Wooly Links: February 2022

I finally sorted through my massive trove of saved links from the past year that I never got around to reading/watching. Some left me asking why I bothered saving them in the first place. Others I set aside to reference for different projects. Some were about knitting and spinning I thought were worth sharing. So here are 10 awesome links about knitting, spinning, fun projects, owning a yarn shop, and dinosaurs.

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Is you handspun yarn hard and scratchy? Jacey Boggs has a few ideas to spin softer yarn.

While playing catch-up on with all my podcasts and vlogs, I really enjoyed this interview on The Long Thread podcast with Maggie Casey & Judy Steinkoenig.

Huh. Here’s a tutorial mash up of the Long-Tail and German Twisted Cast-ons to make a stretchy edge for 2x2 rib.

A neat roundup of recent textile discoveries from around the world.

Great tips and questions to help you get started with your own yearly temperature blanket. The tutorial is focused on crochet, but would still work really well with knitting.

Toe-up or cuff-down, it is always helpful to know the anatomy of a sock. This post from Lattes & Llamas is clear, detailed, and has plenty of sock photos.

Seeing other people make fun, wild stuff with yarn is always great. Like this Yarniversal Championship Belt from Hands Occupied.

The Simply Scrappy Cowl seems like a good fit for those leftover bits and bobs of special yarns.

I love the everything about the color work Huddling Penguins hat pattern. (Ravelry Link)

12 Yarn Ball Types and how to work from them.

And now for something different…

How to ride a Pterosaur, according to science

A zine library hidden in plain sight in a library book

Time For Some Wooly Spring Cleaning

Close up details of the unwashed wool blanket with plenty of lanolin and veggie matter to go around.

Warmer Spring weather has kicked up in fits and spurts over the past few weeks. So, it’s time for that giant box of fiber that’s been sitting on a shelf in the garage to finally get some time in the sun and the tub.

My dad sent me a 16” x 16” x 17” box last year. I poked at it a little bit, but wasn’t quite ready to jump into washing it just then. I wanted to do a little practice first and had a much smaller chunk of alpaca that would be a good start to learn how to wash raw fiber. I chronicled that learning attempt here, and it went really well. With a little experience and confidence under my belt, I was ready to get started…eventually.

One of the two bags from the box and absolutely stuffed full of a skirted wool fleece.

I opened this box and dug in before I could change my mind or the weather changed my plans for me. The box was packed with two bags that each contained a full skirted fleece! I only had the time and bags to work with one of the bags, so I left the second fleece in the box for later. Maybe this summer? Hopefully this summer.

A small sample of the wool from this fleece.

A close up of one of the wool locks.

Anyway, I don’t have any details about what kind of wool this, just that it’s wool. The fleece wasn’t dirty and dusty like alpaca, but a little bit greasy and yellow from the lanolin. There was a fair amount of veggie matter and some second cuts - both of which I pulled out much of what I could. While the locks don’t have much in the way of a tight crimp, it is strong with a 4-5” staple length. After pulling out the dirtiest sections (spoiler alert: I should have pulled out more), I divided the fleece into 7 bags for easier washing.

7 mesh bags full of wool fleece ready for a wash in a utility sink.

My original plan was to wash the fleece in a big tub in the back yard, but that was before I had a utility sink. Washing a big chunk of wool seemed like the perfect thing to really break that sink in. I grabbed the 4 of the 7 bags to get started because I only have so much drying room. Then I filled up the tub with the hottest water I could get, 120 F, and added my soap. I’m using Mrs Meyers Clean Day Dish Soap (<- affiliate link) which is sulfate free (and what I used to wash the alpaca fiber). This batch got two soaks in soapy water (so much dirt!) and two soaks without soap. Then I laid them flat to dry. It was so hard not to poke the bags every hour to see if they were dry yet.

A handful of washed fleece showing off the lock structure and a little bit of veggie matter.

When all the wool was finally dry, I was afraid that I’d felted it in the wash! I didn’t - whew! - but the wool was compacted. It takes a little effort, but I can still pull it apart and tease out the individual fibers. Now that the wool was clean I could finally get a good look at it. Most of the fiber is a bright white and only a few of the tips stayed yellow. It is also very soft and fine. I’d say that I lucked out with this fleece. Thank you, Dad!

Of course, I couldn’t resist seeing what would happen after the wool took a trip through the drum carder. This was a learning experience on all fronts. The wool (because it was compacted from the wash), took a chunk of work to get ready to feed into the drums. Then all the veggie matter I hoped would come out with drum carding, didn’t. So I spent way more time picking out grass and hay that I’d skipped over in the beginning. Bah. I also learned that this particular wool is very fine and two passes through the carder is the most it can take. Anything more will tangle the fiber into neps which would be a complete waste of some really beautiful wool.

I was also reminded of a few absolutely key points:

• Don’t wear all black when working with white fiber.

• An apron to wipe your hands and hold tools would be really helpful.

• Save outside drum carding for less windy days.

• Keep your hands moisturized so the fiber doesn’t just cling to your fingers for the fun of it.

• Find all the tools you’re going to need before you start working with the carder.

• Toddlers don’t care about drum carding. Toddlers care about being pushed on the swings. (This one is the most important.)

The first finished batt from the washed wool fleece ready to come off the drum carder.

The fluffy and flighty wool batt after pulling it up to come off the drum carder.

Close up view of the underside of the batt as it comes of the drum carder.

The finished batt is just shy of 2 ounces and only a small fraction of what I washed. The drum carder wasn’t cleaned after my last carding projects so there’s bits of green wool and cinnamon alpaca in there. Still, it looks really good even if it does have more veggie matter in there than I’d like. I’m looking forward to spinning up a few samples of 2 and 3 ply yarns. It’ll certainly help me decide what to make with the finished yarn when I have a better idea of how much fiber I actually have.

The drum carder after removing the batt. The drums are still covered wool stuck down at the base of the cloth.

Now I have to go pick all the stray fibers out of my drum carder before I can card the next batch.

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This post contains an affiliate link which means, if you decide to buy through that link, I’ll get a small commission. My opinions are my own, and formed after multiple uses. I wouldn’t recommend this soap if I didn't think it worked. Thanks!

Adventures in Washing Alpaca Fiber

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of family and friends, I have accumulated a fair bit of alpaca fleece in a few different colors. The most recent addition was a 16” x 16” x 17” box from my Dad packed full of beautiful grey and black locks. It’s still sitting in the box too because it has a distinct aroma. Now that warmer temps are here to stay for a few more months, I’m ready to give washing and prepping alpaca fleece a try.

So far, the bulk of my fiber processing experience has been with wool and alpaca that’s already been washed and dyed. The lone exception was this alpaca handspun I made a few years ago. That yarn started as fiber that I turned into batts with a drum carder. But I didn’t wash the fiber before hand, because the general consensus from what I’d read was that you didn’t have too since alpaca don’t produce lanolin. Yeah…no. The finished yarn was wonderful but spinning it left dirt everywhere - my hands, the drum carder, my lap, kitchen table, etc. So all of this new stuff definitely needs a wash.

Before digging into that box and committing to a massive washing project, I’m starting small with 7 oz of cinnamon brown alpaca from a friend. It smells pretty clean, but there’s a lot of vegetable matter and my hands definitely feel a little grimy after digging around in the fiber. A lot of my researching and learning about how other people wash alpaca has shown me that there are a lot of different methods. What’s been the same is this:

• don’t agitate the water - let the fiber soak

• use warm to hot water

• gentle dish soap works really well

• mesh bags are a must

• if you’re going to use a machine machine, it has to be a top loader

So, keeping all that stuff in mind, here’s what my set up involves:

• A big flexible tub to soak and wash the fleece outside my washing machine is a front loader

• Mild dish soap - I’m using Mrs Meyers dish soap which is sulfate free

• Lots of mesh bags

• An old towel

• My patio table

One more important note before getting into the grit of it, I’m washing stuff outside because I don’t want to clean the tub more than I have too. Let’s get started.

The first step is shoving all the alpaca in bags. I ended up splitting the 7 oz into 2 bags so it’d have room to loose dirt. I also picked out a few bits of bigger veggie matter and removed any second cuts I happened to find.

Now for the tub. I filled it up with water from the hose which is definitely on the cooler side. To warm things up I used an electric kettle to boil some water. It didn’t get anywhere near as hot as I expected but it was warm. Then I added a few tablespoons of soap and smooshed the bags under the water until they stayed completely submerged.

This is what the water looked like after 20 minutes. I could not see the bottom of the tub even a little.

I pulled the bags, rolled them up to squeeze out some water, and emptied the tub. Then I refilled the tub with the same amount of hot and cold water for a rinse without soap. The bags went back in and I set another timer.

