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Hand Spinning News

The new year seems a while ago now but I'm still seeing posts which reflect on 2022 - Simone lists a remarkable 21 projects that she made from stash in 2022. MDK announce the winner of their 2022 temperature blanket challenge and post pictures of the winner and some of the other entries.

The Pantone colour of the year is inspiring a lot of tutorials and projects. In the project suggestions this month you'll find patterns that use magenta for a splash of colour or for the entire garment. SweetGeorgia suggest some colour palettes that include the colour and Terry Mattison suggests brewing up your own dye for your handspun yarn.

Read on for this month's round-up of news, views and reviews for spinners, knitters, crocheters, dyers and weavers.

This free issue for February 2023 is brought to you in association with Audible. I'm a member and enjoy listening while I spin and knit. The new Audible gives you unlimited listening to thousands of titles.

Find out how to receive a longer, ad-free* version of Hand Spinning News earlier in the month.

Cover photo: one kilo of hand spun sweater weight yarn still on the bobbins by Crowing Hen.

Contents

 

In the media


 

Handspun stories

Pressed Flowers

Pressed Flowers

Scrappy spins can give little anomolies. In this case a dark red line appeared on one row, which really stood out. (see a previous picture in january_one's photos).

She's pleased that she grasped the nettle and ripped back. I'm looking forward to seeing this finished item and it'll be all the better for that little bit of extra work.

In the text of this post she gives a tip for ripping back colourwork.

www.instagram.com/p/CnMnr1YrVco

Weaving and sewing a laundry bag

Weaving and sewing a laundry bag

Thanks to Fiber Sprite for this brilliant blog post in which she comprehensively documents this project. There's even a video showing the warp being cut off the loom.

The frame is a bought laundry basket with the original grey fabric bag removed.

She discusses the deisgn process, choosing the warp colours and weft yarn and sewing the bag.

www.fibersprite.com/blog/weaving-and-sewing-a-laundry-bag

The process of creating a batt with Debora Galaz

The process of creating a batt with Debora Galaz

Fiberygoodness shares this tutorial from Debora Galaz in which she takes us through her process of choosing colours and making an art batt using a drum carder.

www.fiberygoodness.com/2023/02/debora-galaz

Les Cercles des Fermière

Les Cercles des Fermière

Thanks to Elly for letting me know about this wonderful video in which Margaret visits Les Cercles des Fermière which is an organisation that manages a room full of looms that members can use and pay by the inch for the warp.

Ellena asks, "Why doesn't every area have one of these co-ops?"

I'm linking to the video with a timecode to take you to the start of the tour, but feel free to skip back to the start and watch Margaret's introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5Fq5vnyXas&t=1102s

A local weaving room and so much more

A local weaving room and so much more

By one of those strange coincidences, Josefin has also written this month about her Vävstuga or local weaving room.

She tends to use her own rigid heddle loom because she weaves with her own handspun yarn, but the membership allows use of the looms and materials there.

waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/vavstuga

Mixing Things up for a Sweater

Mixing things up for a sweater

If you're reluctant to start a bigger project because of the quantity that you have to spin, and then the large amount of knitting, then Johanna Carter advises you to mix up your spinning and knitting. It's "a wonderful way for a spinner to avoid being overwhelmed".

She has some tips for keeping things consistent which will be useful if you try this.

plymagazine.com/2023/01/mixing-things-up-for-a-sweater

carved wooden fibre scenes

Carved wooden fibre scenes

These wonderful "vintage burwood fibre scenes" were spotted by shinybriny. They feature a spinning wheel and a knitter's chair with sleeping cat.

www.instagram.com/p/CnnDrjdJ2BY

Maker's Dozen

Maker's Dozen

The new year seems a while ago now, but I'm still seeing posts which look back on 2022.

Simone has made a remarkable achievement. In January '22 she decided to take part in Maker's Dozen and complete 12 projects from stash.

