow is more common near my home in Minnesota), I'm tempted to create a labyrinth.