The bags sat in this water for closer to 30 minutes because I had other stuff to do. This time I could almost see the bottom of the tub.

Decided to do one more soak in soapy water. I didn’t have to add any hot water this time because the hose sat in the sun long enough to heat things up.

After another 30 minutes (took a lunch break), the water was clear and I could see the bottom. Plus, the water I squeezed out of the fiber was only slightly cloudy. Looked good enough to me so I gave them one last soak in plain water to rinse out the soap. After taking the bags out of the tub, I rolled them up in a towel and gave them a good squeeze.

Here’s what the still very wet alpaca looks like. The larger VM is still there and I’ll probably have to pick it out by hand, but the dust and dirt is gone. Yay! One step closer to spinning this up.

I left the fiber in the bags so it wouldn’t blow away while it dries on the patio table. I did arrange it into a more even layer so it would dry faster. The day’s weather was hot and arid, but it still took the rest of the night inside to dry.

What did I end up with after a morning’s worth of work and a day’s drying time? Much cleaner fiber. The larger bits of VM are still there, but the dust and grit are gone. Doesn’t feel like I stuck my hand in a bucket of dust after touching the stuff. The fiber isn’t felted and I was able to pull apart some of the locks to get a better look at what I have to work with.

It’s definitely going to be work getting the rest of the fiber to this point, but I’m looking forward to getting this on the drum carder.

On the whole, washing this batch of alpaca fiber went pretty well. There’s not much I’d do differently. Hotter water will probably be a requirement for dirtier fleece so I’ll add 2 kettles worth of hot water for the big batch. Gloves might also have to be a thing for the really dirty stuff. I also wish the bags I have were a bigger mesh to let larger chunks out, but these still work fine. There’s still a few more things I want to try before digging into that massive box - like picking out more of the veggie matter and sending this fiber through the drum carder - but that shouldn’t hold me up too long.

References

This video from Jillian Eve gave me a good idea of what needed to be picked out before stuffing the fiber into mesh bags for cleaning. Might help you too if you’re using a washing machine to wash the alpaca.

This video focuses on tumbling and hand washing alpaca. Really makes me wish I had a double basin utility sink.

A short and to the point list about how to wash alpaca.

Finishing #the100DayProject 2020

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me:
Here’s how I prepped for the project and spent the first week.
During weeks 2 and 3 I finished the first single and started spinning the second.
Weeks 4 and 5 I embraced the slog of being in the middle of something.
Weeks 6 and 7 I finished spinning the singles and started plying.
Weeks 8 and 9 I finished my first skein of handspun and started the second.
Weeks 10 and 11 I finished the second skein and jumped into spinning the third.
Weeks 12 and 13 I worked my way though spinning the singles for yarn number 3.

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Week 14

July 6 - 7 (Days 91-92): We’re in the last few days of this epic project now. I’m not feeling particularly retrospective at the moment or like I need to tack on a big goal to finish. Keeping it simple and just spinning everyday has served me well so far so I’m going to keep going to the end.

July 8 (Day 93): Had a couple of sections where the single just kept breaking. Turned out that the fix was pre-drafting more of the fiber. Spinning is a smooth process again. And in other good news, I’ve started on the last ounce of the fiber!

July 9 (Day 94): The bulk of today’s spinning happened outside while my spinning buddy ran off some energy. There were a few breaks to procure a snack and clean up spilled bubble solution, but lots of new yarn went on the spindle. I even managed to get past the section of fiber where the roving had split into two parts. Holding those together to spin and preserve the color sequence was a pain.

July 10 (Day 95): Got a good chunk of spinning in this afternoon. Maybe I’ll finish the single this weekend.

July 11 (Day 96): Yes! I finished spinning the second single for yarn number 3! I’m giving the twist some time to rest so I can wrap the plying ball tomorrow.

July 12 (Day 97): I wrapped up the plying ball this morning and it looks good. My very rough plan was to make a 2-ply yarn and generally have the colors match up between the two plies. I was reasonably successful. There’s going to be a lot of marling, but there are big chunks where the colors line up just right. At least that’s what the grapefruit-sized plying ball showed me.

Got a start on the plying in the afternoon. The yarn is a little fuzzier than I’m used to spinning, but still really fun. I can’t help but think that this would make a good Christmas stocking or wall art.

Week 15

July 13 (Day 98): I wasn’t able to get as much plying done yesterday because holding the fiber and twisting single up above my head has definitely irritated by arm. So, today I’m switching things up and working with my other arm. It’s awkward, but I’m still plying.

The plying ball is shrinking much faster than I expected. This morning the ball was the size of a grapefruit. By lunch, the ball was smaller than a peach. I might not even have to push myself to finish plying tonight.

July 14 (Day 99): Yes! I finished plying the yarn this morning! It feels so awesome to finish this last yarn with one day left to spare. Of course, this success didn’t come without a little irritation. As I got to the last few yards on the plying ball, the singles just kept snapping under the weight of the full spindle. I joined the plies back together once, but didn’t do it when the plies snapped again. Instead, I pulled out another spindle and plied the remaining singles to make a mini-skein. Works for me.

Broke out the swift and wound the yarn into skeins. Ended up with about 300 yds between the two. I was aiming for a sport weight yarn and there are definitely sport weight sections. It’s looking a little closer to a worsted weight though which is totally good too. Won’t know for sure until after the yarn is washed and dried.

Now that I got a good look at on the swift, the colors blend together beautifully. Even when there’s a barber pole effect, the colors share a similar value so they don’t jar the eye.

July 15 (Day 100): It seems fitting to end the project with finishing the yarn. I followed my standard method washing for each skein. First step is filling my too small bathroom sink with cool water and a squirt of Eucalan (<- affiliate link) then putting the skein in the bath for 20-ish minutes. Then I squeezed out the water and rolled them up in a towel so the yarn was damp instead of soaked. Before hanging them up to dry, I snapped the skeins around my arms to help even out the twist. That’s it. Good thing too because my shoulders definitely need a break from holding stuff above my head for long stretches of time.

Now we’re in the after. It took a few more days than I expected, but the yarn is finally dry. Every skein has absolutely exceeded my expectations. They’re plump and soft and wonderful. I’m not sure how much the yardage shrunk since setting the twist, but the weight definitely changed. The third yarn had the most dramatic transformation of the bunch. It seemed limp and fuzzy when it came off the spindle. A bath helped it perk up to a balanced and plump worsted weight yarn that I really want to knit. Not sure into what but I’ll come up with something.

Which bring up the question of what am I going to do with the rest of this lovely new handspun. No clue. The light blue superwash will probably become something for my spinning buddy. A new hat and mitts for winter will probably be a thing come September. As for the rest, I’m not sure. Gifts? Maybe. Something fun and off the wall? Also a possibility. Until I figure it out, I’m perfectly happy keeping them on a shelf where I can see them and give them a little pat from time to time.

Now the numbers and the TL:DR. 100 days of daily spinning turned 13 oz of fiber into 3 skeins totaling an estimated 1,053 yards (963 m). I didn’t spin the purple yarn during this project but I did take this opportunity to to wind it up. So it gets to be a buddy skein. I also put together this quick video that covers 99 days of spinning (would have been 100 days, but I accidentally deleted one). Here’s the last 3+ months in action:

What’s next? I’m trying to work that out. My shoulders need a break from spindle spinning. I do miss having something easy and accessible to reach for during the day that isn’t my phone so that might be the deciding factor. Maybe 100 days of sock knitting will be the next thing. Or I could tackle a few other short projects that last a month. Still thinking but I have no shortage of fiber and projects to choose from.

Thank you for following #the100DayProject along with me! I started with the goals of getting back to my spinning, making yarn, and showing the kiddo how yarn is made. The past 100 Days accomplished all those things and I’m happy I followed through. Pretty sure I’ll do another 100 Day project again next year. Or sooner.

*This post contains an affiliate link which means, if you decide to buy through that link, I’ll get a small commission. Thanks!

#the100DayProject Weeks 12 and 13

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me:
Here’s how I prepped for the project and spent the first week.
During weeks 2 and 3 I finished the first single and started spinning the second.
Weeks 4 and 5 I embraced the slog of being in the middle of something.
Weeks 6 and 7 I finished spinning the singles and started plying.
Weeks 8 and 9 I finished my first skein of handspun and started the second.
Weeks 10 and 11 I finished the second skein and jumped into spinning the third.

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Week 12

June 22 (Day 77): Added another yard or two to the spindle. Wasn’t able to get much in the way of spinning time today but a few minutes is better than nothing at all.

