Sock yarn and sock patterns pop up this month, predictably, since it's now Socktober. There are some interesting sock yarns out there and you may want to use them for other garments.
Less predictably, the theme of tapestry weaving also features heavily this month. Christina writes history of sakiori, weaving rags for clothing , Sarah has dyed and woven linens from her past. If this all makes you curious about tapestry weaving then there are articles to whet your appetite and inspire.
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So without further ado, read on for all of this and more news, views and reviews for spinners, knitters, crocheters, dyers and weavers. This is the shorter free round-up for October 2025.
Cover photo: Woman Spinning Yarn in Rustic Cabin by Elvin E via Pexels
This article appeared in Norfolk magazine and features Jenn Monahan and Justine Lee, both passionate about rare-breed wool. They discuss modern farming practices and their efforts to support and promote our native breeds.
www.greatbritishlife.co.uk...rare-breed-norfolk-horn-sheep...
British Wool held open days at their Ashford and South Molton depots.
This social media post contains a slideshow of images, plus a few more open day dates around the UK, although most will be past by the time this newsletter is sent out.
If you know anything at all about electronics, you'll know about the 555, one of the most ubiquitious integrated circuits.
Diné (Navajo) weaver Marilou Schultz, who is responsible for the Intel Pentium rug, has woven the chip's die using a photograph taken by Antoine Bercovici using a dark field microscope.
This article goes into the fascinating history of rag-weaving, known as sakiori in Japan. Christina makes a case for using the technique for clothing as the poorer people of Japan would have done.
A pattern is included which contains instructions for preparing the strips of fabric.
See also Sarah's rag rug.
Greta says that spinning for socks is next-level spinning. Through intentional spinning and trying the many twist, ply and stucture options, you'll become a hand-spinning ninja!
Araignee treated us to a show-and-tell of her spinning tools and stash.
This led to some questions in the comments and so she followed up with this Q&A in which she answers questions about her wheels and spindles.
araigneestangledweb.blogspot.com...questions-and-answers.html
This sheep logo and the name Baafest made me think that I'd missed a woolly festival, but it's actually music! The Bellingham All Acoustic Music Festival.
During her visit Guzzisue did find some textile-related things and got out her own spinning.
The recent Flooring Show 2025 included a flamability comparison between wool and synthetic carpets.The test demonstrated wool's inherent flame resistance. A video is embedded on this page.
If you're curious about tapestry then this may whet your appetite.
Janna has a tapestry course available at SweetGeorgia and in this article gives her introduction in words and pictures. It doesn't go into tools and equipment but she has also provided this article on that subject.
Once you're started, you'll want to know about maintaining just the right tension.
There are some interesting things to say about using sock yarn in other projects.
Obviously some of these points are probably not relevant to hand spinning, such as the inclusion of nylon or superwash wool, but the inclusion of silk or mohair for strength certainly is.
Following a look at the fibres, Greta goes on to talk about construction of sock yarns and the advantages of substituting such yarns in garments other than socks.
For Heavenly Bresser, the love of spinning followed an interest in repair and restoration.
Elisabeth recently visited the exhibition Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
She has a few images of pieces that particularly captivated her and raises the question of whether you prefer the structure of the grid or the freedom of the more painterly tapestry style.
Thread Head Joanne has combed a quantity of this self-washed fleece, combined it with some cashmere and Angora using a drum carder for a sweater quantity of yarn. The first skein is spun, pictures of all of this are in this blog post.
One of Tutankhamun's robes has a collar with a double fringed narrow band.
Durham weaver has studied this and made a sample. She provides a draft and instructions, complete with a short video.
durhamweaver64.blogspot.com...double-fringe-on-narrow-warp.html
Shetland Wool Week took place from 28 September to 4 October. 1,000 visitors celebrated Britain's most northerly native sheep, the Shetland textile industry and the rural farming community on these islands.
This page wraps the 2025 event up with a 'thank you' and announcement of the 2026 dates.
This Winsconsin radio station's website carries a review of last month's Winsconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. Sara Gabler has words and pictures featuring the livestock, sheep to shawl competition, vendors and even a knitting relay race.
