Wool n' Spinning

a shared passion for handspun yarn

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This blog is dedicated to my Aunt Yvonne. My favourite crafting is my knitting and here I share my ideas, projects, pitfalls and successes. Vancouver, Canada
  • Carding Dorset, Targhee Combo, Moon Tee & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 292

    Carding Dorset, Targhee Combo, Moon Tee & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 292

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    Welcome to another stream!

    Live Stream: Tuesday, June 4 @ 10am Pacific / 12noon Central / 1pm Eastern / 6pm BST

    Direct YouTube Link here

    Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs Book Study

    • Welcoming 2024 Post here
    • Welcoming 2024 for The Wool Circle & Spinning Staples here
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus: Part I (Back to Basics) here
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus: Part II (Stunning Singles) here

    Quick Access to Events & Information in the community:

    • Ketchup & Pickles for June 2024 here
    • Queries & Explorations is a chance to come together to discuss projects, ideas & trouble-shooting in our making. For more information, check out the Queries tier on Patreon here.
    • Recent Tutorial on how to use Ravelry & Slack 

    In the show today …

    Fibre Preparation & Spinning

    Dorset Fleece – from Fleece Auction Summer 2019

    • Sampled by creating a 3-ply yarn to see where to go from here
    • Lock popped open, then carded – 2 passes on the drum carder, nests to spin
    • Spun as singles: Majacraft 27:1

    CraftyJaks Targhee & Smith+Ewe Organic Polwarth+Silk & Sari Silk – 2/3 to 1/3 targhee to Polwarth

    • Included 2% sari silk for texture and interest
    • Carded 3-4 times for blending – need to re-blend the nests one more time of recent blend

    K-Nitting

    Moon Tee Set by Ozetta (Hailey Smedley) – Kainuu Harmaas ~ 1100 yards, 3.00mm / US 2.5 {Ravelry Project Page here}

    Jethro by Tanis Lavallee {Ravelry Project Page here} – SweetGeorgia Yarns Sheep Breeds Kit including all different wools spun and plied for SOS Workshop here & learning to crochet here, 3.5mm / E hook

    Community Participation

    As always, thank you to those who share in the community, uploading photos and thoughts about what you are working on! I appreciate it – it’s my pleasure to be able to share!

    Thank you so much for joining me today!

    Until then, Happy Making!

  • Junction FO, Developing a Colour Wheel & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 291

    Junction FO, Developing a Colour Wheel & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 291

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    Welcome to another stream!

    Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs Book Study

    • Welcoming 2024 Post here
    • Welcoming 2024 for The Wool Circle & Spinning Staples here
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus: Part I (Back to Basics) here
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus: Part II (Stunning Singles) here

    Quick Access to Events & Information in the community:

    • Ketchup & Pickles for May 2024 here
    • Queries & Explorations is a chance to come together to discuss projects, ideas & trouble-shooting in our making. For more information, check out the Queries tier on Patreon here.
    • Recent Tutorial on how to use Ravelry & Slack 

    In the show today …

    Spinning

    Longway Homestead Corriedale {Ravelry Project Page here} – Majacraft Rose 27:1, full of neps & accepting the fibre as is, spinning long draw, lots of patience

    Dyeing

    SweetGeorgia Yarns Spinning Sheep Breeds Kit here – Primitive & Double-Coats, Downs, Fine-to-Medium, Longwools {Ravelry Project Page here} – creating a simple RYB colour wheel as a place to start with creating my own colour system (slowly)

    K-Nitting

    Jethro by Tanis Lavallee {Ravelry Project Page here} – SweetGeorgia Yarns Sheep Breeds Kit including all different wools spun and plied for SOS Workshop here & learning to crochet here, 3.5mm / E hook

    Above, Rachel’s Natural Shades Jethro; below: Norah’s Jethro in Cascade 220, Berroco Vintage and other stashed yarns. Crochet hook: 4.00mm for Norah’s.
    Finished Objects

    Junction by Andrea Mowry {Ravelry Project Page here} – Biches & Buches Le Petit Lambswool in Dark Blue Black (3 skeins) & Smith +Ewe O. Polwarth (518 yards / 114 grams); 3.25, 3.5, 3.75mm neeedles / US 3, 4, 5

    Community Participation

    As always, thank you to those who share in the community, uploading photos and thoughts about what you are working on! I appreciate it – it’s my pleasure to be able to share!