She says that it was a "huge success" with 21 projects, all from stash yarn. She has listed them here, some are made from handspun yarn.

sandandskycreations.com/2023/01/22/makers-dozen-in-2022


 

Colour inspiration

When little needs saying except 'beautiful colour'

Art batt

Art batt

Here we have the classic combo of orange and teal, with small amounts of other colours and textures. Lively and lovely!

www.instagram.com/p/CnS12HHPreI/

A spinner's take on pantone's color of the year

A spinner's take on pantone's color of the year

Terry Mattison thinks that the colour of the year is a fabulous, bold colour, perfect for a zip of colour in a project, or even the entire project.

She suggests brewing up your own version and in this article, explores colour using natural dyes as well as washfast acid dyes.

spinoffmagazine.com/..spinners-take-on-pantone-s-color-of-the-year...


 

Tips and tutorials

Using colours sparingly but effectively

Using colours sparingly but effectively

Christina Garton suggests that a clever way to play with colour in weaving is to use only a few colours to create more colours in the cloth.

handwovenmagazine.com/colorplay-runner

Spinning Vertical Colour

Spinning vertical colour

These tips from Jillian Moreno are presented by Kate on the Ashford blog.

When a mill makes a blend, different colours and maybe different fibres will run vertically or in parallel. There are a number of ways of dealing with this type of fibre which will give different results.

Jillian discusses these, with examples. The differences are more subtle than I would expect.

www.ashford.co.nz/blog/spinning-silk-merino-sliver-by-jillian-moreno

Ashford Spinning Wheel Maintenance

Ashford spinning wheel maintenance

Wheel maintenance is a 'staple' of early Spring blog topics. Richard Ashford himself has written this list of checkpoints for old and new Ashford wheels. You may think that your wheel is running well but the difference that a little maintenance makes can be surprising.

www.ashford.co.nz/blog/ashford-spinning-wheel-maintenance

How to make a rolag on hand carders

How to make a rolag on hand carders

For warmth and loft you want a woollen yarn. I personally find spinning from rolags faster than a worsted draft.

In this detailed tutorial, Jacqueline Harp covers dowel-rolled and hand-rolled rolags.

schachtspindle.com/how-to-make-a-rolag-on-hand-carders

How to needle felt a steek

How to needle felt a steek

If you've not made a steek before (to knit a cardigan in the round, or make armholes) then the idea of cutting your knitting is scary.

There are many ways to make sure that the stitches don't unravel, A recent idea is to needle felt them.

www.interweave.com/article/knitting/how-to-needle-felt-a-steek


Products


Reviews

Weaving on the Cricket Quartet

Weaving on the Cricket Quartet

Last month, Pamela did an unboxing and gave some initial thoughts on the Cricket Quartet - a castle that turns a Schacht Cricket rigid heddle loom into a four-shaft loom.

With a little bit of experience under her belt, she now gives a very comprehensive review. This is a long post with lots of text, and each point is accompanied by a short video illustration.

www.fibersprite.com/blog/weaving-on-the-cricket-quartet


Video and audio

Tiny cactus bugs in red food dye are a $35 billion industry

Tiny cactus bugs in red food dye are a $35 billion industry

You may be aware that natural cochineal dye comes from bugs. It's said to be part of the inspiration for the colour of the year. This fascinating video shows the production of cochineal in Mexico, both domestic and wild.

It focuses on work to keep a tradition alive

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBNySB2jpVg

Sheep To Shawl

Sheep to Shawl, PA Farm Show

In the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show Sheep to Shawl, each team has just two and a half hours to shear, card, spin and weave a shawl.

This is a spectator sport with tiered seating. I love the way that the teams co-ordinate their outfits.

You can see the results in another video here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HujT6N8icMU


Technology

Why wool is (still) the best material for outdoor gear

Why wool is (still) the best material for outdoor gear

The outdoor industry is constantly looking for innovation in materials. However, wool does hold its own in this world, even if it does sometimes have some hi-tec branding applied to it.