June 23 (Day 78): Today I finally reached the point in the current spin where it seems like I’m actually making progress. Until now, I’ve been spinning yarn but the piece of fiber never seemed to be getting any shorter. I know that’s not true but the illusion of it definitely contributed to feeling like the past few days of spinning have been a slog. Glad I stuck with it.

June 24 (Day 79): It’s nice to see the fiber turning into yarn and the spindle filling up one wrap at a time. I have no idea if I’ll finish plying by the end of this project or even finish the singles in the next 20 days. It’s good to be spinning though and I’m not going to add any extra rules to this project that’ll make it harder to keep the yardage coming. Just going to keep spinning.

June 25 (Day 80): It’s day 80 of #the100DayProject and my 80th day of spinning yarn is a row! How cool is that? I've got the skeins I've spun these past 80 days as well as the two I got off the bobbins because of this project in a pile on the shelf. It is so great to look over and see them stacking up. Looking forward to adding the current yarn-in-progress to that stack.

June 26 (Day 81): One of my goals for this project was for the kiddo to see me spinning. As a result she has definitely become more interested in my fiber and spindle. That’s a great thing but I have to keep the pair on a top shelf now. Otherwise she’ll push a chair over to a shelf, climb up, grab the spindle, and mix it in with all her other toys. Thankfully, the current roving is hardy stuff or it would not have survived the excursions.

June 27 (Day 82): Turns out that today is the start of Tour de Fleece. Glad it’s still happening even if the Tour de France isn’t. I’m not making any specific goals for Tour de Fleece or planning on joining in this year. I’m just going to keep spinning until I finish this latest skein of yarn.

June 28 (Day 83): Got a decent amount of spinning complete today. It’s nice to be able to see the colors change over the course of a day’s spinning vs. 4 days of spinning.

Week 13

June 29 (Day 84): Ran errands today so not much time or spare energy for making yarn. Did enough to cross it off the to-do list though.

June 30 (Day 85): The single has been breaking a lot lately. I’m not sure if I’m not keeping the spindle spinning long enough or if the fiber I’m working with needs more prep. So I’m doing a little bit of both: paying more attention to the spindle and pre-drafting the fiber just a touch.

July 1 (Day 86): Taking it easy today with the spinning since my rotator cuff on the spindle holding arm is feeling irritated. Don’t want to push my luck and hurt myself so close to the end of this project.

July 2 (Day 87): Yes! It took me a day’s spinning but I finished the first single for yarn number 3. It’s a little fuzzy and lumpy but the color changes are nice. Had to put the spindle in the freezer again to get it to pop apart.

Hmmm. The last single took me 15 days to spin and there are 13 days left. I could probably finish the last single in that time but probably not plying. I’m okay with that.

July 3 (Day 88): Started the second single! I didn’t get much spinning done today but it was good to start.

July 4 (Day 89): Trying something different with this half of the fiber. Because it got so squished in storage, pre-drafting is really helping to make a more consistent yarn. Spinning is also going faster too because of it. Just have to be careful not to pull things too far apart.

July 5 (Day 90): More spinning today. The turtle isn’t growing quickly, but it is growing.

#the100DayProject Weeks 10 and 11

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me:
Here’s how I prepped for the project and spent the first week.
During weeks 2 and 3 I finished the first single and started spinning the second.
Weeks 4 and 5 I embraced the slog of being in the middle of something.
Weeks 6 and 7 I finished spinning the singles and started plying.
Weeks 8 and 9 I finished my first skein of handspun and started the second.

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Week 10

June 9 (Day 64): I left the finished single on the table after taking photos and my spinning buddy did a little inspection. The good news is that only some of the wraps pulled up from the turtle and the beginning of the single didn’t snap. Whew.

The rest of the day’s spinning went just fine.

June 10 (Day 65): Joined the last bit of fiber to the single! It’s looking so good and I can not wait to get to the next step of making this yarn.

I’m trying to spend less time on my phone because playing the random match-three game should be a fun break instead of what I do when I’m too tired for anything else. Endless scrolling isn’t helping me either. So I’m trying to keep my spindle and books close at hand. There’s been a noticeable uptick in my spinning the last few days because of it too.

June 11 (Day 66): There was a good bit of spinning time today. So much in fact that I was able to reach the end of my last bit of fiber! Well, close to it. There was only an inch or two of roving left, but the single just kept breaking. I called it done and good after the single broke for the fourth time. So, yeah, tomorrow I’m winding a plying ball.

June 12 (Day 67): Didn’t have any trouble taking the spindle apart today. Once I knew I’d have a chunk of time to wind stuff up, I got to work wrapping. The singles only broke apart once but one did tangle badly enough that I had to break it to remove the knot. Still, not bad at all. The plying ball ended up about the size of a large onion and took about 25 minutes to wrap. One of the singles was longer, of course, so I found the end and finished wrapping with it as the other ply.

June 13 (Day 68): I started plying!

June 14 (Day 69): More plying. There are a few more lumps and bumps than I’m used to working with in my handspun thanks to my unfamiliarity with superwash wool, but I am loving what I’m seeing so far.

June 15 (Day 70): Still plying but now the plying ball is about the size of a peach instead of a giant onion. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and say I’ll be done plying tomorrow though it isn’t unlikely.

Today is the 70th day of #the100DayProject which means there’s just a month left of daily spinning. I’m not sure if I’ll keep the spinning going afterwards or transition to a different daily project. There’s an appeal to both of those ideas. In the meantime I think I can manage most of another skein of handspun.

Week 11

June 16 (Day 71): I finished plying the yarn today! Really pleased with how it turned out too. The thickness varies between sport and worsted and the colors still remind me a fun watercolor.

I tried a different tack when wrapping the spindle this time. Instead of covering all the shaft, my goal was to fill up the top section and leave myself some room to twist the spindle at the bottom. Worked pretty well since I was working with 4 oz of yarn instead of 5 oz.

June 17 (Day 71): Set up the swift today and got to work winding yarn. This time I put the spindle between the handles of a basket which worked really well. The spindle was able to turn freely and I only had to pop it back into a place a few times. In the end I ended up with about 259 yds of sport to worsted weight yarn. It’s so pretty.

Since I’m not one to let some perfectly good spinning time go to waste, I prepped my next project. The bump of Greenwood Fiber weathered BFL was right next to me, so that’s what I picked. The fiber had a pretty clear repeat that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with. Eventually I split in half for a 2-ply yarn and split it again along it’s length. Then I wound up each piece into a nest with the colors running in the same direction. There’s no way the colors will match up perfectly but I’ll still get a cool marled effect.

June 18 (Day 72): After working with the fibers for a bit I decided to aim for a sport weight yarn. Aiming for a weight on the finer side of things means I might not finish it before the end of the #the100DayProject but that is totally okay.

June 19 (Day 73): I keep trying different methods of wrapping the spindle. This time I tried 2 under, 1 over - basically the reverse of 2 over, 1 under. Not a fan. Went back to my usual wrap. The search continues.

June 20 - 21 (Day 74 - 75): A little bit of spinning on both days. I’m finding it harder to drum up the same enthusiasm I had for this project as I did in the beginning. The slog is definitely creeping up on me.

#the100DayProject Weeks 8 and 9

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me:
Here’s how I prepped for the project and spent the first week.
During weeks 2 and 3 I finished the first single and started spinning the second.
Weeks 4 and 5 I embraced the slog of being in the middle of something.
Weeks 6 and 7 I finished spinning the singles and started plying.

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Week 8

May 26 (Day 50): Today was the day, the yarn came off the spindle! Looks good too.

I set up my swift and put the spindle in a big bowl to roll around in while I skeined the yarn. Didn’t work as well as I wanted it too though. One, the bowl wasn’t heavy so it fell over a lot and spindle made a break for freedom under the table. Two, my spinning buddy requisitioned the bowl to fill up with rubber salad. Oh well. I ended up pulling off lengths of yarn and winding it onto the swift one section at a time. Finicky? Yes, but doable. I’ll rig up a more reliable solution for next time.

Now for the details. I skeined the yarn at a circumference of 72” and got 247 wraps. So, I have a very rough estimate of 494 yards, that’s about 452 m. It ranges in diameter from a fingering weight to sport to worsted. I’m sure that measurements will change after washing, but it’ll be enough to make my spinning buddy something cute to wear this winter.

May 27 (Day 51): While I had my swift set up, I skeined up yarn I had sitting on the bobbin from 2018! The yarn snapped in the middle so I ended up with 2 skeins totaling about 224 yards of worsted/aran weight yarn. We’ll see how it changes after soaking the twist. My spinning buddy really loved this yarn. I’m probably going to set it aside to make something fun for her. A new hat and mitts?

