Frontpage Article – Page 24

Have you ever wanted to decorate your wheel?

August 25, 2016/in Frontpage Article /by Guest Blogger

For some of us, a spinning wheel is a thing of simple beauty all on its own – we’re called to the various wood finishes, and we love the clean lines and traditional wooden colors. For others of us, a spinning wheel is like a blank canvas, just waiting for our artistic touches. If you’ve ever considered putting some color on YOUR spinning wheel, Bonny Acklin visits the blog today to explain how she transformed a well-traveled wheel into the gypsy it always wanted to be.

When I came home with a 1970’s Country Craftsman and said, “I think I’ll decorate her!” my husband thought I was crazy to deface such a beautiful wheel. Well, I did it anyway, and the result pleased me.

Not being a painter, I didn’t want to jump into this blindly. I knew I needed some help, so I began my search for information. I found some valuable resources on the web, and I also got some great tips from my crafty friends. My main concerns were how to prep the wood, what type of paint to use and what kind of finish I should apply to preserve my work for years to come. Opinions on how to go about this varied, so I just settled on what I thought seem most logical and least complicated.

And so the process of giving this wheel a makeover began…

First, I had to come up with some inspiration. Since it seemed this wheel had moved around quite a lot, leading a nomad’s life, I settled on a gypsy theme. I did some research on gypsies to help me get a feel for colors and design.

I was able to find everything I needed at my local arts & crafts store. I used acrylic paints for my project because they’re durable and come in a vast array of colors. I also picked up some 400 grit sandpaper, denatured alcohol and a variety of paint brushes. A word of advice: when you pick out brushes, don’t buy the cheap ones; it’ll pay off in the end.

I began by lightly sanding all areas where I wanted to apply paint with 400 grit sandpaper. After sanding, I wiped down the areas with denatured alcohol, which removes residue, allowing the paints to adhere to the surface of the wood.

The hardest part was lying down that first stoke of paint. I started with the Mother-Of-All because it presented some decorating opportunities that I felt comfortable with. Once I’d accomplished that, things fell into place.

In areas where I accidently dripped paint, it was easily removed with a cotton ball saturated with denatured alcohol. For small areas, I wrapped a toothpick with a small piece for cotton ball and dipped it in the denatured alcohol. This was the perfect tool for removing drips from hard to reach places.

Once I felt the makeover was complete, I let the acrylic paint cure for a few days. I gave the newly painted areas a once over with some wood stain. (One of my crafty friends suggested this as a way to soften the colors. If you decide to do this, be sure to use a stain that matches the finish on your wheel. Just follow the directions on the can.)

The last step was to apply a sealer to protect my work. Before going forward I wanted to be sure that the wheel was clean so I wiped her down with a soft lint-free cloth. I gave it the entire wheel two coats of polyurethane – it’s important to let the first coat dry completely before adding the second one.

Decorating this wheel was a fantastic experience that created a bond between Gypsy and Me. That sounds so silly but it’s true. She’s got a personality that’s all her own and I’m the one who gave it to her.

Bonny Acklin learned to weave, knit and crochet as a child but really didn’t do much with fiber until her kids were grown. She had always crafted with acrylic yarn. Then one day, a friend took Bonny to her LYS… that was the beginning of the end. She became intrigued with all the wonderful, and very different types of yarns and fibers available. One thing led to another and before long she was dyeing wool and spinning her own yarn. This has become her passion: beautiful colors and lovely soft fiber.

If you’re interested in decorating your wheel or if you already have, check out Bonny’s Ravelry group, Decorate Your Wheel.

Permission to Experiment

August 18, 2016/4 Comments/in Frontpage Article /by Guest Blogger

Today fiber artist Joanne Seiff joins us for a guest post on figuring out the rules… and then breaking them! Let your experimentation run wild – some of our articles from the Bulky issue might be just what you need to break out of your rut and do something different with your spinning this month!

Giving ourselves permission to break the rules is a luxury.

