I’ve always loved the look of mid-century vintage beret hats — especially the ones that have an angora halo. There's just something about that iconic angora halo that gives the hat such a romantic feel, and I love it! So, I decided to make one!
For this project, I’ll be spinning angora rabbit fiber with merino wool to replicate a discontinued yarn and knit a vintage hat pattern from the 1960s. I walk through the process from carding, spinning, and dyeing the yarn, to knitting a beautiful beret with a classic angora halo.Read More
Category: Tutorial
Spinning-
Tutorial-
Yarn
New Fiber Alert! How to Spin Yarn from Eco Nylon and Weave a Cute Notions Bag
When Paradise Fibers sent me their Eco Soul Nylon for spinning, I was so intrigued. And when you spin as much as I do, it is not every day that you find a totally new type of fiber that surprises you!
Nylon is known for its strength and durability, so I thought that a notions bag project would be perfect!
Keep reading to learn more about this cool new fiber and fun spinning challenge!Read More
Spinning-
Spinning History-
Tutorial-
Wool
How to Make DIY Spindle Whorls from Polymer Clay
Spindle whorls have been discovered in the most ancient of archeological sites and are still used today to hand spin yarn by yarn crafters, reenactors, and people working to preserve their cultural heritage and textile traditions, and by YouTubers (like me!). This was a super fun project where I learned how easy it is to make DIY spindle whorls out of polymer clay.Read More
Spinning-
Spinning Wheels-
Tutorial-
Wool-
Yarn
Does plying from a center pull ball change your twist? — A yarn spinning experiment!
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Many fiber friends (myself included!) often ply their yarn with a center pull ball. This popular method works especially well if you only have one bobbin.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>You form your yarn into a center pull ball with a yarn winder, then take the end of your yarn from the inside and the end from the outside and give it twist. This creates a two-ply yarn. I've used this center pull ball plying technique a lot in my projects.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>But sometimes you'll hear people say, "Don't do that! It will mess up your twist!"</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->Read More
Spinning-
Spinning Wheels-
Tutorial-
Wool-
Yarn
Sheep Fleece to Sock Yarn: Challenges and Results
Little did I know when my husband and I headed off to pick up eggs at our friend’s farm, that I was about to begin a raw sheep fleece to sock yarn project! Before he started working from home in 2020, my husband would pick up fresh farm eggs from his coworker at their officeRead More
Spinning-
Spinning Wheels-
Tutorial-
Uncategorized
Restoring a Vintage Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel
I purchased a neglected vintage Ashford Traditional spinning wheel so that I could bring her back to her former glory. You can read more about how I came across this wheel, and some things I discovered about its past in my, “I Found a Vintage Ashford Traditional” post. Now it is time to get toRead More
Evie Gets Dressed-
Intentional Wardrobe-
Knitting-
Spinning-
Tutorial-
Uncategorized-
Yarn
How I Avoid Running Out of Yarn by Using Math
When I got close to the end of the Arboreal sweater project that I knit entirely out of handspun yarn, I knew It would be a close call. Would I run out of yarn? I didn't want to play yarn chicken with my handspun and I had already spun the entire bump of roving, so there was no way to get more yarn for this project. This is what I did to make sure I could finish my project without running out or having too much yarn leftover.Read More
Spinning-
Tutorial-
Wool-
Yarn
How Much Does Thwacking Change Handspun Yarn?
I have always heard that wet finishing and thwacking your hand spun yarn can make a huge difference in how your final yarn feels and behaves in a project. Let's find the answer to the question, how much does thwacking change handspun yarn with an experiment.Read More
Spinning-
Tutorial
Ply and Finish Your Yarn on a Drop Spindle
After spinning yarn on a drop spindle, it is time to ply and finish the % yarn. I will show you how I ply my yarn and get it ready for a project.Read More
Spinning-
Tutorial-
Wool-
Yarn
Drop Spindle Spinning for Complete Beginners
Before I started spinning on my first spinning wheel, I learned how to spin on a drop spindle. With this guide, I will explain drop spindle spinning for complete beginners. You will learn everything you need to know from attaching the fiber, to finishing your yarn!Read More