At the beginning on this project, I picked out 2 bumps of hand dyed fiber. The one I saved for later was dark and muted. Pretty, but not what I’m in the mood to spin now. So, I went digging through the stash and found a fun speckle dyed bump of from Hummingbird Moon. Spinning her fiber always seems like magic which is just what I want right now. There’s no discernible repeat, so I split the length of fiber in half for a 2-ply yarn. Then I split each piece into thirds along it’s length because that’s the fiber wanted to do. I’m still very much at the beginning of this new spin, but the fiber is a pleasure to work with.

May 28 (Day 52): The new fiber I’m working with is definitely taking some adjustment. The color is wonderful, the feel silky, and the wool superwash. I haven’t spun much superwash wool and it’s taking some adjustment. The fibers just don’t hold onto each other like a non-superwash wool does which means my spindle is dropping way more. I need way, way more twist.

Hmm. I was attempting to spin this fiber into a fingering or sport weight yarn, but a worsted weight might be a more achievable goal with this fiber and spindle combo. Maybe I can try spinning a fingering weight superwash on my wheel later.

May 29 (Day 53): It was long day and I didn’t get to my spindle until after my spinning buddy had gone to bed. I spent several aggravating minutes with a single that kept falling apart every time I tried to wind more yarn onto the spindle. I’d fix the break, spin more yarn, try to wind it up, and it would break all over again. After the fifth time everything fell apart, I called it quits for the night.

May 30 (Day 54): Had better luck spinning this morning than I did last night. I’m sure some of it had to do with getting a few hours of sleep, but here’s what else I switched up. One, I’m very definitely making sure that I’m twisting the spindle counter-clockwise. A week’s worth of plying clockwise was apparently enough to reset my fingers and now I need to do it again. Two, I’m aiming to make a thicker yarn than my default. The goal is a worsted weight 2-ply and I’m seeing some success already. Three, I’m spinning shorter lengths before winding the single onto the spindle. By keeping things short I can catch the spindle before it starts slowing down or hitting the ground.

May 31 (Day 55): I seem to finally be finding my groove with this fiber. The yarn turtle is growing and the spindle is dropping much less.

June 1 (Day 56): Finished spinning the first section of fiber today which means I am a third of the way finished with this first single. Feels like this spin might be moving a little faster than the first.

Week 9

June 2 (Day 57): Managed to spin a decent bit this morning and a little in the afternoon. My spinning buddy still thinks it’s really fun to poke the spindle and make it stop moving. Silly kiddo.

June 3 (Day 58): Got in a lot of spinning time this morning which was great. I finished spinning the second section of fiber and joined the third and last piece needed for this ply!

June 4 (Day 59): I wasn’t planning on finishing the first single today, but I did! This yarn is definitely on the lumpy and bumpy side of things and that’s okay. I don’t have much experience spinning superwash fiber so I’m just happy to have figured out enough to make something that holds together.

The color of this yarn is wonderful. There’s some barber-polling in spots, but the speckles and flecks of color have generally combined into a flowing spectrum. The wound up turtle on the spindle reminds me so much of a watercolor.

It is taking all my self control not to pop the spindle apart right now and get started on the next single. Having to put the spindle in the freezer again to take it apart definitely slowed me down a little.

June 5 (Day 60): Started the second ply today! The first order of business was tying a new leader with a long tail. The long tail is important because it’s easier to keep out of the way while wrapping the spindle and easier to grab when searching for the hidden end of the single.

June 6 (Day 61): I’m more used to spinning superwash wool now than I was a week ago, so my fingers are trying to spin a fine yarn which is not the plan for this handspun. Making myself spin this single for a worsted weight 2-ply.

June 7 (Day 62): Only got a little bit of spinning done this morning before getting out of the house. All my afternoon plans went out the window when I hurt my back bending over to pick up a toy. I’m too young for this.

June 8 (Day 63): Spinning continues today so long as I’m standing or sitting up straight. Slouching is a no go. With that in mind, I’ve made decent progress. The first piece of fiber for the second ply is spun and the second joined. It’s looking good.

#the100DayProject Weeks 6 and 7

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me, here’s what I did to prep and the first week of spinning. Weeks 2 - 3 are here, and weeks 4 - 5 are here.

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Week 6

May 12 (Day 36): Dropped the spindle a lot today, but joining the single back to the fiber wasn’t hard at all. I gave my spinning buddy the leftover bits and pieces which she had fun pulling and smooshing and balling up in her hands.

May 13 (Day 37): So often these past few days, when I stop spinning is decided not by having to do something else, but by how sweaty my hands are. Trying to spin a definitely damp lump of fiber is not fun, not easy, and not doable. So I get a few minutes here, a few minutes there, and call it good.

May 14 and 15 (Days 38 and 39): Spinning in bits and pieces these past few days. Those minutes added up too! I’m much closer to the end of this piece of fiber than I was at the beginning of the week.

May 16 (Day 40): Got a lot of spinning time in today while my spinning buddy watched Frozen and the Muppets.

May 17 (Day 41): I’ve been able to practice drafting worsted when it’s cooler and my hands aren’t so sweaty. The difference between the worsted style drafting I can do with dry hands and the woolen style required when my hands are sweaty is massive. The yarn is way less fuzzy and doesn’t need the same amount of twist. Wish I could spin like this more often, but that requires more environmental management than I care to do throughout the day.

May 18 (Day 42): I finished spinning the second single! Feels so good to be finished with this part of the project, and I am so looking forward to starting the plying process tomorrow.

Week 7

May 19 (Day 43): I was so excited to take the single off the spindle that I started right after breakfast. The only problem was that I couldn’t remove the center shaft. Putting the whole thing in the freezer for 20 minutes helped loosen up the joint. Seems like all those times it fell during the spinning jammed the pieces together a little too tightly.

I’ve been thinking about how I wanted to ply these singles for a few weeks. I considered spinning them directly from the turtle, but didn’t want to have to fix breaks on a seconds notice or untangle knots. Also on the list was winding them both to bobbin from my wheel, putting said bobbin on a kate, then plying on a spindle. I didn’t want to have to deal with moving even that much of a setup. Eventually I decided to fall back to old favorite, the plying ball.

I wound both singles together onto a ball which was accompanied by most of the major plot points in Frozen. The final ball ended up about the size of a softball or a grapefruit. The singles only broke in two spots at the my joins which I’m calling a win. I was also reminded of one of the reasons I love working with a plying ball. You get a lovely sneak peak of how the colors are going to mashup in the finished yarn. There are some really beautiful sections waiting in there.

The second single was much longer than the first so I cheated and held the end of the second single together with the end of the first and kept wrapping. No leftovers here. I don’t always fake a ply like this, but it’s a good trick to have.

May 20 (Day 44): Plying continues! It is so fun seeing the yarn finally come together after 43 days of work. There has been one hiccup though. It is taking conscious effort to make the spindle spin clockwise for plying. Feels so weird making my hands move in a slightly different direction that I have to double check it’s twisting correctly. Thankfully, it’s very evident in the yarn when I’m twisting the plies in the wrong direction.

May 21 (Day 45): The ball is about the size of a medium onion. Of course I had to take a photo for scale. My spinning buddy has been way more interested in the plying ball than the unspun fiber. She’ll pick up the ball and carry it around the house while I’m trying to ply which somehow has worked out without any hiccups or breaks.

May 22 (Day 46): Today’s adventures in plying saw my spinning buddy leading me around again , not by the nose, but by the plying ball. Whenever I put the ball and basket on a low table, she’s going to grab the ball and take me on a merry chase down the hall and back. No yarn was harmed in the process. It was pretty fun chasing after her while keeping the spindle spinning. :)

May 23 (Day 47): Day 5 of plying and my old tricks are coming back to me. The reason I like a top whorl spindle for plying is that I can use my feet to give the spindle a kick start when the yarn needs more twist or a restart. This has been especially handy because my spinning buddy thinks it’s funny to poke the spindle until it stops moving. I like hearing her giggle which means I’m not complaining in the least.

May 24 (Day 48): Not much spinning today, but I did get in a few minutes here and there while my spinning buddy was playing outside.

May 25 (Day 49): I broke my own rule tonight - the one about not spinning after my spinning buddy goes to bed. This thing is that I really, really wanted to finish plying this yarn before the halfway mark, day 50. So that’s what I did. It took about an hour to get the last of the singles plied and on the spindle, and it was a trying process. The spindle was much heavier, absolutely packed, and there wasn’t much of a spot to grab to get things moving. I did it though. Here’s the spindle with my next 4 oz of fiber for scale.

There’s still the finishing work to do - skeining, washing, drying, and measuring - but I can do that in between spinning up the next yarn. While this first yarn isn’t technically complete, it still feels good to have bulk of the work done so I can start fresh for the second half of #the100DayProject.

