Spinning Tuesdays

Labeling Handspun; PLY Away 4 Registration is Open

One of the things I do to get ready for winter spinning, knitting and weaving is label my miscellaneous skeins of handspun. I’m pretty good at labeling my yarn, but a few still get through.  I’m not always thorough at labeling either. I tag my just-to-spin skeins with a tyvek wristband and the basics of the yarn – fiber, company, yardage (before finishing), and that’s pretty much it. I like to go back and add a little detail to these skeins.       I do this so when I want to knit or weave with my handspun that’s wasn’t specifically spun for the project I know what ...

Deep Fall Knittyspin European Dream Shawl

Are you looking for a cozy project for yourself or a gift as the weather slides to chilly, might I suggest the European Dreams shawl from this issue of Knitty? This shawl, designed by Benjamin Krudwig, is thick and quick. It uses Spunky Eclectic Targhee top and is spun long draw, thick and thin, then plied on itself. The WPI is 5-7, thick with extra Targhee squish.   The knitting is straight forward, just knits and purls, nothing tricky. It’s a great weekend project Benjamin made his shawl out of naturally color fiber, but it would be lovely spun in a dyed fiber, especially semi solid or a splatter dyed ...

How Much Fiber Do I Need? Rhinebeck Edition

Rhinebeck is this weekend, I can feel the shopping fever mounting! I get asked “how much fiber should I buy?” in most of my spinning classes. The urgency ramps up when I’m teaching at a fiber show or there’s a big show coming up. Do you know what you’re going to buy yet? I usually make a shopping map. Here are my quick and dirty shopping amounts for commercial fiber: 4oz – socks, hats, small cowls 8 oz – infinity scarves, big cowls, small shawls 12oz – big shawls, vests 16oz-32oz+ – sweaters. I make an x-large sweater; I always buy 2 pounds. Here are some of the ...

Spinning at WEBS

WEBS had their second Spinning Summit this past weekend and I was lucky and grateful to teach. It was a mighty gang that gathered to spin with Amy King, Beth Smith and me. We taught three classes each. The attendees somehow picked three out of the nine classes. I taught Fractal Frolic, Successive Plying, and premiered a new class – Match Game. It’s all about learning to match, project, intention and yarn for a knitting project. I’m teaching this next in a couple of weeks at SAFF. My students were dedicated and really fast spinners. They had a ton of questions and burned through all of the material ...

Magical Fiber Retreat, New Red Alder Retreat

Attention Florida or Florida adjacent spinners and knitters! The classes at the Magical Fiber Fantasy Retreat at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort are now being offered individually.  You can come and take a spinning or knitting class or two and not have to stay for the whole retreat ( though you may want to). There are still spaces in all of my spinning classes plus classes with Kirsten Kapur, Tanis Grey, and Alana Dakos available. Classes are November 7-10. Grab a friend and come spin with me!   Phenomenal weaver (and my friend) John Mullarkey is partnering with Rebecca Edwards to fill the fiber spot left ...

Thinking about Holiday Gifts: It’s Time

Do not yell at me! It’s time for me to think about holiday gifts, I didn’t say you had to. I’m not playing Rhinebeck sweater chicken, so It’s time for me to plan other fiber things. What do I want to make? Something perfectly handcrafted for each person I love in my life. What does the still rational not-caught-up-in-the-joy-and-delusion-of-holiday-making mind of mine think I will actually do? 2 woven scarves (commercial yarn) 4 zoom loom sachets (handspun) Something knitted and delicious that’s not a sweater (handspun)   I’m going to ask my local spinning and knitting friends ...

School of Sweet Georgia Discount for Knitty Readers

Have you seen Felicia Lo’s wonderful School of Sweet Georgia lately? Felicia has recently launched School of Sweet Georgia version two and it is dynamite. Instead of the standard “buy one class at a time” model, Felicia has created a immersive learning experience. For an annual fee that’s less than $20 per month, you can learn the ins and outs of spinning, dyeing, knitting, and weaving with a focus on color, color, color. In addition to deep dive video clases there are shorter mini workshops, live classes, a community forum, and a live Q&A monthly. All of the information about the school ...

Three Movies to Watch While You Spin

  It’s time to start feathering your fall spinning nest. For me part of that is gathering things I want to watch (or binge) while I spin. I often invite friends over on the weekend and we have a movie afternoon. Spinzilla is coming up and these would be great to keep your wheel flying along. I recently watched all three of these and recommend them highly.       Do you love historical fiction and great costumes? Do you think that reading books can change your life? The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (on Netflix) will thrill you. It’s based on the book of the same title, but i ...

What to Do with Fiber Slush

Fiber slush is what I call all of the leftovers from spinning, the bits or lengths of unspun fiber that I can’t bring myself to just throw away. Using fiber slush is a great opportunity to just play with fiber. It’s not fiber I’ve bought with anything specific in mind, so what I use it for is to stretch my creative spinning and color muscles. I use it to make batts. Fiber slush is the perfect stuff to make heathered or tweed batts. I use it on my blending board. Small bits of special shiny fibers really stand out in rolags and mini batts. I use it to make oddball yarns, just grab fiber randomly and ...

Back to School Spinning

How do you celebrate back to school time? If you have kids, there’s the relief of getting fall routines back. Maybe you can find the time for some extra spinning. Everyone enjoys buying new school supplies, for spinners it may mean a new spinning journal or some new small tools. Organization is in the air in the fall. I know I’m more of a fall cleaner and organizer than a spring cleaner. Fall is a great time to set yourself up for your own learning. What spinning skills do you want to learn next? Will you take classes online, at a local shop or at a fiber show, or use books, magazines or the knowledge of ...
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