Often, when I teach spinning, I hear a newbie say “Am I doing this right?” or “Am I following the rules?” I usually call the entire class to attention to address this issue. If we focus on human history, we have to acknowledge that as a species, we’d have gotten way too cold (hypothermic even) and died out in the wilderness if there were only one way to spin. Ever since we stopped exclusively wearing animal skins and started producing textiles, folks have been spinning.

This may be simplistic, but it’s also important. New spinners — and even experienced ones — need to be open to the idea that there are many good paths to producing useful and even beautiful yarns. Yet, in our rule and habit-bound lives, this can be a hard approach to take. Once you learn how to do something, it’s human nature to repeat it, to seek reassurance through the familiar path to success. That’s why so many spinners have a ‘habit’ yarn. It’s the yarn that we spin, again and again, without trying. It’s thick or thin, even or lumpy, but when we’re unconsciously spinning, it’s our standard. It happens without thinking about it.

Many of us don’t experiment with something new because it’s risky. We resist experimentation because something might go wrong; we might waste money, time, or fiber. We spent a lot on that hand-dyed 4oz braid of roving; why mess it up? There’s only 10 minutes to spin; why waste it on sampling an art yarn or a lace weight? Or — this prize-winning fleece is only 2 lbs! If I try spinning a variety of yarns, it will all disappear before I’ve made anything!

These are all legitimate concerns, but one of the reasons why I cherish run of the mill, ordinary medium wools is to avoid feeling like this. I won’t break the bank if I produce 400 yards of super-bulky yarn. I won’t ruin anything if I spin for ten minutes and it doesn’t look exactly the way it looked yesterday. Lastly, if I buy a big Romney fleece from a farmer or 10 lbs of white medium wool roving, there is plenty to spare if my experimentation doesn’t work out.

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t like waste. I try to use every last inch of handspun. However, I have a big stash and I’m not afraid to use it. Recently, my twins showed interest in knitting. We rushed upstairs to my yarn bins to choose their favorite colors. In no time, we were handling yarns, finger knitting, and discussing designs. Each had their own little scrap of “knitting” when we were done. That yarn was not wasted— it inspired future knitters. I felt just the same about the roving and the drop spindles I’d made when they wanted to spin. That yarn, roving and spindles? They were made to be loved, used and enjoyed.

It’s all too easy to ‘over cherish’ our stash. I find myself holding onto that last bit of fleece I got on my honeymoon, a glorious hand-dyed skein I spun, or a bit of luxury fiber so precious that it’s too good to be used. It can be hard to break free of this mindset. Yet, the hand spun qiviut and tussah silk scarf I made for my brother-in-law or the alpaca and silk mitten, scarf and hat set I made a friend are just as cherished now that they are in use, keeping someone warm. Those folks will wear those rare fine fibers out while enjoying their winter woollies. Isn’t that the way it should be?

Last year, when I knit my twins’ winter mittens, one of my boys insisted that his mitts be handspun, dyed green, with a white stripe, and “that gray Shetland wool from our friend Margaret’s sheep.” Who can resist making handmade mitts for a three year old who appreciates it? I couldn’t. He’s worn them for 7 months (Canadian winters are long!). They show no sign of wearing out. He’ll outgrow them in time to order something exquisite from the stash. I’m waiting to hear what’s next.

In winter, my preschoolers and I beat back the doldrums of another snowy day by starting a dye pot. We threw in some stained white napkins. Sadly, they were a polyester blend, so while the dye took, the napkins didn’t absorb most of it. I faced throwing out a perfectly good pot full of dye. In the rush to use something –because it’s hard to stash an already half-used pot of dye- I threw in two balls of medium white wool singles that I had handy.

I broke all the rules. I didn’t soak the yarn first. It wasn’t plied. It wasn’t in skeins. It wasn’t a project sized amount. In the end, it didn’t even use up all that dye. No matter.

Sometimes the best indulgence is in allowing myself to break the rules and see what happens. What occurred? Nothing. The yarn didn’t break. The dye took up beautiful and evenly. The strangest things can happen when we allow ourselves to see what will emerge.

