Numbers aren't everyone's cup of tea but they can be important in our craft. Laura Fry explains weaving numbers, Meagan has a spreadsheet for spinners which calculates grist and converts length/mass and a new chart aims to consolidate and standardise various yarn weight systems.
Large shawls feature this month. Susan has finished a sparkly and beautiful Eyre Shawl (extended version), Jen has rounded up three Heirloom shawl patterns with various degrees of difficulty.
Much distance has been travelled recently in pursuit of fibrey treasures. We join Patty on her quest to the Faroe Islands for her dream sweater and Faroese yarn, Jillian plays detective while in Alaska to track down Qiviut fibre and yarn and closer to home, guzzisue has blogged the woollier parts of her recent travels in four blog posts.
Two of the patterns I'm suggesting this month are modern takes on the Gansey, as are these socks.
So without further ado, read on for more news, views and reviews for spinners, knitters, crocheters, dyers and weavers. This is the free round-up for November 2024.
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Cover photo: Imani on Unsplash.
A knitted 3D depiction of D-Day is touring the UK and from 1 - 18 November will be on display at Aldershot, the 'spiritual home' of the army.
More pictures of the diorama are here in this article.
It will be moving on to Stoke-on-Trent, Tewkesbury, Eniskillen and Norfolk.
Artists have written the message #EvenHereEvenNow using seaweed, wool and stone across Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides.
They are calling for the protection and preservation of their skills which make a vital contribution to Scotland's cultural landscape. They also want to highlight the challenges making a living as an artist in this area.
www.scotsman.com...campaign-written-in-seaweed-wool-and-stone
Josefin likes to buy fleece with a backstory and in this post she shares the stories of some of those sheep.
Brandi presents some spooky tales relating to spinning and wool from Irish oral history and folklore.
Spanish Peahen has written up the first part of her Tour de Fleece challenge, which for her was about works-in-progress (WIPs) and in this case plying, the part of spinning that she likes the least.
Another of Spanish Peahen's WIPs that deserves its own photo was this Harlequin by Inglenook Fibers (Merino, camel, alpaca and silk) seen here on a beautiful collection of spindles.
I use the past tense intentionally because the yarn is now finished with the details of bobbin-winding, plying-ball making and twist-adding in this blog post.
Adrienne works as a historic interpreter at a farmers' museum. Here she writes about an annual event involving some natural dyes. The group found the results both magical and unpredictable.
www.moderndailyknitting.com...the-unpredictable-magic-of-natural-dyes
Louët is 50 years young this year. Linda has written about the origins and their rule-breaking S10 wheel.
There's a timeline of the company's products here.
spinoffmagazine.com/the-louet-s10-spinning-wheel-is-50-years-young
We join Patty on her trip to the Faroe Islands on a quest for her dream sweater and Faroese yarn.
www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/ask-patty-the-fiberly-faroe-islands-and-iconic-iceland
Qiviut is the extremely soft and warm undercoat of the musk ox.
During a teaching trip to Alaska, Jillian was able to play Yarn Detective and track down Qiviut fibre and yarn as well as finished goods.
www.moderndailyknitting.com...yarn-detective-north-to-alaska
On a recent trip, Guzzisue found some high-fibre places to visit including the jail at Jedburgh, where she found a display relating to fine cell work.
My main link goes to part one of her tour. In part four she visits Bridlington with its museum containing a gansey display and the Propagansey shop. Part three has WWII memorabilia.
travelfibreandthread.blogspot.com...september-tour-fibre-version...
This is the story of Cory Suter who puts a flock of Babydoll Southdowns to work giving people's lawns a mow and a natural 'weed and feed'.
Taking notes can help you answer questions later about how much yarn a fleece yielded or duplicate a yarn that worked out well.
What should you write down, and how? Carol Huebscher Rhoades and Elizabeth Prose both give their tips.
This article first appeared in 2021 and has been updated.
"One spindle does not do it all, it does what it does again and again", said Stephanie Gaustad.
