Tag: fiber

Spinning at TNNA

Amy, Kate and I attended The National Needlework Association convention in Cleveland, Ohio a few weeks ago. This is the wholesale show where knitting shops go to buy for the fall season. I’m always on the lookout for spinning things. This year there seemed to be a little less spinning than in the past, but the show was smaller overall.       Of course, Schacht was there in full force, celebrating their 50th anniversary. I need to buy the 50th anniversary shuttle before they are all sold out! Ashford was there too. I saw lots of demos of their newer e-spinner. I’ve tried it and it’s ...

Washing Fleece – What Do You Use?

I bought two fleeces at Maryland Sheep and Wool, a Finn and a Corrie Cross. Now I have to decide how I want to wash them. I originally wanted to compare two wool scours, Unicorn Power Scour and Kookaburra Scour. Then I listened to the Modern Wool podcast on wool scouring, and I’m not sure that I shouldn’t just use Dawn or clothing detergent. Then I went back and reread Sarah Swett’s blog post about scouring fleece (she uses Kookaburra), and I swayed that way again.     Both of my fleeces are pretty middle of the road as far as staple and fineness so I feel like I can do some experimenting. ...

Schacht’s 50th Anniversary Spin Along

    For Schacht’s 50th Anniversary, Felicia Lo of Sweet Georgia Yarns created a colorway called Barry’s Jubilee. It’s 85% Polwarth/ 15% tussah, I know, such a dreamy blend. As part of their 50th anniversary celebration the folks at Schacht are hosting a spin along during the month of June. If you sign up for the spin along newsletter you’ll find out all about it. I’m in, and planning on spinning two different yarns with my braid.             Besides this fabu colorway, Schacht has several special anniversary products.   Everything from an ...

Maryland Sheep & Wool First Timer

Maryland Sheep & Wool fans, I need your help! I’m teaching at the show before the festival starts, and I hope to see some of you in my classes. I’m staying an extra day, Saturday, because I have never been to Maryland Sheep & Wool. Tell me please, what are the things, food, and vendors that I shouldn’t miss? Things that are unique to MDSW. Including great places to eat nearby. I am excited to teach and excited to prowl the grounds of a new-to-me show, but with almost 300 vendors, it’s a little overwhelming. Yes, I am customizing a map, with a checklist, and may even make a spreadsheet. ...

Taking a Break by Taking a Class

I just got back from teaching at PLY Away. It’s one of my favorite events of the year, and I feel lucky to teach there. Right now it’s the biggest and longest spinning event in North America (and maybe the world). The downside for this introverted teacher is a 12 hour drive on each side of teaching and 4 1/2 days of teaching and festivities. That leaves me pooped and hilariously inarticulate. This year I tried something new. I took a class in the middle of my teaching schedule. I had a half day off and I signed up for Judith MacKenzie’s paper spinning class. I spun about 50 yards of paper yarn, ...

Every Class Needs a Baby

Saturday I taught a Colorplay class for a fantastic group of women at the Kalamazoo Fiber & Dye Studio. We had a fun time and spun a ton of dyed fiber. We had a very special guest in class, Baby H, you can see him between the Matchless and the Lendrum. He’s the best baby and cast quite a spell on the class. He was there smiling and cooing at everyone, and showing off his rolling over skills. He nursed and took a a nap with his bum waving in the air. It was lovely to have him there. It made me think about when spinning was a part of women’s every day, a have to, not a hobby. I like to imagine that ...

Spring+Summer Knittyspin : Color and Combs

The Spring + Summer issue of Knitty is live and that means a new Knittyspin column. This issue I explore how to load combs with fiber. More specifically, and so much closer to my heart, how to load  commercially prepped fiber on combs for blending color. Each way results in a different effect to the finished yarn. The number of combing passes contributes to how much the fibers are blended too. Curious and ready to comb? Click on over and see the difference for your self.     It seems like spring would never come! But now it’s here and there are fleeces to be had everywhere. Are you fleece shopping ...

New Spinning Tool: Thumb Flick

This past weekend I taught at Susan’s Fiber Shop Spinning Retreat, it was great fun! At one point in the festivities Susan whipped out this cool little tool – a thumb flick. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a tiny flick that slips over your thumb to use to tease open locks. I used it to flick open locks for blending board batts, and it worked perfectly.       It’s tiny and light and costs about $10, what’s not to love? I haven’t seen them anywhere else, and Susan just got them in. If you want one the quickest way is to call her shop.         ...

A Tip to Save a Bit of Fiber

The easiest answers to spinning troubles are my favorite. When I spin a dyed braid I like to save a narrow strip of unspun fiber to have a record of the fiber’s colors before I spin it. What usually happens is I find that strip sometime during the spinning and spin it into my yarn. I’ve never found a good way to differentiate the piece of fiber. Scrolling through Instagram one morning I saw that Alanna Wilcox (spinnybuns) has the perfect simple solution. Chain that strip of fiber fiber. So smart and  so easy. The chained fiber lets me know this is something other than fiber to spin, and hopefully I ...
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