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Trial and error taught me a lot about dyeing yarn when I made my first handspun vest, and about plying when I made my first handspun socks. These lessons helped me on my second handspun vest, and then textured knitting stitches disguised less-than-perfect
I hit the jackpot in Christmas 1997 or 1998: my mother gave me a lace flyer for my spinning wheel, and my fiber dealer friends sent me a few ounces of superfine merino top—the perfect fiber for spinning laceweight yarn!
My handspinning journey took some interesting turns after I moved to Kansas in 2000 and began teaching at a small university. Since the university’s art department offered textile classes, I now had access to new some new toys and expert advice.
much control over our raw materials, we can incorporate colors before, during, or after spinning.
I spun semiworsted to create a 2-ply bulky yarn, checking twist carefully—there’s a sweet spot for alpaca where yarn holds together without feeling stiff or harsh.
If there’s any better form of self-care than spinning exotic fibers, I have yet to discover it. My version of Fantasy Island holds a lot of spinning wheels.
I wanted a handspun sweater with dripping cables and subtle color transitions—that meant handpainting yarn with food coloring. Although this type of dyeing required a lot of time, it produced spectacular results.
Today I present A Tale of Two Sheepies: the story of my first adventures with raw wool.
Although I’d spun bamboo before, it had been in small quantities. For this project, I spun about a pound of bamboo from the fold, making this slippery fiber much easier to manage.
Over the next few years, I’ll pursue some sheep breed studies, study Felicia Lo’s dyeing lessons from Dyeing to Spin and Knit, and play around with yarn design.
In the summer of 1996, I opened the door and welcomed temptation in. That was the first step toward building my giant yarn stash.
Learn crucial dyeing lessons in this expert article that discusses best practices and how to avoid mistakes when dyeing fiber for spinning!
