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Before the invention of the first synthetic dye, every color of yarn or fabric got its hue from natural dyes—vegetable, mineral, and yes, even animal. Here are a few favorites that are easy for home dyers to find and use.
The scenery in Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico, is a study in tan, but the color I remember most vividly from my visit is red. The bold scarlet of cochineal insects, one of the world’s most important natural dyes, colors the rugs for which the village near
Everyone has some favorite how-to-spin books. But what are the books no one should use to spin?
I’ve invented a new type of disaster. It's the Craftermath, and every spinner has seen one.
Understanding your yarn is the first step toward a happy yarn/project pairing. I love thinking about yarn, so I offered to turn my spinner’s eye to cotton crochet thread.
You may have heard of the knitter’s (or weaver’s) handshake: instead of greeting someone by the hand, you reach over to examine and stroke the handmade piece they’re wearing.
I gave my husband a pair of handknitted socks (or at least the promise of the pair on the needles) for Christmas. He has barely worn them, but not because he doesn’t appreciate them—he’s terrified of losing one or wearing them out.
I was standing in Maggie Casey’s shop,Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins, when she handed me a braid of hand-dyed wool with a tag that read “The Hummingbird Moon.” I gave her a skeptical look.
When spinning becomes a matter of muscle memory, I like to enjoy doing two favorite things together: enjoying my favorite shows and spinning my favorite fibers. Here are 5 favorite things to watch while handspinning.
One's a scary, sexy, expensive way to get from Point A to Point B, and the other's a bike.
Looking at my fiber stash, I sometimes feel a wave of panic rise. How will I ever transform all this fiber into handspun yarn? If I have any hope of finishing the sock spin-along/knit-along I’d better get spinning.
Most spinners and spinning teachers are agreeable people, but it doesn’t mean that they always agree. Two famous spinning wheel makers once literally took a disagreement outside, although no blood was spilled.
