Posts

Rainbow Yarn

by Kat Pong I love rainbows. My first rainbow yarn was a long gradient. I took rainbow-dyed Three Feet of Sheep braids from Frabjous Fibers, spun them end to end, then chain plied. When I knit a scarf from the yarn, it created long rainbows, big chunks of color gently fading from one to the […]

Book Review: Bog Fashion by Nicole DeRushie

Bog Fashion: Recreating Bronze and Iron Age Clothes by Nicole DeRushiePublisher: ChronoCopia PublishingHardcover, 192 pagesPublication date: April 2025Find a retailer hereReview by Karen Robinson I heard about this book from the author, Nicole DeRushie, who has an article on lime bast in our forthcoming Plants issue (Autumn 2025), and as someone who is intrigued by […]

Wool in School: Creativity, Heritage, and Hands-on Learning 

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 […]

It’s a Wrap! Tour de Fleece 2025

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 […]

Dizzing Three Ways

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 […]

The Goldilocks Problem: Staple Length Matters 

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.  […]

Knitting Patterns for Handspun Yarn

Although you can use handspun yarn in almost any knitting pattern, sometimes there are patterns that work better than others for handspun. This is especially true if you have limited yardage, have any inconsistencies in the yarn, or aren’t sure about what gauge you should be aiming for.  With those ideas in mind, finding patterns […]

PLY Guild: Second Season Drop – Episode 3

I am thrilled to report that the third episode of the second (worsted) season of the PLY Guild has dropped and is almost ready for your viewing pleasure! It’ll be up on July 18th (we had a little family emergency and so it’s running behind 2-3 days). This episode is all about combs! You’ll learn how […]

Ask Jillian: How Do I Keep My Colors Clear in Chain Ply?

I am so frustrated that the colors in my chain-plied yarn keep combining. I want my yarn to look as close to my hand-dyed braid as possible. Tell me how to keep my colors clear and unmarled. ~Donna, Harrisville, NH Hi Donna, I hate when that happens! The number one reason that I chain ply […]