Guzzisue has been doing sterling work to promote our craft. She spun in two locations and even put up a sign inviting people to ask her what she was doing.
The day also included a trip to a small store that largely stocks Jamieson's wool yarns.
travelfibreandthread.blogspot.com...worldwide-spin-in-public-day-2025.html
This blog post from John Arbon Textiles tells their experiences of the recent Yarndale. They particularly love this event for the variety of stands and the livestock.
Kath has also written a blog post about her experience as a vendor and teacher at Yarndale, also very positive.
Linda Marveng visited Knit City Vancouver 2025 as an instructor. Here are some pictures and comments about the event in general.
Does it matter which way your diz faces? Which hole size should you use?
This is an article from 2021 which has recently been updated. Kim goes into detail about diz design and deployment.
This simple stitch transforms one into three without leaning left or right. It gives a "polished, professional look in your knitting".
It's used in the Paddock cardigan, which is linked.
As a bonus, if you're doing a regular M1 and want to avoid holes, Patty has the answer.
Emily walks you through your first batt as you learn to use the drumcarder.
Whether to knot or sew divides spinners. Kate shares several knots and a sewn-drive band technique so that you can make up your own mind.
Getting tension right with a pin loom takes practice.
This short video is an extract from a course. In it, Angela demonstrates the perfect amount of tension when weaving with a Zoom Loom / square pin loom.
Jennifer introduces us to the weave-less gamp.
In celebration of Socktober, John Arbon Textiles have conducted this interview with Shadow of Felt Fusion. They have some tips about choosing sock yarn for a sock project and highlight Scrumpy, a self-striping indie-dyed yarn on a JAT base.
www.jarbon.com/blogs/news/meet-shadow-from-felt-fusion-scrumpy
It has been a couple of years since Jan Louët split from the company he founded to start Lojan with his daughter. They now have distributors worldwide and a range of projects. I've been waiting for a review of their inkle loom.
Be aware that this one is written by a distributor but I'm sure that Kelly is being objective and the information about features and construction may be useful.
kellycasanovaweavinglessons.com...lojan-inkle-loom-review...
Felicia compares five e-spinner options ranging from the premium big-name wooden ones to the price-conscious lightweight portable.
In the video on this page, Felicia demonstrates knitting i-cord by hand, using her circular sock machine (CSM) and then unboxes and tries this new machine.
I don't think she mentions the cheap hand-cranked ones, and the idea of turning those with an electric drill / screwdriver.
https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com...caydo-electric-i-cord-knitting...
This book is based on the author's 6-hour beginners' course.
Sarah has revealed that she has completed this guide, whose title is (as she points out) unexciting but self-explanatory.
This is her blog post. She appears to have self-published the book as a pdf, which I respect very much, but has hidden the link in footnote 2.
Her blog post, in typical understated fashion, includes some pictures of some of her amazing work. It also includes a short video of Sarah leafing through a printed copy of the book.
Mary has announced her new book which is a step-by-step guide aimed at beginners to advanced. Discover the solid principles and science behind the art of dyeing yarn and fibre using levelling acid and food-grade dyes.
This video is made to coincide with the exhibition 'Thread Memory: Embroidery from Palestine' at V&A Dundee which runs until Spring 2026, and the 'Tatreez: Palestinian Embroidery' display at V&A South Kensington until May 2026.
This is a yarn-shaped fuel-cell rather than a battery, since it produces rather than stores electricity, but the result is the same - power delivery in textiles and wearable devices.
This fuel cell starts life as cotton yarn, which soaks up the methanol fuel. Various coatings complete the cell, which can be pierced and cut up, and still work.
This very dry academic article talks about the strengthening of hemp fibre using silk, not by blending the fibres but by infusing the bast fibers with silk solution.
Sometimes just a picture is enough
Sarah has been weaving scraps of linen from her past life into this rug. She didn't need to add words but couldn't help herself.
Thanks to Sharon for highlighting the Step by Step pattern by by Florence Miller.
CarinJeanette has made her bolero-style version using her own handspun yarn and added an attractive crocheted tie.
www.ravelry.com/projects/CarinJeanette/step-by-step-cardigan
Pictures of this coat by Christine appear in a more general blog post from Jean about a visit to a gallery.