Diana tells of her own spindle-collecting journey and goes into the many varieties and styles of spindles.
sweetgeorgiayarns.com/the-taxonomy-of-spindles-spindle-styles-their-best-uses
Karen has made a list of the things to build the ultimate tool kit for the wheel spinner on the move.
This series has been running for a while but we're now approaching the twelfth and final blend.
Number ten is another very colourful blend called Hawaiian Dreams. It was a limited run but there is still some stock available.
Once again, craftmehappy spun it from the tip allowing it to blend and then tried four more different prep / drafting methods and knitted a mitre square from each. These will eventually become a blanket.
www.craftmehappy.com...questionable-blend-number-10-hawaiian.html
Here in Britain we know first-hand about the collapse of a once-huge wool industry. In this video Forgotten Buildings visits an abandoned wool factory which is both beautiful and haunting and tells the story of the the sudden downfall of the Belgian wool industry.
lovestoswatch was inspired by a tree that she can see from her kitchen window which blazes into colour every autumn.
The fibre is Shetland from Adelaide Walker. She used a blending board and dizzed off. She plans to repeat the process and then fractal spin.
Susan writes about her experience with this fibre from Beesybee Fibers. She found the fine wool / silk blend to be high-quality and the colours on offer gorgeous.
She comments that she used her Hansen e-spinner and enjoyed the time very much.
Here we can see the first sample of Peggy's current project as it came off the loom. Both warp and weft are paper. In this post she also discusses threading without mistakes.
peggyosterkamp.com...threading-without-mistakes-and-the-2-stick-heading
Rigid-heddle looms tend to come with stick shuttles but that's not your only option. Christina outlines five alternatives from the practical to the creative.
If, like me, you've not seen a rigid heddle with double-holes, then Susan has the lowdown.
durhamweaver64.blogspot.com...explorations-with-rigid-heddle-double.html
We've seen this project in parts but Josefin has written the whole story of this linen shawl for Spin Off magazine. She comments on her experiences of spinning flax and knitting with linen yarn.
Here are a few pictures from Tetbury Wool Fair. Organisers were pleased with the turnout. There are a few more pictures of the various stallholders' wares at the TWF's account.
The New York Sheep and Wool Festival or 'Rhinebeck' may be the most well-known fibre festival.
Kay writes about her experiences and the people she met at Rhinebeck 2024.
www.moderndailyknitting.com...thanks-for-the-memories-rhinebeck-2024
Last year craftmehappy knitted tinsel in both red and green colour schemes. It would look great in a wreath or worn as a boa.
www.craftmehappy.com...how-to-knit-tinsel-or-featherless-boa.html
This article contains instructional videos for several methods including toilet roll centres and the bulk method. Also several ideas for using pompoms.
www.interweave.com...use-leftover-yarn-pom-poms-for-holidays
Debbie covers three methods of wet-finishing your yarn and discusses why and even whether you should.
We've all suffered this problem and the causes are probably fairly obvious but there are probably still some tips in this article that will help.
This is a tutorial for the Excel-unskilled. Meagan takes us through making a simple grist calculator and length/mass converter.
Laura Fry also looks at numbers, in this case yarn count in weaving (eg 16/2). She also goes into some of the things that the count doesn't tell you.
sweetgeorgiayarns.com/those-pesky-numbers-weaving-yarn-counts
Your reed is a very important part of your weaving setup. Which sizes should you have? Tom has tips for choosing and caring for your reeds.
handwovenmagazine.com/notes-from-the-fell-caring-for-your-reeds
Consistency isn't something that comes early in the spinner's journey. Meagan has three tips.
If you enjoy using a spindle and want to stay pure and ply your yarn by spindle too, then there are many options for you. Diana details several methods and helps you choose which is best for you.
It can be a real time-saver to label your containers of fleece and roving so that you can see at-a-glance what's inside. Here are some tips.
aspinnerweaver reviews Heather Torgenrud's Pick-Up Bandweaving Designs and Angela K. Schneider's video, Baltic Pick-Up on the Inkle Loom.
aspinnerweaver.blogspot.com/2024/10/new-resources-for-baltic-speckled.html
Leigh discusses three books that she used when she decided to tackle crackle weave last year; The Crackle Weave by Mary E Snyder, Weave Classic Crackle and More by Susan Wilson and A Crackle Weave Companion: Exploring Four-Shaft Crackle by Lucy M. Brusic.
