Earlier this week I woke up wanting to process raw fleece. It’s not what I usually do, it’s not what I’m drawn to spinning-wise. I’m a commercially prepped, gorgeously hand dyed fiber kind of spinner. But lately I’ve been thinking about fleece. Actually the little fleece itch started this summer when I was wading between […]
I’ve recently read two wonderful books about sheep, one written by a shepherd and one written by a spinner and knitter. Do you need a book to inspire you as spring is springing? To get you ready for the first fleece fairs? Both of these books are great company. In the Footsteps of Sheep by […]
There are a lot of different ways to keep track of your yarn for consistency while spinning. I like the lazy ways. Here are four ways to keep track that I use when I spin. On the left, WPI gauge: I love this one from Nancy’s Knit Knacks. I find I get a more […]
I’ve had a couple of people ask me lately, with all of the spinning teachers teaching these days why do they all teach the same classes? Well they do and they don’t. Think about teaching spinning like sneezing, everybody does it, just not in the same way. Some people shake the walls […]
Over my years of spinning I’ve noticed something that helps me spin faster, focus. Not just focusing on the spinning, but what entertainment helps me spin. Sometimes I watch movies or TV, sometimes I listen to music or books, sometimes I hang out with friends while I spin. Each one has an effect on the […]
I was so excited to interview Diane Varney for this new issue of PLY. Her book, Spinning Designer Yarns, has been such an inspiration to so many spinners. I was excited to hear what inspired her and to find out what she was spinning now. Except she’s not spinning now, not at all. She spun […]
Our latest issue of PLY is all about spinning thin yarn. When I think about thin yarn I think about that finer-than-fine yarn, that’s really thread, some spinners can spin. I say some spinners because so far I’m not one of them. As I read through this issue I realized that thin is relative. […]
I get rejected a lot. I propose a lot of classes and articles all over the place and most of the time the answer is no. Even when I get asked to propose, frequently I get a no. I used to wallow in the gross feeling of not getting picked, but now I don’t. It’s […]
Holy moly, I hate New Year’s Resolutions, but I’ve kept making them for years. I’ve made huge ones, tiny ones that should be easy to keep, lists of 100 things, on and on. I almost never keep them, even the fun ones. I run out time, I run out of fire, I run out of […]