The moons are woven using the Theo Moorman technique.
A selection of free seasonal patterns which will work well with handspun yarn.
This month's patterns include five sock patterns suggested by members of the John Arbon team, which I'm sharing as part of Socktober and because socks are, as they point out, a portable and practical project.
Becks' pick is Red Vine / Blackjack, a pattern inspired by red and black liquorice. Despite the name I notice that many of the finished projects are in various colours. Indeed Becks suggests that they'd look great in any of their Exmoor Sock colours.
Sam's pick is also a free pattern. She says that this fairly plain design will work well in any sock yarn.
They have a basic skill level but are one-size (which I guess you can adjust with gauge).
As usual with Chandi's Free Pattern Friday patterns, this is free for a limited but unknown amount of time, so if it's still free when you read this, download right away if you like it.
I love it and will be casting on using yarn I bought for her Rayas duster which wasn't quite so suitable for that project.
The appealing thing about this pattern, much like the Shift/Nightshift patterns, is the freedom to choose your colours or use what you have.
It requires 934 - 1633 yards of a fairly bulky 7 wpi yarn, depending on which of the nine sizes you make.
This pattern is featured in the most recent ('deep fall' '25) Knitty.com
Rebecca explains how to make two very different projects on the same warp. There's a link to the free project (with free login) which contains the towels and wrap.
This is a project that specifically includes hand spinning, dyeing and weaving.
The next of our JAT suggestions is Sokken by Stephen West. These are quick-to-knit slipper-socks.
The soles are garter stitch in aran-weight yarn, picked up and switching to stockinette for the top. There are three sizes.
The next JAT suggestion is from Donna who recommends Roger Sock since its rib-and-garter texture keeps the knitting interesting and lets variegated yarn shine.
Finally, Hanna Lisa's suggestion is Kurrajong by Verena Cohrs, which she says is her most favourite pair in her sock drawer.
These work well with a contrasting yarn at heel and toe.
On 15 Sept, Woolly released Folineal, an e-book containing 6 hat patterns with written and video tutorials.
Kath (re)launched this pattern to coincide with Yarndale at the end of last month.
She mentions that a licence from the king used to be necessary to add crenellation to a property. She also explains that the crenellated border is more straightforward than you would think.
Julia Wright is rarely without her sketchbook and camera. She captures the natural details most people miss and use the lines, textures and colours in her embroidered and sculpted works.
Rachna Garodia's story is very similar to Julia's. She's also inspired by organic elements that she sees when she walks.
Natural pigments get mentioned way less in the world of painting than the world of textiles, though of course at one time all painting was done with natural pigments.
Rather than the pigments you may associate with painting - the earths and minerals - Omar is using plants, bark and flowers, which we can relate to from natural dyeing.
www.thisiscolossal.com...omar-mendoza-solar-serpent-obsidian-night
This piece is hanging in the Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum. It's by Mark Lewanski and was featured in this news video. I'm linking directly to Mark's own website as there are more examples and better photographs to be seen.
Jacqueline weaves coloured rope on a grand scale.
www.thisiscolossal.com...jacqueline-surdell-rope-tapestries...
17 - 19 October 2025, The Trades Hall, Glasgow
Scotland's longest running yarn festival, championing local and innovative makers since 2011.
GSoY has an abundance of beautiful yarns, fibres, and accessories for every crafter.
18 - 19 October 2025 Staffordshire County Showground
Bakewell Wool Gathering has moved to Stafford. More details tbc
1 - 2 November 2025, Newton Abbot Racecourse.
Since 2016, Stitch Fest has moved to bigger venues and is now held under one roof at Newton Abbot Racecourse, showcasing some of the best independent makers, dyers, spinners and designers and a fabulous workshop and demonstration timetable.
8 - 9 November 2025, Sandburn Hall, York YO60 7RB
More details to follow
14-16 November 2025, The Barn, Burn O Bennie, Banchory AB31 5QA
flock Contemporary Craft & Design is back! Come along and shop a curated collection of the best designer/makers working across Scotland - with over 40 vendors taking part.
Entry is free but the website allows you to book a time in advance to guarantee entry.
20 - 23 November 2025, 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 around sixteen 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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