Those single skeins of red and purple just might be next year’s mittens, or booties for a friend’s new baby. There’s no telling where these experimental journeys, this delicious chance to create and this indulgence in exploring new fiber might lead.

Joanne Seiff is the author of Fiber Gathering and Knit Green. She writes, spins, knits and designs in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Check out her work out on Ravelry—her designs might sing in your hand spun!

My Hero – Mabel Ross

August 4, 2016/10 Comments/in Frontpage Article, Spinning /by 024688@

I’ve been thinking lately about my spinning heros. The people who have pushed me and educated me and made me a better spinner

Of course some of them are alive and I actually get to talk to a few of them. Some of them are no longer living, but I have their books and videos.

One in particular has been on my mind a lot. Her name is Mabel Ross. Maybe you have never heard of her. If you haven’t, please look up her work. Her methods may not be for everyone but I love the way she speaks and teaches. The reason I’ve been thinking about her is because when I was at the Palouse Fiber Fest in Idaho in June, one of my other spinning heros, Sarah Swett, gave me a Mabel Ross lap cloth that was signed by Mabel herself! I don’t think that Sarah had any idea how much that little gift would mean to me when she gave it to me.

Mabel’s style can be a little rigid but she has a lot to teach you. She’s very precise. As you can see from the markings on the lap cloth, those lines are there to help you have each draft be a precise length. Mabel loved the math of spinning and she didn’t mind telling you.

There are several books written by Mabel Ross as well as a video which is the first thing I bought of her’s (my first copy was VHS). The video is called Handspinning; Advanced Techniques. This one you can still find at some retailers. The books, as far as I know, are all out of print. But let me give you the titles in case you want to go searching for them.

The Encyclopedia of Handspinning

The Essentials of Handspinning

The Essentials of Yarn Design for Handspinners (this is the most expensive one)

Handspinner’s Workbook: Fancy Yarns (This one is also usually pretty expensive.)

Just keep your eyes open. Sometimes you come accross these books at a bargain. But i feel like they are worth every penny.

Three Weeks, One Coat: The 50-Mile Coat Project

July 28, 2016/in Frontpage Article /by Guest Blogger

Sometimes you just don’t get the gig.

July 15, 2016/17 Comments/in Frontpage Article /by Guest Blogger

Today I’m extremely delighted to be able to feature a guest post from the one and only Abby Franquemont. (Yes, THAT Abby Franquemont. Can you hear our fan-girl squeals from all over the world?). We thought this was a super timely post considering we just decided on PLY Away teachers and subsequently had to send out over 40 “We’re so sorry…” emails to fantastic spinners and teachers from all over the world. It was tough. I mean, it’s super hard to say no to great people anyway but when you couple that with a I-wanna-please-everyone personality, it’s rough. Abby’s words helped me understand that people do understand. Maybe they’ll help you with something too. And for all those teachers that won’t be teaching at PLY Away this year, you totally could be! – Jacey

Now here’s Abby!

I’ve been a pro fiber artist for ten years and it’s time to talk about something tough.

When I first left my career in tech to be a full-time fiber professional, I wasn’t sure I wanted to teach classes. In fact, “but I’d have to teach” had been something I said for years to talk myself out of making the leap into self-employment in the fiber sphere. I knew I would have to, but I didn’t think I’d enjoy it.

It wasn’t so much the teaching itself that worried me, as everything that surrounds it. I was confident I could get in a classroom and present the information people needed. I wasn’t sure about the emotional load. You see, I had watched my father teach on this same circuit, and had even assisted with some of his workshops. And before that, those workshops were taught by my father and my mother. And she quit doing it — not because she wasn’t great at it, but because she hated the emotional space it put her in.

One day my friend Beth called me up. She ran a fiber shop in Michigan, and she wanted me to come teach something. I tried to talk her out of that, but she was pretty insistent and so before too long, there I was, and it went fine. I had friends and colleagues and people who’d known my father, all over the place, telling me I just had to teach — submit a proposal here, talk to that person over there, and so on. So I started doing that, and lo and behold, I started getting tons of work teaching. It quickly became the core thing I did for work, pushing into the time I’d allotted for production or writing and taking over almost completely.