    Thank you so much for joining me today!

    Until then, Happy Making!

  • Crochet in Natural Shades, Moon Tee cast-on, Corriedale & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 290

    Crochet in Natural Shades, Moon Tee cast-on, Corriedale & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 290

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    Welcome to another stream! Today, we will have a chat about vegetable matter (VM) in our fibre & what to do about it!

    Direct YouTube Link here 

    Quick Access to Events & Information in the community:

    • Recent Tutorial on how to use Ravelry & Slack – requests were made for help!
    • Ketchup & Pickles for April 2024 here
    • Welcoming 2024 Post here: Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs Book Study
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus here
    • Welcoming 2024 for The Wool Circle & Spinning Staples here

    Queries & Explorations is a chance to come together to discuss projects, ideas & trouble-shooting in our making. For more information, check out the Queries tier on Patreon here.

    In the show today …

    Spinning

    Longway Homestead Corriedale {Ravelry Project Page here} – Majacraft Rose 27:1, full of neps & accepting the fibre as is, spinning long draw, lots of patience

    Hello Yarn Falkland, March 2021 Club in “Village Fete” – supported spindles, preserving the colourway with small, airy rolags from combed top. {Ravelry Project Page here}

    K-Nitting

    Moon Tee Set by Ozetta (Hailey Smedley) – Kainuu Harmaas ~ 1100 yards, 3.00mm / US 2.5 {Ravelry Project Page here}

    Jethro by Tanis Lavallee {Ravelry Project Page here} – SweetGeorgia Yarns Sheep Breeds Kit including all different wools spun and plied for SOS Workshop here & learning to crochet here, 3.5mm / E hook

    Community Participation

    As always, thank you to those who share in the community, uploading photos and thoughts about what you are working on! I appreciate it – it’s my pleasure to be able to share!

    Thank you so much for joining me today!

    Until then, Happy Making!

  • Ketchup & Pickles | May 2024

    Ketchup & Pickles | May 2024

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    April showers bring May flowers! I hope your gardens are blooming in the Northern Hemisphere and those in the Southern, I hope you have had a chance to put your gardens to be for the winter!

    We have some conflicts on the calendar this month – namely, Maker Morning. Watch for that moving to a different day (probably Monday) due to my schedule!

    ***

    For those who can’t connect Google Calendar (share link here), this is the snapshot of the month ahead:

     Remember that things are changed sometimes to accomodate my schedule.

    Links to Zoom groups hosted in the community (excluding Spinning Staples & Queries) are posted about 15 minutes prior in the Slack channel, #general.

    Happening this Month …

    Wool n’ Spinning Radio

    This month, I sat down and asked Rebecca all about getting ready to be travelling for 5 months, projects and preparation that she did to get ready and more! Tune in where you catch all your audio podcasts or check it out here.

    If you would like to be featured on Wool n’ Spinning Radio, have a story to tell or want to discuss your making, please reach out to Rachel. You can leave a comment below or message her privately!

    The Wool Circle & Spinning Staples

    • Previous Wool Circles can be found easily here 
    • Spinning Staples meetings can be found here for members of Staplers 
    • All collections are found here

    Rebecca and I are continuing on our 2-year Book Study Journey of Sarah Anderson’s The Book of Yarn Designs. The syllabus for Part II of our journey is here.

    • The Wool Circle | Singles & Show n’ Tell (streaming May 14)
    • The Wool Circle | Reflections on Rebecca’s Large Project (Track 2) & Maryland Sheep & Wool (streaming May 28)

    Spinning Staples will be meeting to deep dive into these concepts on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday this month, specifially May 8 & 22 @ 12noon Pacific. Zoom links will be posted the day prior on both Patreon and in Slack, within the private #spinning-staples group.