Hayley Helms gives a number of reasons why wool is still a great material for the job.

www.gearpatrol.com/outdoors/a42654020/wool

New high-tech yarn can be twisted and untwisted to generate electricity

New high-tech yarn can generate electricity

University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) researchers have engineered a new and improved type of high-tech yarn called "twistrons" which generates electricity when stretched or twisted.

The yarn appears to be made in the way that we would recognise - twisted singles plied in the opposite direction.

interestingengineering.com/innovation/new-high-tech-yarn-generate-electricity


Gallery

Sometimes just a picture is enough

Hexagon temperature blanket

Hexagon temperature blanket

MDK held a temperature blanket challenge through 2022.

Each day, yarn is chosen from your palette according to the temperature outside, which creates a visual representation of the temperature over the year.

This crocheted granny square blanket won the grand prize. It's by Sara and I'm linking to the pictures at her Instagram account where you'll find more pictures and a picture of the yarn palette.

www.instagram.com/p/CnC0cW2pyye

Cookin up something new

Cookin' up something new

Isle of Yarn Knitwear is "cookin' up something new with a couple of lovely handspuns".

She says of this circular yoke "I'm really enjoying how their varying thicknesses work together".

www.instagram.com/p/CnP0eROJKOq

Reworked scrappy batt

Reworked scrappy batt

I love this image of handspun yarn with a sample of woven fabric. hikari.handmade has reworked a 'scrappy batt' into rolags for spinning, which you can see if you swipe through her images. It's a nice way to deal with a handcarded batt.

www.instagram.com/p/Clmhg6EJvYH

Shawl design in the making

Shawl design in the making

I don't have very much information about this, except that this is a new design in the making, and this example uses handpsun yarn.

I will be looking out for the pattern.

www.instagram.com/p/CnY29ZRoUtb

volcano

Volcano

If you watched the PA Farm Show Sheep to Shawl video, you may have spotted the volcano-themed team. It seems that this Instagram picture to is the shawl that the team made.

I think the colourful warp was on the loom at the start of the allotted time, and the dark natural-coloured weft was shorn, carded and spun on the day.

www.instagram.com/p/CnYF5T6pTYi

For Small Things

For Small Things

These beautiful bags are made using an Amanda Rataj design, which has been published in a Scandinavian weaving magazine and apparently not published anywhere else yet.

whatvivdoes says that "with one warp, I could use up precious leftover handspun sock yarn, to make pouches to hold precious essential little things".

There are a few more pictures to swipe through and you can see how some different handspun yarns have made a variety of fabrics.

www.instagram.com/p/CnS9iw0o3GH

Looking so stylish

Looking so stylish

It still makes me smile to see Bernie's Mittens.

These ones are knitted from handspun yarn from wool local to the maker.

www.instagram.com/p/CnSDy7susDV

Days 11 and 12

Days 11 and 12

This month's sexy spindle shot is this beautiful but unnamed spindle which matches the fibre remarkably well.

thatdarncait is taking part in Inglenook Fibers' 12-day spinalong. She's making 12 laceweight mini skeins, each on a different spindle.

www.instagram.com/p/CnCnoKVLXaA

Handspun tentacula

Handspun tentacula

Claire says that the Tentacula hat is a "great textured pattern...especially for a variegated yarn". It has an unusual stitch pattern.

This is Claire's first handspun project and she says that it won't be her last.

www.instagram.com/p/CnoxywyoFyc

woven coffee cosy

Woven coffee cosy

This is a hand woven coffee cosy. The weft yarn is a 2-ply handspun from a mystery batt.

leftyloomer says that it came out a little small, so is for small coffee cups only - if they exist!

www.instagram.com/p/CoLz9uoI0AP


 

Pattern and project suggestions

Flirty Skirt by Barb Brown

Flirty Skirt by Barb Brown

This skirt has a very femenine look and allows you to change the look by threading coloured ribbon through the eyelets at the hem.

Sizes range from XS to XXL and you can easily change the length.