I thought I had it nailed, man. I really did. Invitations to teach, or submit proposals, were rolling in fast and furious and I was turning down work because I couldn’t fit it into my schedule. I was proposing to the big name festivals and events and my proposals were being accepted. My articles were being accepted all over the place. I proposed a book, and while my first proposal was not accepted, my second one was. So I figured I’d made it — that I had arrived at a point where now, all I had to do was keep doing the job.

That’s how it was, for a couple of years. What I didn’t really understand was that there is no such point. I should have; it was what my parents had experienced, and it was true for musicians when I worked as a road manager for a veteran artist and performer. Yes, sometimes there’s a hot year or a hot season, like right after you release some new piece of work and everyone wants a little bit of that. But that’s all it is: a hot time, and a good run.

For two years running, I was accepted to teach at a major event. It was one where my father had taught, and one where I’d been well-received, where my classes had filled early and fully, where students stayed engaged when they went home and were e-mailing me about their successes and all kinds of things, and which was run by the folks who had just published my book. So the third year I proposed, I figured I was a shoo-in. The weekend when everyone expected to hear yes or no, I went up to my friend Beth’s shop to take a class from our mutual friend — a longstanding teacher who had mentored me, encouraged me, and pushed me plenty. She had welcomed me to the grownup table, so to speak.

“Well?” she asked when I got there, “Have you heard?” I hadn’t. Her face fell, as did mine, I’m sure. We knew the deal: if she, and a few other friends, had heard, and I hadn’t, it meant I wasn’t picked that year.

Here’s the other thing about the world of fiber arts instructors: it’s tiny. I mean it’s really, really tiny. And over time, you end up friends with lots of your colleagues. I mean real friends, not just acquaintances — the kind of friends where you know each other’s extended families and there’s a chance you’ve shared a queen bed at a B&B. Over even more time, you end up that kind of friends with not only your colleagues, but other long-timers who are vendors, event planners, farmers, editors of magazines, equipment makers, you name it. The fiber arts community really is different from many other niche communities. With pun intended, I’m afraid, it really is that tightly knit.

I was devastated not to get that gig. I was mortified not to have been good enough. I rehashed every single thing I had ever done wrong, every possible misstep I’d made, and — as is my natural tendency — turned that into the club with which I beat myself up for not being good enough. Privately, and to my closest friends, I cried. I raged. I feared. I took it all personally. I rationalized why it was not. I worried what it would mean. I feared what everyone would think. The whole world would know I hadn’t been good enough. Nobody would want me for anything anymore because they would all know I hadn’t been good enough. Everyone would ask me why I wasn’t good enough and I wouldn’t know what to say.

Well, time passed. And probably there was nothing but time passing that could have shown me concretely that what my mentors and friends had always said was the simple truth: sometimes you just don’t get the gig.

That’s hard. It’s hard to explain it to people who don’t do this crazy thing for a living, too. Every proposal is like a job application and interview. What’s more, all your friends are going for the same job. Everyone can’t get every job. No matter how much we all wish there were a way that could be, there just isn’t one. So it’s this emotional roller coaster, all the time. If I teach at 6 events in a year, that’s 6 times I applied and got the job; there are always at least as many — usually more — times where I applied and didn’t get the gig.

I’m not going to talk right now about how it feels when you do get the gig, and you know you have to step up to the plate and do it. I’m just going to share a few things I do to deal with the emotional load of not getting the gig.