#the100DayProject Weeks 4 and 5

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me, here’s what I did to prep and the first week of spinning. Weeks 2 and 3 are here.

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Week 4

April 28 (Day 22): Usually the videos I take of the day’s spinning capture just a second of what I do. Today’s video caught just about everything. The only part it missed was the single breaking and the spindle hitting the floor. The first chance I had to pick up the spindle was after the day’s chores were done and my spinning buddy was in bed. My reserves were gone and I didn’t have the energy to try again when the single broke in the first 20 seconds of spinning.

I tried, that’s good enough for today.

April 29 (Day 23): While I’m enjoying the fiber I’m working with, I don’t want to spend all of May spinning it. So, I’m aiming to spin more than I have the in the last few days. Shouldn’t be too hard considering I only spun for 5 - 10 minutes at a time. Today’s spinning time probably clocked in at around half an hour, and the spindle looked much different when I was done. Feels good.

April 30 (Day 24): Got a nice chunk of yarn on the spindle while my spinning buddy enjoyed the daily showing of Frozen and Frozen II.

May 1 (Day 25): Long day today running errands. Spinning was almost an afterthought, but I got in a few minutes before calling it a day.

May 2 (Day 26): Spinning was an afternoon activity when I realized I hadn’t spun during the morning. I squeezed in a few minutes while my spinning buddy rearranged the living room.

May 3 (Day 27): I got to spin outside today while my spinning buddy dug holes and covered the patio with chalk. It was a nice change of pace. Had to cut my spinning time short though to add my own chalk scribbles. :)

May 4 (Day 28): Surprisingly, I got a lot of spinning done today. My spinning buddy wanted to snuggle up and watch Frozen so that’s what she did. At the same time, I got to make yarn. A lot of yarn.

Week 5

May 5 (Day 29): I am so close to joining the last piece of roving! Probably could have done so today if my afternoon time hadn’t been eaten up my other things. Definitely tomorrow.

May 6 (Day 30): Okay, so I haven’t started on the last section of fiber yet, but I’m getting close. There’s just a few inches left. Definitely tomorrow, for real this time.

May 7 (Day 31): Yay! I finally made it to the last length of fiber for this single! Getting to this point has been a bit of slog at times, but I’m still making yarn a few yards at a time.

I wasn’t sure when I started how much yarn I would end up making at the end of the 100 days, but I did have the rough idea of a skein a month. Here I am, a month in to 3.3 month project, and I’m not even plying the first yarn yet. I’ve never been the fastest spindle spinner though. Ah well. My goal was never to spin all the yarn or clear out my fiber stash (that’s the work of years at the rate I’m going). The goal is to spin yarn and get back to doing something I love that got lost in the shuffle of motherhood. Even if this yarn turns out to be the only skein I finish, #the100DayProject will still be a success.

May 8 (Day 32): More spinning today during the daily showing of Frozen, and in random bits here and there.

May 9 and 10 (Days 33 and 34): Not so much spinning this weekend, but I still turned more fiber into yarn.

May 11 (Day 35): The only real rule I’ve been sticking to for #the100DayProject is doing it every day. I don't set a 15 minute timer. I don't do daily updates on Instagram. I don't take photos every day.

What I have done is make this project work for me. I keep my spindle and fiber out where I can see them. When I have a free moment, I make yarn. Some days that means I spin just a minute or two and some days I get 45 minutes. Instead of daily photos and Instagram posts, I take a quick video and compile them with the 1 Second Everyday app. The video isn’t even a minute long and covers over a month of spinning, but it’s something that I can come back to easily. And I keep this log, more or less daily, with no pressure to care about how an algorithm might share it. That’s the most freeing part.

#the100DayProject Weeks 2 and 3

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what to spin next during this project.

If you’re just joining me, here’s what I did to prep as well as my first week of spinning.

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Week 2

April 14 (Day 8): Yep, still spinning. In an attempt to make drafting a little easier, I fluffed up the roving by pulling it out to the sides. It’s still all in one piece, but isn’t compacted. Way easier to work with now.

April 15 (Day 9): Had the thought that, if I was working with my wheel, I’d be plying right now instead of still drafting the first single. That’d be in a perfect world though with no interruptions. In this world, past experience has shown that I wouldn’t be spinning at all. I have a new found appreciation for all those women who made a living spinning yarn and knitting garments and keeping the home going while taking care of children.

April 16 (Day 10): Spent most of my spinning time with a lovely section of teal. Well, I like the color. The single kept snapping and pulling apart which I’m not sure was on me or the fiber. Maybe a little bit of both. Today probably takes the cake for the most breaks and joins (not all successful) since Day 1.

April 17 (Day 11): The single on the spindle looks so different from day to day! Even on days where I only get a few minutes to spin, the color and wrap changes so much that it’s like picking up something new to work on. This is not to say that I don’t occasionally get bored and wish the process was going faster. I do. So it’s definitely a good thing I picked fiber with a bit of variety or I’d seriously be thinking about switching things up right now.

April 18 (Day 12): I kept looking at the quickly shortening length of roving and wondering if today would be the day I spun it up. Nope.

April 19 (Day 13): Yay! I finished spinning the first single for the 2-ply this morning. I probably should have paced myself and spun in smaller chunks throughout the day because my shoulder hurts now. Most of today’s spinning was accomplished while sitting cross-legged on the ground which doesn’t leave much height for a lengthening single. So I held my drafting arm way up over my head, and that’s not the most ergonomic of positions. But it’s done. I’m taking a break for the rest of the day. Prepping a leader and removing the spindle can wait until tomorrow.

April 20 (Day 14): I needed that mini break last afternoon and night. My shoulder feels better, but still a little tender. Fine to draft more yarn though.

Pulled the spindle apart and out of the cop, which took more effort than I expected, and finagled the leader out of the center. The cop looks good and is mostly holding together besides from a few fly away strands from the last wraps. I’m hoping it’ll hold up to being a center pull ball during plying...and that the joins will hold up too.

I put the spindle back together and tied a new leader using sock yarn. Then I spun a few yards and only a few yards. The bulk of today’s crafting time went to finishing a last minute baby knit that I need to get in the mail ASAP. Kept the streak going though.

I feel like this would be the time to say something profound about completing another week of #the100DayProject. I got nothing. All I’m doing to making it easy for me to spin in bits and pieces every day without adding too many rules or expectations. It helps that kiddo is my spinning buddy now.

Week 3

April 21 (Day 15): Spent half the time I would have been spinning sewing buttons on a baby sweater. Turned out so cute. I did get a few more yards wound on the spindle in the afternoon.

After spinning the past week on a very full spindle, the last two days have been an adjustment. I have to be way more careful to keep the spindle turning because it doesn’t have enough weight on it to keep spinning as long as it did with an extra ounce or when it gets jostled by a stray toddler foot.

April 22 (Day 16): I got to spin for a few minutes outside today while my spinning buddy dug holes in the dirt. Good times.

April 23 (Day 17): Twist, draft, wind, twist, draft, wind... I am feeling very firmly in the middle of this project. Not the halfway done middle where you have the ending to look forward too. It’s the beginning is over and the end is still a long way off kind of middle. The same could be said for this half spun fiber. If the past few weeks are any indication, I have at least another week of work spinning this single before I can start plying. One day at a time and it’ll get done.

April 24 and 25 (Day 18 and 19): Doing all the things these two days - from grocery shopping to virtual hangouts to lots of cooking - tired me out and didn’t leave much space for spinning. I got a few turns in each day and called it enough. If the single broke, the single broke and I was done.

April 26 (Day 20): Places you can spin - social distancing edition:
1. At the kitchen table while your spinning buddy finishes breakfast.
2. At the kitchen table after lunch to get a quick video.
3. While sitting in the bathroom waiting to assist in grouting tile.
4. Pacing through the living room while your spinning buddy creates sculptures of rubber food.

April 27 (Day 21): Got a few minutes of spinning in today. Just enough to say that I hadn’t skipped a day. It’s going to take me way longer than a week to spin the rest of this single at the rate I’m going now.

#the100DayProject Prep and Week 1

I’ve joined up with #the100DayProject this year with the goal of spinning every day. Writing down a daily log of my progress is an easy way for me to stay accountable, follow though, and plan what I want to do with my next spinning projects during this time.

Last week of March: Decided to do #the100DayProject and committed to daily spinning around the kiddo. Set a few rules for myself to make things easier too.

April 3: Got my spindles off the shelf and picked the Jenkins Turkish Swan to spin on. Also sorted through my more recent fiber purchases and picked out 2 bumps to start with.

April 4: The first half of the fiber is in the bag with the spindle and the other is waiting on the shelf. Ready to go!