If you're in the market for an e-spinner then you'll want to watch this unboxing and demonstration of Louët's Jenn-E.
Lina Odell's book "Broderade vantar" (Embroidered mittens) is written in Swedish but Josefin thinks that even non-Swedish-speakers will be able to get a lot out of the book.
She reviews it and has also made a pair of the mittens
A Handweaver's Pattern Book by Marguerite Davison is a 'must have' for weavers, one of the best references and draft collections for four shafts.
Kari Fell and Janet Dawson have delved into the history of the book and carefully compared three versions that you might be able to find. The version that's readily available today is a scan of the original 1940s book from before a major revision.
Janet presents all of the facts (and prices) that you need to consider before choosing which version is right for you.
handweavingacademy.com/which-version-of-a-handweavers-pattern-book...
quiteayarnblog has recently picked up quite a haul of used knitting books. Here she presents three that she found interesting and are still available; Knitting From the Netherlands by Henriette van der Klift-Tellegen, Felted Knits by Beverly Galeskas and The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann by Nancy Nehring.
JAT's recent newsletter contains a write-up of Anna Husemann's new book Intarsia Knits. It contains 12 patterns, some of which use JAT's Knit by Numbers, along with tips, tricks, and detailed step-by-step instructions.
Open-source means that all of the information you need to build something is freely available but sourcing the parts can be challenging. HILO will be offering a kit as well as releasing the plans.
Even if you're not going to attempt to build one, it's still interesting to see the development of this machine through its earlier versions.
The machine allows you to design yarn by specifying the properties you want.
This team have previously made yarn from milk and here they're using crustacean shells.
In the spinning world we're not unfamiliar with yarn from materials such as crab. It tends to be silky.
This Youtube channel tends to overstate their achievements a little bit. But they do give a good and detailed look at the chemistry in a 'home-lab' setting. If nothing else, they demonstrate how chemical-heavy these cellulose fibres are.
Sometimes just a picture is enough
Believe it or not, these socks are made from handspun cotton. Bless!
How would this yarn work for socks? Devin found it exciting and recommends it.
spinoffmagazine.com/a-stocking-study-spinning-cotton-for-knitting
These gloves are made from handspun yarn and embroidered with handspun thread. Kate has been inspired by such gloves in museum collections.
Possibly unrelated, Mary Lou Egan was allowed behind the scenes at Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School.
spinoffmagazine.com/kate-larson-and-the-secret-language-of-mittens
This rug from Gan replicates sprouting vines cultivated on Lanzarote.
Susan has finished her Eyre Shawl, the extended version which she says is "much more versatile".
It includes 1500 seed beads in brushed silver to match the stellina in her yarn (Merino, Tussah Silk, laceweight).
susancrowe.co.uk/2024/10/21/so-beady-so-sparkly-so-beautiful/
This cute turtle has needle-felted hearts on its shell and its head and legs even retract. It's made entirely of pin-loom rectangles.
A selection of free seasonal patterns which will work well with handspun yarn.
the1764shepherdess calls this pattern a "great project to spin for".
The original website has gone but still exists on the Wayback Machine (an archive of the Internet) and in case you have trouble opening that (it can be slow) the1764shepherdess provides a pdf.
She discusses the pattern in an audio podcast which also appears on this page.
Woolly has been very busy centralising a lot of things, you can read about that here.
She refers to Meret as her ambassador pattern. It's a free introduction to her presentation style and one of her most popular.
This colourful design has nine sizes and can be made longer if you like. It's an intermediate pattern involving mosaic knitting and short rows. It's made from sport weight yarn.
It's available for free from expressionfiberarts for a limited time.
Also free for a limited time from Expression Fibre Arts is this coverup which would have been perfect for Halloween and maybe any time.