When I apply, I try to assume I won’t get it. This means I don’t experience the deep lows on the emotional roller coaster when I’m not selected, and if I’m selected, it’s a pleasant surprise and it never becomes routine.
When I don’t hear back and someone else has, I try to wait a week before assuming it means anything at all for me. There have been times when I didn’t get the gig, went through the emotional turmoil and self-loathing over it, and then… got the gig after all.
I try hard to cheer for my friends as hard as I cheer for myself. Sometimes I don’t nail that and I totally am jealous or hurt. The times when I’ve been able to applaud someone else for their success are the times when the hurt goes away the fastest.
I go back and look at what classes do end up getting announced. 9 times out of 10, there are reasons those classes beat mine. Sometimes they’re a better fit for the specific audience or theme. Sometimes they’re fresh and new and mine are a little bit stale. Sometimes the teacher is just whoever is the new star on the scene or has the newest hot album out, if you will. Sometimes my pricing wasn’t a fit. Sometimes someone else’s proposal was a better fit for reasons beyond anybody’s control. But where I can find reasons someone else’s pitch edged mine out, it gives me something concrete to do with my feelings of disappointment: work on improving my own proposals. And this helps me remember it’s not about the person, so much as it is about what we’re all out here trying to do: teach people stuff about yarn.
Admit I’m bummed out. There have been times when my close friends have gotten gigs I didn’t, and they’ve been super excited about it. Sometimes, that’s been tense and uncomfortable. The times when we’ve been able to move past that the fastest have been the ones where I’ve been able to say “I’m bummed I didn’t get the gig.” What’s hard is that sometimes the only people who really understand are my colleagues, who also did, or didn’t, get the same gig themselves.
Don’t detach. Except for detaching as far as I have to. I know, this sounds internally conflicted, but I mean it. I try to detach far enough to remember it’s not personal, but no more than that. It’s the emotional investment that makes something worth doing. If I detach too far, then it might as well be working a temp job as a typist. In which case, that’s probably a better career choice for me right then because it pays more and the position is more secure.

“Fiber Arts Teacher” is the hardest job I’ve ever done, and a lot of that is because of the emotional roller coaster. But I’d have to say it’s also the most rewarding, and the one where I’ve grown the most as a human being from doing it. And a lot of that comes from the fact that even for me, a well-known teacher with an international following, I still only get the gig about one time in four. Which is about where my father was when he was a big name. It’s where we all are, here at the grownup table.

So don’t take a rejection from one gig as a rejection of your place as a teacher sitting at the grownup table. It doesn’t mean that. It really only means one thing:

Sometimes, you just don’t get the gig. And dealing with that is part of the job, whether this is the first time you’ve proposed something, or the thousandth. Don’t let it get you down. It may be the first time, but it won’t be the last — unless you stop proposing. And don’t do that. Because we really need all the fiber teachers we can get. The more there are, the more seats we need at the table, and that is the way we all win in the long run.

Hand Prepping the Itch – All the Mistakes

July 14, 2016/in Frontpage Article, Spinning /by Jillian Moreno

I am not a very patient person. I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve shied away from hand prepping fiber. But now that I want to learn to hand prep I have to slow down and be patient. I knew that somewhere along the way it was going to be a struggle, and I just found the spot. I enjoyed washing the Bond fleece, didn’t mind the mess or all of the water; I loved the smell. It went pretty quickly, or seemed to because I could do other things in between washing and rinsing.

Not so open and opened. Guess which carded easier?

I assumed I would put the Bond fleece on my drum carder and zip, zip I would have lovely fluffy batts to spin. Not exactly. I made a bunch of errors, all because I rushed. First, I didn’t open up the fiber enough before I ran it through the carder and I got neps, lots of little tangled fibers. After sighing like a teenager denied car keys, I spent more time teasing open the fiber and applying it in thinner layers to the drum carder. There were fewer neps, but there were still neps. More sighing and maybe I stomped my foot. I will shamefully tell you that I tried both original carding techniques multiple times before admitting that they didn’t work.

Neps, gross!

I sat; I hated on hand prepping; I thought about what causes neps. Neps can happen when a fine, crimpy fiber is treated poorly. If it gets stretched too far, too fast, some of the fibers spring back and wrap around themselves forming neps. I had been operating this prepping expedition with the idea that Bond is like Corriedale. It is, but it isn’t. I went back and looked at my fiber. I pulled out a bit, I held it up to the light, I twanged it and watched it spring back. Then I petted it and apologized. It was finer and more crimpy than Corriedale that I would zip through my drum carder. I dug out my hand cards.

