The Wool in School project, based in Ireland and founded by fiber artist and educator Lorna McCormack, is a fantastic program that brings the story of wool into classrooms. It is all about connecting students to nature, tradition, and wool as a renewable material. One of the main offerings of the program is the Wool2Ewe […]
As the 2025 Tour de Fleece (otherwise known as TdF) draws to a close in a few days, spinners from around the world will reflect on the past three weeks of creativity, camaraderie, and craftsmanship. I hope they all have a chance to take a breath! The event, which runs parallel to the Tour de […]
I am an incredibly lazy spinner. If I can do it without digging the specialized tool out of storage for it, I will! Sometimes that makes more work for myself, though I don’t like to admit it. For the longest time, I would create roving or top without a diz, just drafting it out with […]
Staple length—the average length of individual fibers in a fiber preparation—is one of the most important characteristics to consider when preparing and spinning fiber by hand with a worsted technique. Whether you’re spinning Merino or a longwool like Wensleydale, understanding staple length helps you to control your drafting technique and create the yarn you intend. […]
Many of the sheep breeds found in the United States are being developed through a technique called upgrading. The United States (like many European countries) has strict regulations on the importation and exportation of live animals and particular breeds. As a result, there are many wonderful sheep breeds that can’t be brought into the United […]
Swatch Critters from the Pin Loom: Step-by-Step Instructions for Making 30 Cuddly Animals from Woven Squares by Deb EssenPublisher: Schiffer CraftUS$24.99, 168 pagesPublication date: August 28, 2025Buy now at Bookshop.orgReview by Meagan Condon I am usually hesitant to review pattern books, in part because it takes so long to test out the patterns and I […]
In the United States, the president works with Congress to create US tariff policy. A tariff is a tax imposed by a government on goods and products imported from another country. The round of tariffs that was implemented most recently is having an impact on the spinning community, and you may not even realize it […]
While the Tension issue of PLY is already in the works (and it looks like another great one!) we are still interested in finding quality related posts for the blog!
Time to ramp up for tonight’s PLY Spinners Guild Third Thursday foundational spin-in! Here’s a tip to tide you over until the spin-in starts! This is something I’ve observed time and again during my years of teaching spinners. When we first begin spinning with a short forward draw, many of us struggle to get a […]