I prepped 5 oz of hand dyed Polworth to spin. I couldn’t find any discernible repeat to the colors so I split the roving in half lengthwise. Then I pulled those bumps in half at the midpoint.

The colors are even more varied now that I can see more of the individual fibers. Staple length is around 3” which leaves lots of room for color variation even in that space. So the plan for this fiber is simple: Leave the roving as it is and spin 2 singles for a 2-ply yarn. I’m curious to see if the colors will turn muddy or transcendent.

April 5: I know I’ve picked the right project because I am so excited to start. Waiting eagerly for April 7th over here.

April 6: Put my eager energy into baby gift knitting. So much closer to being finished with that baby sweater.

April 7 (Day 1): Day 1! I was actually somewhat eager to get out of bed because I knew today was the day! I pulled out my spindle and fiber after getting breakfast for kiddo. She was really interested in what I was doing. When I asked her if she like watching me spin, she gave me an enthusiastic “yes!”. That was awesome.

It is very obvious to me that it has been a long time since I’ve spun on a wheel or a spindle. The first hiccup was that I forgot to prep a leader to get started. That sorted, the good news is that my hands still know what to do, but it took me a few yards to find my grove. The spindle kept dropping because I wasn’t letting the spindle spin enough to add the right amount of twist to the single. Might by over twisting now, but we’ll see soon enough. Oh, and kiddo made sure to point out the discarded bits I pulled out to save my sanity. Not helping kid.

I did make one split second decision about this project which was to try to keep the cops pretty as I wind them. Makes the wrapping slow going, but I’m in no rush nor have I really attempted this before. Good thing it’s photogenic.

April 8 (Day 2): Ugh. I’ve hit my first real obstacle in spinning reasonably consistent yarn and enjoying the process: sweaty hands. It’s not even hot outside and my hands are already damp. This makes the fiber gets damp which prevents the roving from drafting smoothly. They get caught on one another and bunch up or pull from farther back in the roving instead of the tips. It’s not enough to felt, but it makes the single lumpy and fuzzy. This problem was easier to deal with when spinning on the wheel because I had a little more leeway to dry my hands. Not sure what the fix is going to be now.

On the upside, kiddo was interested in the spinning again today. She watched me working during her snack (but was was more interested in her cereal). Later, when she wasn’t in her high chair, she came up and gently touched the single as it hung and twisted. So cute!

April 9 (Day 3): Still spinning along. Kiddo’s been way more interested in the spinning today. She made a grab for the fiber so I pulled out a piece from the end for her. It held her attention for all of 3 seconds because the big chunk mom was working with was way more interesting. Later, after I’d finished winding the cop, she wanted to take a closer look. Seemed like she enjoyed it because she laughed and smiled all while poking the yarn and spindle. I had to keep her from scratching at it though. Now if only I could keep her from walking straight into the spindle while I’m spinning.

April 10 (Day 4): Not as much spinning time today, because I had to figure out a comfortable face mask and go grocery shopping. The few minutes I did have sitting in the sun later with my spindle were pretty nice though.

April 11 (Day 5): Finished the first piece of fiber! Now I’m halfway through the first single for this yarn.

April 12 (Day 6): I’ve been giving the kiddo the random bits of pulled out fiber. She’s way more interested in what mom’s doing than what mom’s making.

April 13 (Day 7): One week finished! With 93 days left to go (about 13 weeks), I’m really happy I picked spindle spinning. It’s versatile enough to let me spin when I can in bits and pieces throughout the day, and the kiddo likes watching me spin too. It’s a win for everyone!

Here’s what one week of spinning looks like. It might not look like much now, but it’s going to keep growing.

#the100DayProject 2020

I thought up a few different ideas for 2020’s #the100DayProject. Drawing every day. Learning to play the ukulele. Daily journaling. Consistent pattern design work. Recommitting to my other preexisting daily projects. In the end, I decided to go with the very first idea I had: making yarn everyday.

Spinning has been sorely neglected around here. I spun my most recent skein of yarn in 2018 for Tour de Fleece. I’m writing up the first draft of this post in the lull of cooking cauliflower for dinner and can’t remember if that skein ever made it off the bobbin to set the twist. Ugh. So, April 7th is the day I start spinning again.

But not on my wheel, on my spindles. I need a project for during the day that I can do around the kiddo. I need to be able to pick it up and put it down quickly. It needs to fit in a bag that can go on a shelf out of her reach. So the spindle wins over the wheel. Plus, kiddo needs to see mom doing something that isn’t staring at her phone/screens and that thing should be something mom likes to do.

There was one other big deciding factor as well. There’s not enough time during naps or after she goes to bed for another project. Those hours are full, and I do have to sleep sometime. It’s also a big help that I already have the tools and materials too.

So I’ve picked out my favorite spindle, a 33g Jenkins Turkish Swan, and a few bumps of fiber that have caught my eye. First up is 5 oz of organic Polworth that I picked up at the Handweavers of Boulder Guild Show and Sale last year (I think it was last year). Looks like the second project will be 4 oz of heathered BFL from Greenwood Fiber Arts.

Aside from making yarn everyday, I haven’t attached many constraints to this project. I’m not spinning for a project (at least right now), and I’m not using it clear the stash (though it will). Mostly, I’m just hoping to make spinning a part of my routine again and refresh my muscle memory. As for the posting every day on Instagram part of #the100DayProject, nope. I’m thinking about doing a weekly check in to hold myself accountable and show off my progress. Something simple so that it doesn't feel like a chore.

I took the opportunity on Saturday to prep my fiber and spindle. So I am ready. Are you tackling the project this year? It not too late to join or start, even if it’s way past April 7th when you’re reading this and social distancing is wearing thin.

Celebrating Schacht's 50th Anniversary

The Schacht 50th Anniversary celebration was last Friday, September 20, 2019. There was a full day of events - factory tours, shuttle races, a spin-in, demos, and more - to celebrate the occasion. My wheel is a Schacht Sidekick, and I’ve wanted to see where it was made since I moved to the area. Never got around to taking the tour in the last few years, and I’m happy to have finally gotten the chance.

I was there a few minutes before the next tour ran so I took in the sights. There was Oliver, a personable Corridale/Teeswater sheep, and a whole flock of chickens named after Lord of the Rings characters. This is a naming theme I can stand behind.

The factory was really interesting. Our guide showed us the whole process from start to finish. We saw the CNC routers cutting down blanks to make looms and wheels. There were the jigs used to make pretty much everything. There was even a crash course in how the “wheel” part of wooden spinning wheels are made which was so cool to learn. We saw how the various pieces were sanded and finished with oil before heading off to assembly. I got a little thrill seeing the stacks of cut wood that would become Sidekick wheels.

It was really neat seeing where my wheel was made and the people that made it. As expected the whole place smelled like wood and saw dust which was nice. Though I didn’t expect how loud it would be, not due just to the various machines, but the factory wide vacuum system for controlling sawdust.

I wasn’t able to stick around as long after the tour as I wanted to. The heat and a crushing headache were not a good mix. I was able to find some neat fiber and project bags though. On the left is a fun bump from Hummingbird Moon and the right bump of fiber is the 50th anniversary colorway from Sweet Georgia.

I did pack up my wheel and some fiber for the spin-in, but just wasn’t up for sticking around. Same deal with the Try Out tent. I’ll try my hand at weaving one day. Headache aside, I enjoyed myself and the peek behind the scenes.

Yarn Along The Rockies 2019

Yarn Along The Rockies was the third week of August, and I happily joined in. I only visited the closest 3 of the 13 shops, but I still enjoyed myself. One of those shops, FingerPlay, was brand new to me and I’ve been meaning to get down there for months. It’s a cute shop with a great vibe, and frequent knit afternoons/open studios. I’m looking forward to stopping in again soon since it’s been so long since I’ve had a regular knitting group to visit. I also made it to Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins which remains one of my favorite yarn and spinning shops. Maverick Fiber Arts was my other stop and had a nice selection of different yarns and notions.

The stash did get a little larger, but not by much. I have no shortage of sock yarn or spinning fiber, but everything I bought came home with intention. Both sock yarns, Cascade Heritage Wave and Regia Pairfect, made me excited to knit socks for myself again. That’s an exciting feeling after finding it lacking for so long. The fiber, 8 oz of Frabjous Fibers and 4 oz of Hummingbird Moon, will eventually be handspun gifts or play a part in a Nightshift shawl. My plans are still a little murky on that front. I also came home with a pair of sock blockers for the Bearded One’s socks. The blockers are a little shorter than I would like but will still do the job.

While I only visited a fraction of shops on the tour, I enjoyed myself. I got to visit different places, see new yarns, and go on a little adventure. Also picked up a nice project bag which is cool too. I’m glad I didn’t skip the yarn crawl this year, and I’m looking forward to next year.