The sugested yarn is merino 2 ply of sport weight (12 wpi). It takes 984 - 1640 yards.

ancientartsfibre.com/collections/knitting-patterns/products/flirty-skirt

Danse Macabre Poncho by karinknits designs

Danse Macabre Poncho by karinknits designs

This versatile 'all seasons' garment has an interesting construction and looks great with a gradient or colour-shifting yarn.

The suggested yarn is lace-weight alpaca but two strands held together which I guess makes something more like sock weight.

www.interweave.com/product/danse-macabre-poncho-knitting-pattern-download


 

But is it art...?

Embroidered snacks and mass-produced food by Alicja Kozlowska

Embroidered snacks and mass-produced food by Alicja Kozlowska

Alicja Kozlowska's work begins with a felted base that she covers with embroidered stitches. The work reproduces packaged food and drink to "reflect on consumerism and the lasting impacts of over-consumption".

www.thisiscolossal.com/2023/01/alicja-kozlowska-embroidered-food

Knitting clock makes you a scarf for next year

Knitting clock makes you a scarf for next year

Over the course of a year, Siren Elise Wilhelmsen's clock can stitch a two meter scarf by performing a stitch every half hour.

A very small run of these plus a knitting grandfather clock have been built.

hackaday.com...knitting-clock-makes-you-a-scarf-for-next-year


 

UK Events

2023

Unravel

Unravel

24 - 26 February 2023, Farnham Maltings, Hampshire

At the core of unravel's three day in-person festival is the curated marketplace which showcases independent producers, well established makers alongside first-time yarn show exhibitors from around the UK. In addition, on each day of the festival, there is an inspiring programme of bookable workshops.

farnhammaltings.com/artists-and-makers/craft/festivals/unravel

Yorkshire Yarn Fest

Yorkshire Yarn Fest

4 - 5 March 2023, Sandburn Hall, York YO60 7SG

Workshops include Judith Schur Brioche, Veera Valimaki Round Yoke Sweaters

www.yorkshireyarnfest.com

Norfolk Makers Festival

Norfolk Makers Festival

Sat 11 - Sun 19 March 2023, The Forum, Norwich.

A wide variety of crafts including knittings, spinning, weaving, crochet. A strong presence from local guilds.

Demonstrations, have-a-go tables, workshops and exhibitions.

norfolkmakersfestival.co.uk

Buxton Wool Gathering

Buxton Wool Gathering

11 and 12 March 2023, Grand Octagon room, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton

50 exhibitors will be displaying the best of yarn, knitting, and crochet in the gateway to the Peak District. The website contains an exhibitor list and ticket information.

The event's home page contains some charity patterns raising money for Macmillan.

buxtonwool.co.uk

East Anglia Yarn Festival

East Anglia Yarn Festival

18 - 19 March 2023, Norfolk Showground Arena

East Anglia's premier fibre festival, bringing amazing exhibitors to Norwich for the second year. Classes, crochet and knit-a-long, The Big Stitch Night, podcaster meet-up.

www.eastangliayarnfestival.com

wonderewool wales

Wonderwool Wales

22-23 April 2023, Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells

First held in 2006 to promote the market for Welsh wool and add value to product for small wool & fibre producers in Wales, the festival celebrates the green credentials of Welsh wool and its versatility as a material for creative crafts, designer clothes, home furnishings and more.

Wonderwool Wales has grown year on year. It covers everything from the start to the end of the creative process.

A list of accommodation and camping in the surrounding area is available on the Wonderwool website.

www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk

Wool@J13

Wool@J13

13 - 14 May 2023 Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge, Staffordshire

A celebration of all things woolly, just 25 mins from J13 of the M6, in the beautiful landscaped gardens of Staffordshire's grade II listed Georgian mansion, Bishton Hall.

wool-j13.uk

Mill Open Weekend, John Arbon Textiles

Mill Open Weekend, John Arbon Textiles

Friday 16 - Sunday 18 June, 2023, John Arbon Textiles, Hacche Lane Business Park, South Molton

This legendary event returns. Includes mill tour and workshops, talks and even a few other vendors at the beautiful 18th century function rooms in South Molton Town Hall