Not so many neps with the hand carding.

Hand carding made the Bond much happier, but really tested my patience. It takes a long time! Granted I don’t practice much, so my technique is, well, saying it’s wonky wouldn’t be too far off. But I am going to persevere and hand card the rest of the Bond. I suspect by the end of these couple of pounds of fiber I won’t be eye-rolling and head shaking anymore, but just enjoying the ride.

Save

Spindles – They are for everybody

July 7, 2016/11 Comments/in Frontpage Article, News, Spinning /by 024688@

I’m primarily a wheel spinner. Actually it’s been that way since I learned to spin. I love my wheels. I love how they look. I love how I imagine I look when I’m using them (don’t laugh). Many of the classes I teach are wheel focused classes.

But I like spindles too. I have plenty of them. Don’t ask how many. It’s not important.

When I learned to spin I began on a spindle but it was slow going and I was convinced that my lack of progress was because of the tool I was using and I needed a wheel. So I bought myself a used Ashford Traditional. Needless to say, the tool was not my problem. But that’s another story. Anyway, I took some lessons and got to be decent on the wheel. When I was satisfied that I was learning and improving I picked up the spindle again and magically I could do it! From then on I was a fan.

Let me tell you why I think you should like spindles too – beyond the fact that they can be beautiful.

For the last couple of years I have been immersed in a couple of projects that needed a wheel to complete so I hadn’t picked up a spindle in a while. Then, last month I was teaching at the Palouse Fiber Festival in Moscow, Idaho and I was there with my friend Esther Rodgers who was also teaching. Esther had been told several times by Abby Franquemont that her arm problems when she used a spindle were because she was using a spindle that we lovingly refer to as a boat anchor. What that means is that is was too heavy. I was able to drag Esther to the table of Greensleeves Spindles. I own at least 10 of their spindles myself and I know that they are super good spindles. Well, Esther began to spin and try some out and she chose one to buy. Well, she didn’t stop spinning on that spindle for the whole weekend and I think she’s still spinning with it! I also think she may have visited the Jenkins table and bought a second one before we left Idaho.

So I was inspired and last week we were headed to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan just to spend the day with all of our kids and grandkids and on the way out the door I grabbed a spindle and an illusive Abby Batt to work on while we walked around. I got pretty much done in the midst of semi chaos. and I began to think about what I learned from spinning on a spindle. all of the things I’ve learned translate to wheel spinning and make me a better overall spinner.

I learned to better handle live singles. I rarely have tangles. I learned this by butterflying the yarn onto one hand to raise the spindle rather than reaching for the spindle when it is hanging by a super long thread. If you are unsure what I mean by butterflying the yarn you can see it here at around the 5 minute mark. (yes, that’s me a few years ago.)

I learned that sometimes it’s better to take some time with a project rather than always trying to be in production mode. Please don’t mistake me, spinners all over the world spin pounds and pounds of yarn using only spindles but I am not as practiced at it as they are since my focus has been a different tool. I am thoroughly convinced if I made yarn exclusively on a spindle and carried one with me all of the time I would be able to do it too. but since that isn’t the case, I like to use a spindle for special fibers that I only ahve a little of so that I can savor the experience.

I learned (again) that the right tool for the job is often key to getting the results that I want. spindles can add twist extremely quickly and with very little tension on the yanr being made so they are perfect for spinning super fine/gossamer type yarns that spinning wheels may not be as good at.

I’m sure there is more that I’ve learned but it’s all in my hands and not in my brain right now.

Do you spin on a spindle? What have spindles taught you?

What’s inside the Bulky issue?