It's suitable for the "adventurous beginner".
This is one of three 'surprise' patterns added to the current 'deep fall' issue of Knitty.
It adds a twist to the very traditional granny square. It uses 'join-as-you-go' to avoid seaming.
Martin Up North has updated his popular Common People crochet hat. It now has a two-colour option with the change hidden under the brim, and a 'tips and tricks' video.
Hunter's creativity is delightful. These jellyfish are a companion to her sea urchin pattern (called Oddities).
There is a discount for the pair with various ways to obtain that, and a discount on this pattern if you already have the other. The blog post I'm linking to contains a discount code but as usual, I'm not sure how long that will be good for.
If you're interested in making a heirloom shawl, Jen has rounded up three patterns with varying degrees of difficulty. One will start you off if you want to work with really fine yarn for the first time. The next will offer a little more of a challenge and the last will keep you on your toes.
This heavily-cabled hat is designed with heathered yarn in mind. John Arbon Yarnadelic worsted / light aran is suggested, which is available in yarn and tops.
This is a modern take on the gansey. An "exploded" gusset makes a wide upper body and plenty of room.
It has five sizes using 980 - 1764 yards of Worsted-weight (9 wpi) yarn.
www.interweave.com...eastbound-sweater-knitting-pattern-download
This modern take on the gansey takes it in a closer-fitting direction. It also features the distinctive stitch motifs.
It has eight sizes and is made using fingering-weight (14 wpi) yarn.
This pattern appeared in Soccupied in 2011 but is now available standalone.
Ann challenged herself to come up with a variety of knit-purl "Gansey" patterns.
It has two sizes and uses 350 - 395 yards of fingering-weight (14 wpi) sock yarn.
These mitts have a deep texture for warmth, while leaving the tips of the fingers free.
Anne says that this mitt is "well-suited for featuring a special small skein of soft handspun" and indeed there are some handspun projects on Ravelry.
You'll want 125-175 yards depending on size of a sport weight yarn with approximately 200 yards per 2 ounces.
Rust is designed with John Arbon Harvest Hues in a worsted weight, making it a relatively fast knit.
Tip - there is a 20% discount code in JAT's latest newsletter.
This pattern has two different lace designs in two different sizes.
Add a preserving jar with a tealight or fairy-lights for a really nice seasonal gift.
Alice Burnhope uses secondhand textiles, socks, recycled stuffing and foam to create wearable art, tactile sculptural forms, and installations inspired by the aesthetics and textures of nature.
Donna Wilson created this 'woolly wonderland'. The creature's hair being sucked into the duct emerges further down the line into a 'knit shop' where visitors to Dundee Design Festival 2024 could knit it into an endless scarf.
Young In Hong has made these shoes from woven sedges.
The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is free of humans because of millitary activity and so has become an ecological paradise. "When nature is left alone it can replenish its lives" says the artist. Observing the birds inspired her collection of avian footwear.
Mulyana painstakingly twists, knots, and wraps plastic netting, cable wire, and plastic yarn into sculptures and wall hangings resembling coral and cartoonish sea creatures, highlighting the consequences of human impact on our oceans.
'Spinning a Yarn' opens at Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury from 14 September to 30 November
An exhibition in the Mapstone Gallery will feature historic collections alongside work by contemporary artists whose work uses wool. The Nicola Turner and Trevor Pitt commissions in the Abbey Barn will close on 2 November.
The project aims to tell the story of wool in Somerset.
18 - 24 November 2024 Welwyn Garden City
A Pop up wool shop and workshops in Welwyn Garden City's Howard Centre and a fabulous Wool Show at Oaklands College.
21 - 24 November 2024, Harrogate Convention Centre
Meet up with like-minded crafters, discuss ideas, learn new skills and shop for your annual craft supplies, including wool, beads and beyond from household name brands and special suppliers alike including Fabric Godmother, Toft and more.
I'm Shiela Dixon, I've been doing this for almost fifteen years in order to promote and encourage spinning and related crafts.
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Happy spinning!
Shiela Dixon - Editor / curator
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