Tickets for tours, talks and workshops are now available for booking.

www.jarbon.com/mill-open-weekend

Cumbrian Wool Gathering

Cumbrian Wool Gathering

24 and 25 June 2023, J36 Rural Auction Centre

A gathering of people with a love for wool and yarn, and the associated crafts. The first Cumbrian Wool Gathering is organised by the same team responsible for Bakewell Wool Gathering and Buxton Wool Gathering.

cumbrianwoolgathering.co.uk

Woven

Woven

3 June - 9 July, actual events and venues tbc

A celebration of innovation in textiles across Kirklees

woveninkirklees.co.uk

Summer Wool Festival

Summer Wool Festival

29 -30 July 2023 Redborne School, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, MK45 2NU

For all lovers of woolly crafts - spinning, knitting, weaving, crochet, feltmaking and dyeing.

Picks up from where Fibre East left off.

summerwoolfestival.co.uk

Southern Wool Show

Southern Wool Show

2 and 3 September 2023, Newbury Racecourse, Berkshire

The perfect event for all lovers of knitting, crochet, feltmaking, weaving, spinning, dyeing, and all things woolly!

www.southernwoolshow.co.uk

Perth Festival Of Yarn

Perth Festival Of Yarn

9 & 10 September 2023. Dewars Centre, Glover St, Perth PH2 0TH

Scotland's contemporary yarn and fibre festival. Bringing together independent dyers, farmers, knitters, spinners, felters and weavers. In 2018 nominated for the best yarn festival in the UK. Vendors' gallery marketplace, over 80 vendors, keynote event, social events and classes run over the weekend.

perthfestivalofyarn.uk

Kernow YAFF

Kernow YAFF

Cornwall's Yarn and Fibre Festival - Sunday 17 September 2023, The Pavilion Centre, Royal Cornwall Showground

A new event in Cornwall showcasing the best of hand-dyed, hand-crafted and sustainable yarns, fibres and related products, all in an exciting market-style show with a vibrant festival feel.

kernowyaff.com

Yarndale

Yarndale

23 and 24 September 2023, Skipton Auction Mart, North Yorkshire

over 180 makers, craft workers, retailers, and artisans in the picturesque market town of Skipton, North Yorkshire.

yarndale.co.uk

Shetland Wool Week

Shetland Wool Week

23 September - 1 October 2023

Shetland Wool Week is a world renowned celebration of Britain's most northerly native sheep, the Shetland textile industry and the rural farming community on these islands.

Includes classes, talks, drop-ins, art. See website for the full events listing.

shetlandwoolweek.com

Masham Sheep Fair

The Wool Event, Masham Sheep Fair

30 September and 1 Ocober 2023, Masham Town Hall

Craft market and fleece stalls, specialising in British wool to compliment the sheep-related events that fill the square of Masham over the weekend.

www.mashamsheepfair.com

Bakewell Wool Gathering

Bakewell Wool Gathering

October 2023 Bakewell Agricultural Centre (actual date tbc)

A wool festival dedicated to the best of yarn, knitting, and crochet, in the heart of the Derbyshire Dales.

There will be exhibitors, demonstrations of fibre crafts and a fleece stand selling plenty of local fleece.

bakewellwool.co.uk

Kendal Wool Gathering

Kendal Wool Gathering

Last weekend of October 2023, Kendal Town Hall

Kendal Wool Gathering mixes demonstrations, fun activities and displays, all connected to the cloth on which the town's wealth was built.

All things woolly - exhibitions, patterns, demonstrations.

www.kendalwoolgathering.co.uk


All that remains is for me to thank everyone who blogs, writes articles or posts pictures on the subject of spinning, knitting, crochet or weaving. This newsletter wouldn't exist without them.

Nor would it exist without your support, so thank you for that.

If you enjoy Hand Spinning News, please do share a link to hand-spinning-news.com by email or on social media with anyone who may be interested.

It's always good to hear from readers for any reason (or no reason!)

Happy spinning!

- Editor / curator

shiela@hand-spinning-news.com

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