June 23, 2016/in Frontpage Article /by Guest Blogger

The Summer 2016 “Bulky” issue is busy making its way to various destinations around the world. Whether you’re a subscriber waiting for your copy to arrive, or you’ve been thinking of subscribing and you’d like a preview before you buy, today’s post is here to give you a sneak peek inside the issue!

—————————————————————————————————

We hear from a lot of spinners that you started out spinning bulky by default – so many of us did, because that was the easiest thing to spin! Eventually, many of us go on to try to mimic commercial yarns, or to spin a fine lace-weight, and we leave our lumpy, bumpy, bulky experiments in the past. If you’ve been living under the assumption that now that you’ve learned to spin finer yarns, you can’t go back to bulky – we’re here to dispel that myth. Let’s get inspired to spin some bulky yarns! Here’s a peek into our issue devoted to these bulky beauties…

Great Articles!

We’ve rounded up the a talented group of spinners and asked them to share their insights and experiments with us, and as always we’ve got a tip jar full of helpful hints from our readers, new information on the spinning SCENE, and how to keep your spinning body happy by Carson Demers! Take a look at what you’ll get:

Bulky, by Stephenie Gaustad – Stephenie gives an introduction to this big, beautiful yarn.
Making the Leap Back to Bulky, by Vickie Hauff – If you went lace and never looked back, join Vickie on an exploration of her spinning roots, and a return to spinning thicker yarns.
Big Crimpin’: Sneaky, Surprising Cormo, by Beth Smith – In this month’s breed study, Beth takes us through the buttery soft crimp of Cormo.
The Long and Short of Bulky Yarns, by Deb Robson – Deb explains how fiber length makes a big impact on the ability of a bulky yarn to hold up to wear and tear over time.
Drafting Thicker, by Jacey Boggs Faulkner – If you’ve been drafting out fine yarns, it will be a challenge to start drafting thicker amounts. In this article Jacey walks you through the process to help you spin a bulky yarn.
The Truth about Take-Up, by Michelle Boyd – Adding more take-up to your wheel (tightening the tension) is a generally accepted way of drafting a bulkier yarn – if the fibers feed into the orifice faster, you’re more likely to get a bulkier bundle in there, right? Well, only to a point. Michelle explains the details for you in her article, including a discussion of different wheel types and how take-up affects the grist of your yarn.
Behind the Curtain: SpinOlution, by Ashley Martineau – The SpinOlution wheels are friends to bulky spinners, mainly due to that open orifice and the big bobbins. Ashley takes you on a sneak-peek tour of the SpinOlution company, including an interview with Mike Pauly, the owner.
Prep It! Pre-Drafting with a Diz, by Sylvia Becker – If you have problems drafting properly for a bulky, worsted single, then this article is for you! Sylvia explains how she uses a horn diz in her prep stages to get the yarn she’s after.
Spin It! Bulky Singles, by Kim McKenna – Kim walks you through fiber choices, prep, spinning, and finishing to create a smooth, bulky singles yarn.
Spin It! Thick and Thin, by Jacey Boggs Faulkner – We’re going back to (most of) our roots and spinning a thick and thin yarn – but this time, with intention rather than just beginner’s fumblings. This art yarn creates a contrast in texture and is gorgeous on its own or knitted into a project.
Spin Thick vs. Ply Up, by James Perry – There are two very simple ways to get a bulky yarn: spin thick singles in the first place, or ply several finer singles together. In this article, James takes us through the differences and the resulting yarns and swatches they create.
Fat Color, by Jillian Moreno – Have you ever noticed how spinning a bulky yarn seems to make the fiber colors lighter than spinning a thinner yarn from the same fiber? Jillian explains how light, twist, and the surface texture of the yarn affect the overall color of the finished project, with plenty of colorful examples.
Spin It! Lightweight Bulky, by Esther Rodgers – If you’re not overly enthusiastic about the idea of spinning up some heavy yarns just in time for the heat of summer, worry no more! Esther shows you how to reduce the weight of a yarn and still give it bulk.
Build! Get Bulky from Your Comfort Zone, by Sylvia Becker – Start in your comfort zone and spin a fine single – and then several more. In this article, Sylvia will show you how to build a Lazy Kate that will hold 8 bobbins or use separate Lazy Kates to combine several bobbins full of singles at one time. She also includes the use of a home-made heck to keep those singles tamed.
Spin It! Bulky, by Bren Boone – Bren shows you how to develop the muscle memory needed to teach your hands to spin bulky yarns.
The Bulkiest Yarn, by Esther Rodgers – In 2011, Lexi Boeger actually spun a bulky yarn using a cement mixer instead of a spinning wheel. In this interview article, Esther gets her to tell the story.
Spin It! Lumberjack Yarn, by Amy Tyler – In a twist on the classic cable yarn, Amy explains how she uses a lower twist in the original singles to make a “lumberjack” cable yarn that is soft and elastic.
Bulky Yarns for Knitting Sketches, by Stephenie Gaustad – In this illustrated article, Stephenie talks about how great it can be to use bulky yarns for a knitting design, because the work goes quickly so you can see the results of your labor sooner.
Spin It! Monster Satchel Yarns, by Christopher Kale – Christopher uses his sample yarns and puts them to good work! In this article he explains how to spin them, whether for a practical reason or just-because.