A Day At The Estes Park Wool Market 2019

Last weekend I packed up the family and plenty of snacks to drive up to the Estes Park Wool Market. It’s a fun local wool festival that I enjoy visiting every year with a neat marketplace, classes, demos, and animals. Then when we’ve had our fill of the festival, we can head over to Rocky Mountain National Park which is always worth a visit. Since we had to skip the festival in 2018 (new baby + no sleep = so tired), I was really looking forward to going this year. Plus, it would be the Mini’s first fiber festival! How could we not go?

I wasn’t about to let precious knitting time go to waste and brought my Curve of a Boat shawl with me for the drive. The pattern was great for letting me knit and watch the scenery at the same time.

We started in the marketplace. Mini didn’t mind being pushed around in the stroller too much, but she definitely wanted to be carried around for a better view of all the yarn and excitement. Thankfully, she let me follow my usual festival shopping routine which looks like this.

1. Go in with a list. I like to make a list of all the projects I’m shopping for and what materials I need. If the festival is going to be super crowded or huge, I check out the vendor list before hand and write down which ones I want to visit as well.

2. Next I take a full circuit of the market place to see which ones catch my eye or might have something I want. Unless I see the absolute perfect yarn/fiber, I write down the vendor and their location so I can come back later. Admittedly, this is way easier to do at smaller festivals where backtracking isn’t so much of a hassle.

3. Once I know which vendors I want to visit, I get down to shopping and trying not to get overwhelmed by all the pretty yarn. Knowing where I want to go helps me get exactly what I want for a project and not settle when the perfect thing might be in the next booth. And when I see a sample project that I like, I take a photo of the info so I can look it up later.

My shopping list was pretty short this year. I only had two things on my list: a large, single skein gradient to knit Wingspan by Kyle Vey and fiber from Hummingbird Moon. I couldn’t find the colors I wanted for Wingspan but I did buy two very fun fiber bumps from Hummingbird Moon. The colors she dyes always spin up magically, and I can’t wait to see how these transform.

After finishing up in the marketplace, we took Mini on a walk to see all the animals. There were sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and rabbits. I’m pretty sure she liked seeing all these new and interesting animals, but was much more interested in getting lunch.

We left the festival and grabbed burgers before spending the rest of the day wandering around downtown Estes park. I picked up a few souvenirs and just the right amount of chocolate drizzled caramel corn. It was a nice surprise to come across the Estes Park Area Weaver’s Guild during our walk. Their space was filled with huge floor looms and a giant walking wheel. The wheel and been repaired and restored, and my fingers were itching to give it a spin. Maybe it’s finally time to get back to my own spinning wheel.

All in all, it as a good trip and a nice family adventure. We all had fun and I’m sure we’ll be back next year for the festival. We didn’t make it to Rocky Mountain National Park this time, but now we have a reason to go back to Estes Park again soon.

A Handspun Sock Update: 2.5 Years Later

In 2016 I spun yarn to make a pair of socks. I used Louet Northern Lights Roving, which is a neither soft nor scratchy 100% wool, to spin a sock yarn with an opposing 3-ply construction. The one ply that is spun in the same direction as the plying twist is thought to add elasticity and durability because of the extra twist. I wanted to test this idea for myself. Would an opposing 3-ply be more durable than the traditional construction? I knit the yarn into a pair of socks for The Bearded One and they’ve become one of his favorites. They have seen constant wear during the chillier months for the past 2.5 years.

So how are these two and a half year old socks holding up? Really well. There are no holes or thin spots threatening to become holes. The bind off at the cuff shows no sign of fraying or extra wear and tear. The soles may be more felted in spots, but overall the stitches are still distinct and can be stretched apart.

The only real difference that I can see is how much the yarn has pilled on the inside. So far, this pilling doesn’t seem to affected the sole’s durability. If anything, the “loose” wool is making the socks more cushioned and insulating. The only other sign of wear is that the surface of the socks that rubs against pants and slippers aren’t as smooth as they used to be.

As for how the socks are washed, I treat them no differently than any of my other handknit socks. They get a 20+ minute soak in warm water with Eucalan. Then I roll them up in a towel and squish out the excess water before hanging them up to dry.

2 years ago I was curious if an opposing 3-ply sock yarn would be more durable than a traditional construction. I even shared an update showing how the socks were wearing after a few months. Comparing the then and now photos shows that the socks have held up wonderfully. I expect that it’ll be a few more years before I need to make any significant repairs. This is a major difference from thick house socks that I’ve knit from 100% wool commercial yarns. I’ve got a whole pile of them with holes in the toes, soles, and heels that I’ve been meaning to repair for years. It’s refreshing to see a pair of 100% wool socks that are still going strong after years of dedicated wear.

If your interested in spinning your own wool sock yarn and ditching the nylon, check out the Tuff Socks Naturally project which aims to knit a sustainable sock without nylon or superwash wool. The #tuffsocksnaturally tag on Instagram has some beautiful and interesting examples.

I still can’t say if an opposing 3-ply yarn is more durable than a traditional 3-ply because I haven’t spun a traditional sock yarn yet. I’m definitely considering giving each construction a try so I can make a pair of handspun socks (or two) for myself.

Wooly Links: April 2018

Wooly Links is a round up of the best knitting, spinning, and crochet links I find on the web. The collection goes out bi-weekly in the With Wool Express. You can sign up to get the newsletter full of Wooly Links and other good stuff below.

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You can do so much great stuff with crochet - like make the Willendorf Venus with this pattern.

Now I want to make a blanket into a wall hanging too. There’s no knitting police to say you can’t after all.

Bristol Ivy shares her thought process for how she designed the lovely Shape of the Bay shawl.

A handy list of some of US fiber festivals from May through August.

April 21st was the inaugural Local Yarn Store Day which aims show appreciation for small shops and celebrate the fiber art community. You can learn more about the big day here.

And to help celebrate Local Yarn Store Day, Laura Nelkin partnered with Melbourne Woolens and designed the Adventura Shawl which will only be available in stores with Ravelry in-store sales. The shawl is a choose-your-own-adventure pattern that could be lacy, mesh, or colorful.

Beth Smith highlights the costs of producing fleeces in small flocks for handspinning.

I am rather smitten with the cabled Hawley sweater by Julie Hoover. The details are so clean and neat.

Felicia Lo Wong of Sweet Georgia Yarns shares her experience hosting a booth at the huge handcraft convention of h+h Cologne. So many interesting tidbits and things to think about.

Not just for spinners! A thorough example of how the number of plies in a yarn affects the look and texture of knitting.

It isn’t always fun to have to pick up stitches, but doing it well is really satisfying. This tutorial on the in-depth details of picking up stitches in different situations is clear and helpful.

A neat tutorial for how to work helical stripes and skip the jog when switching colors.

I am rather smitten with the bold geometric lines of the Correa shawl by Ambah O’Brien.

Duplicate stitch doesn’t get enough love, and Franklin Habit shows how great it can be.

A great video with answers and tips about stranding knitting from Paper Tiger. Even the opening is fun.

Are step-by-step photo tutorials how you want to learn new techniques? Here’s a detailed tutorial with extra GIFs about how to work the tubular cast on.

I stumbled across this in depth guide to drum carders and there is so much good info for the reading.

How to spin yarn with beads

And now for something completely different... is about the other interesting stuff I find online. Sometimes it's photography, art, science, crafty goodness, or a good story.

A touching thank you to all the supporters of the Woolery Weave-Off which is  donating hand woven kitchen towels to women and children moving out of shelters.

Kristen Meyer arranges a variety of objects - leaves, broken crackers, bark, moss, etc - into exact geometric shapes. So satisfying.

New Nasca lines were recently found in southern Peru.

Carrie Chan creates incredibly precise watercolor patterns and designs. Just looking at them is satisfying.

How to Make Bulkier Yarn with Chain-Plying

Way back when, at least on the internet time-scale, I wrote a tutorial about how to chain-ply commercial yarn to manipulate color which you can read here. The variegated yarn I used flashed and pooled no matter how I knit with it, and chain-plying it created a beautiful marled yarn. Then I used that yarn for an easy (and free) hat pattern. Now I’m chain-plying another commercial yarn because I wanted to make it bulkier. So consider this part 2.

I’ve had the Opal Sock Yarn Bunny by Susan B. Anderson pattern in my Ravelry queue for months. It’s so cute, but I have had the hardest time picking out the right yarn. I wanted something durable and hard-wearing because I like to imagine that this would become THE favorite toy; however, I also wanted the colors to be something whimsical and fun. Turns out durable and whimsical is a hard combination to find.  I eventually found a ball of sock yarn hiding in the deep stash. Seriously, I bought this ball of Zitron Trekking XXL 9 years ago on vacation. I almost turned it into a pair of socks, but didn’t want to knit socks on size 0 needles.

