Tag: tools

Tiny Crochet Hooks Are My Favorite

  I don’t crochet, but I have a thing for teeny tiny crochet hooks, the one that are about the size of a pencil lead. These two I found at a thrift store (50¢), my favorite place for all kinds of craft supplies, don’t ask what else I bought that day. One had a 10 on it the other a 07. I’m not sure what they are for, thread crochet, maybe? I find them at estate sales too. I use these tiny hooks for two things mostly, and I would recommend having a stash of them, they go missing because, well, they are really tiny, and they break.       I use them for cleaning tools, my hand cards, ...

Schacht is 50! Class Openings Coming Up

Schacht Spindle Company turns 50 this year! Schacht has been a huge part of my fiber life ever since the late 80s when I bought my first loom. But my true devotion didn’t start until I bought my Matchless sometime in the early 90s. Soon (about five minutes) after I learned to turn fiber into a lumpy bit of yarn I saw my first Matchless. It was lust at first sight. It was gorgeous, it was smooth. It could do all of these things that other spinners told me were good, but I would have no idea what they meant until years later. I put that wheel on layaway and paid it off a little every month. I think it’s the ...

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.         ...

Favorite Spinning Tools: My Steamer

I have a little portable steamer that I use all of the time. It’s become one of those tools in my arsenal, along with my scale, that I had no idea when I bought it how much I would use it. I use it the most when I’m sampling. I’m not a patient spinner and I want to see what my yarn and knitted swatches are going to look like as soon as possible. Steaming is perfect for that. My steamer is small and is best for small skeins of yarn. I used to just hold my skeins over our electric kettle until I got tired of finding wool in my tea. I have used it for bigger 400 yard skeins, it took a couple of passes ...