Fantastic Projects

In every issue of PLY, you’ll find a handful of projects for knitting, weaving, crocheting and more – along with instructions for how to best spin the yarns you’ll use in those projects. Here are the projects from the Summer issue:

Sodalite Cowl, by Kim McKenna – Even though this project was made with a singles yarn, the resulting stitches don’t skew, thanks to the finishing technique described in Kim’s other article.
Coincide Cowl, by Brittany Wilson – A fabulous and fashionable accessory, perfect for using those thick and thin singles!
Shappo Hat, by Julia Farwell-Clay – Featuring a cabled sideways brim and a lace stitch pattern, this bulky hat is a fast and fun knit.
Monster Satchel, by Christopher Kale – Put those sample-sized yarns to good use in this monster of an accessory!

Everything Else!

Tip Jar will help you spin a bulky yarn with consistent diameter. In Ergo Neo, Carson explains that your body actually tenses up when you step outside your spinning default, so he shows us ways to counteract that problem. In Guilded! we meet the spinners of the Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild and learn about their 50-mile coat project. Scene is full of things on the spinning scene that you’ll want to know about including a Guatemalan weaving tour and a great new Craftsy class. Beth Smith offers a variety of pattern suggestions to get you to Use Your Yarn, maximizing the smaller yardage and bigger weight. And finally, if you missed the PLY Away retreat this year, we’ve got a round-up for you in this issue!

If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that right here on our website! And be sure to pick up a copy of this issue if you don’t already have one (or it isn’t on its way to you)!

Wanna try spinning cotton? (We’re giving it away!)

June 10, 2016/6 Comments/in Frontpage Article, Give-a-way, Reviews /by Guest Blogger

Our Beautiful Cotton issue has been in subscribers’ hands and store shelves for a few months now, and we’d love to know what you think! Are you a seasoned spinner of the fiber of our lives, or a novice? Did this issue teach you something you didn’t know before, or encourage you to try something new? Did you find it mind-numblingly gorgeous? Have you worked through any of the projects, or spun a new yarn inspired by the information in the articles?

We love hearing what the spinners of the world think about each issue! It also helps us entice new readers to pick up a copy of PLY. So we’d really love it if you would click here and leave a review for the Cotton issue of PLY! (Just scroll down to the product description and click on the “Reviews” tab to enter your thoughts.) As a thank you, we’re going to give away some fabulous cotton fiber! This cotton was actually sent to us by one of our readers, who is sharing her personal cotton harvest with a lucky winner (THANK YOU!). Isn’t it fabulous? It’s super clean, and so much – there is about 1 lb of it!

We’ll pick a winner at random from the cotton issue reviews on this page on June 15, and contact you to send out your cotton! Remember, don’t leave your review of the issue here, leave it on the issue page, here! Thanks so much, as always, for your support.