Category: Yarn

Evie Gets Dressed-

Intentional Wardrobe-

Spinning-

Yarn

How to Prevent Wool Moths and Other Pests from Getting in Spinning Fibers and Hand Knits

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I have a lot of wool in my home, including things like my spinning fibers, rugs, and hand knits. With all that wool, it is important that I store it properly to avoid any pest problems. It can be kind of gross or scary to talk about (I truly hate moths!), but pests are a real risk. So, let's walk through the different possible kinds of pests to watch out for, how to store your fibers and wool to prevent any pest problems, and how to deal with them if you do get an infestation.Read More

Spinning-

Yarn

8-Ply Handspun Yarn — A Cabled Crepe Adventure

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While I love spinning large batches of consistent yarn for specific projects, I also really love pushing my skills and trying different yarn constructions and textures. So, for this project, I wanted to experiment with creating a fun, structured, and technical yarn. I started this project by creating a chain ply, which became a crepe yarn, then a cable ply, and finally it ended up as an 8-ply handspun yarn made from a merino and yak blend. It was quite a journey, so let's get spinning!Read More

Spinning-

Wool-

Yarn

How to Spin Combed Top to Create Self Striping Yarn

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Multicolored combed tops can create really beautiful yarns, but it can be a bit tricky to control how the colors present in the yarn. A beautiful multicolored combed top can turn into a disappointing yarn if the colors become muddy during the spinning. In this blog, I experiment with different methods to control the color in a combed top when spinning. Plus, I’ll show my favorite method to create a self-striping yarn with fantastic, long color repeats from a combed top using rolags.Read More

Knitting-

Spinning-

Yarn

Blending Alpaca with Wool

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I've heard people say that blending alpaca and wool is essential to having an alpaca yarn that will keep its shape in a garment. But is it truth or myth that alpaca must be blended with wool? I wanted to test some alpaca wool blends to see what the difference is for knitting. So, I did an experiment where I carded four batts using my Brother drum carder. Keep reading to see the results!Read More

Historical Textiles-

Spinning-

Wool-

Yarn

How to: Tablet Weaving with Handspun Yarn

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Tablet weaving with handspun yarn can make an absolutely beautiful woolen, card woven band. Having a yarn that is intentionally spun for weaving can make all the difference in how well your pattern will show up, reducing the pilling and fuzzing that can happen with fluffier commercial yarns, and of course, custom dyeing can give you the color pallet you want for your project. Here's how I created a simple tablet woven band that I created with my hand-dyed and handspun yarn.Read More

Spinning-

Yarn

Should I Let My Bobbins Rest Before I Ply My Yarn?

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Should I let my bobbins rest before plying my yarn? This is one of the most commonly asked questions in the spinning community! Some people swear by it, and others prefer to just charge ahead on their project. Personally, I tend to go right ahead and ply my yarn without waiting. But I was really curious to see what difference letting the bobbins rest has on the final yarn. And I wondered about questions like: How do we know how much twist the ply needs if the energy is rested out of it? Does it make tangled yarn less likely? Let's find out!Read More

Spinning-

Tutorial-

Yarn

New Fiber Alert! How to Spin Yarn from Eco Nylon and Weave a Cute Notions Bag

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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 Wheels-

Tutorial-

Wool-

Yarn

Does plying from a center pull ball change your twist? — A yarn spinning experiment!

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<!-- 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