I don’t want to knit this totally adorable bunny on size 0 needles either. Plus, I’d like the bunny to be a little bigger than the 6.5” height stated in the pattern. Chain-plying to the rescue. The first and most important step to chain-plying any commercial yarn is to figure out how the yarn is plied. Commercial yarn is generally plied to the left, AKA with S twist, so you’ll need to chain-ply to the right, AKA with Z twist. If you’re plying a single ply yarn, you’ll probably be plying to the left. You can find the full tutorial for how to chain-ply commercial yarn here.

And a helpful tip: If you’re working on a wheel, and have the option, use a jumbo bobbin. The plied yarn will take up more space than you expect. I plied 459 yards of fingering weight yarn and just barely got it all on to a single regular bobbin.

I finished the newly-plied yarn just like any other handspun yarn because you still have to set the twist. I skeined it and measured the results before dunking it in a bath. I had about 137 yards of worsted weight yarn. Then I soaked it in cool soapy water for 20 minutes, rolled it in a towel to squeeze out extra water, and snapped it out my arms to even out the twist one last time. Then I let it dry over night.

The twist really really relaxed and evened out. There are still a few over twisted and kinked spots, but most of the yarn is well behaved and smooth. I measured the skein again to see if setting the twist changed anything. The yarn was still a worsted weight, but I did “lose” 23 yards to the yarn plumping up. So I’m down to 114 yds, and really hoping I have enough yarn because I love it even more now.

Before you go, here’s a few things to keep in mind before chain plying for bulkier yarn.

• Even though chain-plying a fingering weight yarn will make a worsted weight yarn, the “new” yarn won’t have the same feel as a commercial or handspun worsted weight skein. Why? It’s much heavier and denser than either.

• Because of how chain-plying works, expect to reduce your yardage to at most a third of it’s original number. My original 459 yds turned into 114 yds.

• Sample a small piece of yarn first to see if you like the weight, drape, and density of the chain-plied version. It’d be really frustrating to do all that work and turn out with something you don’t like or wish you could undo. Take it from me, undoing a chain-plied yarn is not quick or easy.

Finally! Soft Alpaca Handspun

After many long months and countless other projects, I started feeling the itch to get back to spinning yarn. I hadn’t sat down at my wheel since the end of Tour de Fleece in 2017! Pretty sure my Sidekick was starting to feel a little lonely, and I can’t have that. My last project was 4 ounces of alpaca that I’d turned into batts on a rented drum carder. I spun the batts during Tour de Fleece and set them aside to let the twist relax a little before plying. I just never got to the plying part so the singles have been looking pretty on my shelves since then.

Since the singles were the closest thing at hand and the easiest thing to spin (plus I had to clear my bobbins), they went on the wheel first. Not wanting any leftovers, I decided to ply each single with itself which meant winding each into a center pull ball. Happily, not one of the single broke during winding, and I wasn’t particularly gentle with them either. I’m not going to lie here - I was worried that the plies had too much twist because they didn’t pull apart. Weird thought for a spinner to have, I know, but my previous attempts at spinning 100% alpaca didn’t turn out great.  At least this batch of alpaca was still soft at this point.

My last alpaca handspun turned out wiry and over-twisted which I did not want to repeat. After all, I only had this fiber in my stash for 10 years because I didn’t want to mess it up. So that I’d have to work to add too much plying twist, I went with a slower ratio for me, 5.7:1. Even though the drafting twist had been resting for several months, which could have skewed things a bit, I still aimed to line up the individual fibers and create a balanced yarn. Mostly pulled it off, and the newly plied yarn was soft and not wiry at all. Whew!

I didn’t wash this fiber before turning it into batts which I probably should have because I was cleaning up dirt and VM, and washing my hands every step of the way. I did my usual 20 minute soak with Eucalan and the water was so dirty that I couldn’t see the bottom of the sink. There was no missing that dirt ring though. It took 3 soaks for the water to finally run clear. After squeezing out the excess water, I lightly snapped the yarn but skipped thwacking it against the shower wall because it already had enough of a halo.

The yarn looked pretty limp and sad when I hung it up to dry, but that changed fast. I suppose this is the reason why you spin samples first.

All 4 skeins bloomed into an airy, plump, and positively luscious yarn. Not one of them was wiry or prickly or over-spun. There’s definitely some thick-and-thin spots but it’s reasonably consistent overall. Plus, getting rid of all that dirt made the yarn even softer which I didn’t think was possible. Washing and setting the twist had some other side effects too. Before washing, 2 of the skeins were a DK weight and 2 of the skeins were about worsted weight. All of them plumped up to a light bulky weight of about 7-8 WPI. Of course, this changed the yardage too. The 313 yds I started with turned into 264 yards, a difference of about 15%. Totally not complaining though.

So now what? I’ve finally spun soft alpaca yarn which is a first for me and a long time goal. Definitely going to knit it into some sort of cowl or small shawl because there’s plenty of yardage to play with. Maybe something based in garter stitch with a simple lace pattern. Or I could just keep wearing it as is. :D It is really soft after all. I’m also thinking about submitting the best skein of the 4 to the handspun competition at a local fiber festival - that is if I can figure out all the rules and requirements.

3 Tips for Easier Plying from a Center Pull Ball

Knowing how to ply from a center pull ball is a handy trick to know. It’s great for plying those leftover singles on a bobbin or spindle. It’s great for when you don’t want to have any leftover singles/plies at all. You could even ply yarn from 2 separate center pull balls, not just the ends of one ball.

All that said, you have to use the technique carefully because if can affect the original drafting twist of your plies. This post from Jillian Moreno shows why. Still, there might be cases where you want to affect the twist. Maybe your plies have been sitting for months and the original twist isn’t as active. Or you want to add more twist because there wasn’t enough during drafting.

Personally, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in yarns that I’ve plied from a center pull ball vs. yarns that I’ve plied from bobbins. But I’m not spinning lace weight. In fact, some of my favorite yarns that I’ve ever spun have been plied from center pull balls. So here are my favorite tips and tricks for plying from center pull balls that I’ve learned over the years.

Use something as a center support for the ball.

As you work, the ply that formed the center core of the ball is being pulled out and moving onto the bobbin or the spindle. When enough of the center is gone, the ball will collapse on itself which means tangles and knots and aggravation. Putting something into the middle of the ball when it comes off the winder gives the ball a core of support which prevents those frustrating tangles.

And even if the ball does collapse on itself, like mine did in the photo above, the core will keep the ball open enough to work from and help prevent knots. I was able to ply the rest of this yarn instead of calling the whole thing a loss.

The center core doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just make sure that what you use is long enough to stick out from both ends of the ball.

• Rolled up pieces of paper, like shown in this tutorial, work just fine. They’re also a good option if you’re taking a class or don’t have anything else close at hand.
• A simple nostepinne is a great option for larger center pull balls and I'm using one in this example. They even come with a handle which makes holding onto them even easier.
• And don’t forget about chopsticks, long handled spoons, or straight knitting needles. Whatever you’re using as a core doesn’t have to be big around, just smooth so it won’t snag.

Keep your hands farther back from the orifice.

How close you keep you’re hands to the orifice during plying seems to come down to personal preference; however, working farther back makes things a little easier. Keep your front hand about 8 - 12”, or 20 - 30 cm, from the orifice.  The extra space gives you more room to properly tension the plies and sort out tangles before there’s a problem.

Working farther back from the orifice also means that you can add twist at a slower rate since the twist will build up over the distance from the orifice to your hands. Then you’ll have a little more time and wiggle room to correct any issues.

One hand controls the plying twist, the other hand tensions the plies.

A post shared by April Klich (@aprilklich) on Apr 3, 2018 at 9:11pm PDT

I’m using my left hand, aka the front hand, to control when the twist enters the plies, and my right hand, aka the back hand, is holding the center pull ball on the nostepinne. Use which ever hand you prefer for each task.

The front hand only has 2 jobs: control when twist moves into the plies and to feed the yarn onto the bobbin.

The back hand holds the center pull ball and does all the work of keeping the plies evenly tensioned. You mainly want to hold the core support and just keep a thumb and a finger or two on the ball to hold it in place. The outer strand will be able to move more freely than if you’re holding it without the center core. Using this hold, I can angle and move my hand back and forth to evenly tension the plies. Think of it a dance you’re doing with the yarn.

The ball can sit farther back on the core so that the center ply wraps and feeds out slower. If the ball is closer to the tip, the center ply feeds out faster. One position isn’t better than the other. So experiment to see which spot works better for you and the yarn.