    Spinning Purls

    • Spinner’s Book of Yarn 2024 posts can be easily found here
    • Last year’s Year of Colour posts can be found here
    • Previous 51 Yarns Spin Along posts and PDFs can be found here
    • All collections are found here

    I have recieved quite a bit of feedback from people within the community about going back and revisiting some of this archived content – thank you! I’m glad it’s been so valuable!

    Coming this month // Links coming soon! Published on Sundays @ 2am Pacific

    Spinning Singles here (coming May 5th)

    Contrasting Singles here (coming May 12th)

    All About Singles here (coming May 19th)

    Spinning Flax Singles here (coming May 26th)

    In Other News //

    Norah is learning a new skill in her final term this year and has to present on it in June. She’s decided to learn how to crochet so we’re going to do it together! I’m actually pretty excited and have raided my stash – more on the coming episodes of the podcast (Ep. 289 & 290).

    I’m also reading Elana Armas’ new book, The Long Game – very funny and lighthearted here.

    Thank for reading – until next time,

    Happy Spinning!

    Rachel

  • Removing VM in Wool, Support Spindling Falkland, #junction Progress & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 289

    Removing VM in Wool, Support Spindling Falkland, #junction Progress & More! | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 289

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    Welcome to another stream! Today, we will have a chat about vegetable matter (VM) in our fibre & what to do about it!

    Direct YouTube Link here 

    Quick Access to Events & Information in the community:

    • Recent Tutorial on how to use Ravelry & Slack – requests were made for help!
    • Ketchup & Pickles for April 2024 here
    • Welcoming 2024 Post here: Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs Book Study
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus here
    • Welcoming 2024 for The Wool Circle & Spinning Staples here

    Queries & Explorations is a chance to come together to discuss projects, ideas & trouble-shooting in our making. For more information, check out the Queries tier on Patreon here.

    In the show today …

    SKEINED!

    Longway Homestead Targhee {Ravelry Project Page here} – Majacraft Rose 27:1, full of VM & decided to see if I could get some of it out prior to continuing to spin. Ended up combing and spinning off my combs with minimal waste!

    Castlemilk Moorit fleece tasting from Becca (@bethy40) {Ravelry Project Page here} – rare, decorative breed from Dumfriesshire, Scotland; contains Manx Loaghtan, Shetland, Soay, Wiltshire Horn; English long draw, Majacraft Suzie Pro 27:1

    Bramble Ridge Polwarth in KCV23 {Ravelry Project Page here} – dizzed off handcards, broke into 4 nests & loaded on distaff, spun end-to-end

    Spinning

    Longway Homestead Corriedale {Ravelry Project Page here} – Majacraft Rose 27:1, broke into two strips and dizzed off handcards. Lots of neps (although small), long draw

    Spindling

    Hello Yarn Falkland, March 2021 Club in “Village Fete” – supported spindles, preserving the colourway with small, airy rolags from combed top. {Ravelry Project Page here}

    K-Nitting

    Junction by Andrea Mowry {Ravelry Project Page here} – Biches & Buches Le Petit Lambswool in Dark Blue Black (3 skeins) & Smith +Ewe O. Polwarth (518 yards / 114 grams); 3.25, 3.5, 3.75mm neeedles / US 3, 4, 5

    Community Participation

    As always, thank you to those who share in the community, uploading photos and thoughts about what you are working on! I appreciate it – it’s my pleasure to be able to share!

    Thank you so much for joining me today!

    Until then, Happy Making!

  • Leveling up with all the FO’s! Bowmont, Winters Beach & Field Day Cardis | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 288

    Leveling up with all the FO’s! Bowmont, Winters Beach & Field Day Cardis | Wool n’ Spinning, ep. 288

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    WHEW! It feels like it’s been a while! Oh wait, it has! Welcome April & to another stream!

