This has been a busy month. We've just celebrated the Queen's historic platinum jubile, there's an amazing Tapestry on display in Blackburn Cathedral showing scenes from Her Majesty's visits. There are some Jubilee-related projects including this crocheted crown.
You'll also find things related to Pride month and rainbows in this issue's colour inspiration, patterns and gallery.
In the media
400,000 pairs of socks will be spun into recycled yarn, Prince Charles' woolly doppelganger, Farm to Yarn project, Lancashire's Platinum Jubilee tapestry
Handspun stories
A hap journey, I am a spinner, starting a handspinner's flock, natural dye - dandelion, felted lampshade time lapse video, yarn glossary, sloyd, the word spinster, knitter's tour of British breeds, low-whorl love, nature's nylon, Majacraft Camp 2022
Tips and tutorials
Hiding ends, visible mending, rag / t-shirt yarn, large garments on small looms, spinning with a distaff, variegated yarn in inkle weaving, wpi, washing alpaca wool
Technology
The PFAS problem, solar panels keeping sheep well-fed
Gallery
Showcasing some of the best spinning images I've seen this month
Free patterns
A selection of free seasonal patterns which will work well with handspun yarn
Farm to Yarn project aims to help stop Dales wool being sent to landfill
A project has been kickstarted with a grant from the Yorkshire Dales National Park, which will take wool from local sheep breeds and turn it into a limited-edition Yorkshire yarn.
The waste from that process has been donated to local crafters for felt, and to re-enactment groups.
This is a 'behind the scenes' look at DGY's chiffon ribbon yarn. The article contains a link to a market tote pattern, which is the perfect project for this type of yarn.
Josefin has written a number of blog posts over the last few years.
Sloyd is the crafting of everyday objects with natural materials, your hands and simple tools. When you do a hand craft, it's only natural to want to take that extra step and create your tools yourself.
In this post she discusses carving nalbinding needles from wood.
A piece of weaving carries connections to ancient traditions
I'd like to have a closer view of this camel pack band, but there is a lot of detail in the text.
This is a hand-woven warp-faced pack band (the camel girth). These are made and used by nomadic pastoralists living in Iran and woven by women on ground looms set up specially for their long narrow nature.
It was collected by Margery Blackman on a trip to the area and the article contains diary entries from the day that she bought it.
Solar energy is cheap and clean, and farmer Tom Warren has discovered an unexpected benefit.
His sheep are growing noticeably better wool. He uses the word "astonishing". The shade from the solar panels reduces evaporation and improves the vegetation.
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This is Debby in her woven vest, which is made in a number of narrow sections. She has given great detail about her modifications from the original pattern.
She is "exceptionally pleased with the finished project's look, feel, and fit!"
mazzaus was given some pieces of indigo-dyed fabric some time ago. A workshop she signed up for included a drawstring bag and she realised that it was the perfect project to use the fabric.
Rainbowret is designed to work with scraps of yarn joined in a rainbow sequence. Woolly has published a tutorial for making rainbow scrap yarn (link within the text of the pattern) but why not spin a suitable rainbow handspun yarn?
It's made entirely in stocking stitch in the round, with optional i-cord finish.
The yarn suggestion for this bag is a "lightweight raffia yarn". However, I believe that this might be a great pattern for some of the rag / fabric yarn that we've seen in this issue.
Sarah has made the Inclinations Cowl using her handspun yarn. The fisherman's rib makes a chunky fabric. She's hoping for cooler weather so that she can wear it!
The pattern calls for 720 - 800 yards of 12 wpi yarn.
Organic sculptural forms from copper wire by Bronwyn Oliver
The late artist Bronwyn Oliver possessed an unparalleled ability to shape thin copper wire into intricate patterns. Her sculptures feature ammonites, palm leaves, and single buds.
A vibrant coral ecosystem of thousands of crocheted sculptures
Since the Crochet Coral Reef project began in 2005, almost 20,000 people have contributed their own fibre-based forms. More than 40,000 of the oceanic works are now on view at the Museum Frieder Burda in Baden-Baden.
Friday 10 - Sunday 12 June, 2022, John Arbon Textiles, Hacche Lane Business Park, South Molton
This legendary event returns as an in-person event in 2022. Includes mill tour and "all sorts of additional bits and bobs". More details to be announced.
10 and 11 September 2022. Dewars Centre, Glover St, Perth PH2 0TH
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.
24 and 25 September 2022, Skipton Auction Mart, North Yorkshire
Stunning exhibitions, skill demonstrations and a full programme of textile workshops create a visual feast and make Yarndale a real must-visit for yarn lovers.
Shetland Wool Week will be going ahead in person this year. It will be a scaled back version of the usual physical event as the main focus will be on delivering SWW in full for 2023
Includes classes, talks, drop-ins, art. See website for the full events listing.
I'm Shiela Dixon, I've been doing this for around ten years in order to promote and encourage the craft of spinning.
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