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Season 5, Episode 8: On the high desert rangelands of the Imperial Stock Ranch, Jeanne Carver's family is showing what sustainability really means: with careful stewardship, what's good for sheep can be excellent for the earth.
In this excerpt from “New Twists on Old Fibers,” Christina Pappas considers spider silk from historic and modern perspectives.
When I really want to surrender to spontaneity and playfulness, I take out my cake-decorating supplies and start dyeing yarn with food coloring.
We gathered some fibers we had on hand for this introduction to natural fibers. The list is nowhere near exhaustive, but it provides examples of common plant and animal spinning fibers.
Have you ever stopped to wonder what is grease? Spinning terms can often lead to confusion, even for the seasoned handspinner.
Season 5, Episode 3: What do algae blooms and homemade biodiesel have to do with running a yarn company? For an independent natural dyer, there may be no greater creative challenge than the local environment.
I find Norman Kennedy’s video workshop From Wool to Waulking: Spinning Fiber & Creating Cloth so refreshing.
Season 5, Episode 1: Navajo-Churro sheep have a centuries-old history and an even greater meaning to the Diné, but the commercial market set a low price for their wool. A group of shepherds have come together to find strength—and value—in solidarity.
Lessons learned purchasing raw fibers
These spindles vary in size and shape across the world, depending greatly on what type of fiber and yarn they were made to spin.
Known for her expertise in sheep breeds and fleece, Deborah Robson puts individual wool fibers under the microscope.
Want to try spinning? Drop spindles are a great way to start!