    Live Stream: Tuesday, April 9th @ 10am Pacific / 12noon Central / 1pm Eastern / 6pm GMT

    Direct YouTube Link here 

    Quick Access to Events & Information in the community:

    • Recent Tutorial on how to use Ravelry & Slack – requests were made for help!
    • Ketchup & Pickles for April 2024 here
    • Welcoming 2024 Post here: Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs Book Study
    • Year of Yarn 2024 Syllabus here
    • Welcoming 2024 for The Wool Circle & Spinning Staples here

    Queries & Explorations is diving deep into creating structurally sound joins in our yarns, including on the wheel & spindles. For more information, check out the Queries tier on Patreon here.

    In the show today …
    SKEINED!

    Longway Homestead Bowmont {Ravelry Project Page here} – Majacraft Rose 27:1, dizzed off handcards prior to spinning to open it up properly after sitting in my stash

    Finished Objects (FOs)

    Field Day Cardigan by Ozetta: Hailey {Ravelry Project Page here} – Corriedale Capstone Project yarn {Ravelry Project Page here} on 3.5mm / US 4

    Winters Beach Cardigan by Andrea Mowry (pattern avail here) – Estelle Yarns Eco Tweed DK (yarn sale); 4.00mm/US6 & 4.5mm/US {Ravelry Project Page here}

    K-Nitting

    Junction by Andrea Mowry {Ravelry Project Page here} – Biches & Buches Le Petit Lambswool in Dark Blue Black (3 skeins) & Smith +Ewe O. Polwarth (518 yards / 114 grams); 3.25, 3.5, 3.75mm neeedles / US 3, 4, 5

    Building Blocks Cardi by Aimee Sher {Ravelry Project Page here} – Disdero Ranch Romney-Mohair DK held with Drops Kid-Silk; 4.5mm / US 7

    Community Participation

    As always, thank you to those who share in the community, uploading photos and thoughts about what you are working on! I appreciate it – it’s my pleasure to be able to share!

    Thank you so much for joining me today!

    Until then, Happy Making!

  • Journeying to Intentional Spinning | Wool n’ Spinning Radio, ep. 0104

    Dear Spinning Circle,

    This month, Rebecca and I sat down to discuss a slightly different topic that we don’t often explore, which is about our journey to intentional spinning.  Rebecca asked some incredibly thoughtful questions to ground our discussion and I would love to hear some of your thoughts – please leave your comments down below!

    Listen here

    The Journey of Intentional Spinning:

    1. Can you describe your journey toward becoming an intentional spinner? What was your spinning like when you started? What drove you to become more intentional? Who were your teachers/resources? What practices helped you the most? Do you remember a breakthrough yarn or project?

    2. ⁠Now that you’ve been an intentional spinner for a long time, what has changed? What is easier or harder now? How is your perspective different than you thought it would be? What practices have you held onto or let go of?

    3. ⁠As a podcaster and spinning teacher, how does that impact your intentionality? How do you spin differently when you are teaching or producing “content” vs not?

    4. What are some areas you’d like to continue to grow as an intentional spinner? Have you ever plateaued in your spinning – are there more advanced skills you’d still like to work on?

    A few of the resources that Rachel discussed throughout the conversation:

    • Yarn-i-tec-ture: A Knitter’s Guide to Spinning by Jillian Moreno here 
    • The Essentials of Handspinning by Mabel Ross here 

    If you would like to be a guest on Wool n’ Spinning Radio and share your story, please get in touch, either on Patreon through direct message or email (rachel (@) welfordpurls (dot) com). 

    Do you have any practices in your spinning that revolutionized your yarns? We’d love to hear about it – please share in the comments below. 

    Be sure to share this podcast episode with friends and family, like and subscribe, and leave a review if you are able – it helps to increase the podcast’s visibility when searching for new things to listen to!

    Until next time,

    Happy Spinning!

    Warmly,

    Rachel & Rebecca