Take it back

On By CarynIn Craft

I have been using Texas grown cotton sliver, a combed preparation, to spin on a Great Wheel at the Doss Heritage center. The sliver is very smooth and all the fibers are aligned, but it has been fighting me when I spin. So I took it back a step and carded it. This mixes the alignment of the fibers, especially when I roll it up into a rolag.

Photo description: fine carder loaded with cotton, bag of sliver in the background
Photo description: cotton rolag held in my hand, after taking it off the card

This woolen preparation (fibers not aligned is “woolen”, fibers aligned is “worsted”) actually spins much easier with fewer clumps and bumps. The draft zone flows better and the wheel and I happily spun for an hour (three rolags) with very few issues. The wheel did pick up a squeak, which I remedied with spinning wheel oil.

Photo description: cop of single spun cotton yarn on a Great Wheel spindle

I will be demonstrating at the Pioneer Festival at the Doss Heritage Center in Weatherford, Texas on October 3rd, 2026!

Twined card: Hemp

On By CarynIn Craft

Next up for twining was some combed hemp fibers. I was rather surprised how short these fibers are, especially compared to flax, with a staple length of 3-4” for what I had. Other preparations can be longer. Still, it twines up well, especially using a small sponge to keep my fingertips hydrated.

Photo description: flat wood spool with twined hemp next to the sliver of hemp fibers, off-white with a gentle sheen

Another fiber artist was trying to figure out a mystery fiber and what they described seemed very similar to hemp: staple length, sheen, feel. I did a burn test to compare data and the hemp burned fast, leaving very little ash, and had a smell of burned paper, which is typical of cellulose fibers.

The twine itself is strong and flexible, and surprisingly soft.

Throwback Thursday: fingerless gloves

On By CarynIn Craft

In October 2018 I finished a pair of fingerless gloves. I’m quite pleased with these, I knit a brown glove with wool yarn with stockinette stitch for the base and moss stitch for the edges, then used white wool to crochet a simple picot lace to the wrist and fingers. Using the same white wool I embroidered a mirrored leaf design on each glove. To plan the leaf design I digitally drew on a picture of the gloves then used my drawing as a guide for the stitches.

Photo description: brown and white fingerless gloves made from fingering weight wool yarn using knit, crochet, and embroidery techniques

I really enjoy making things using multiple methods in a single item. One day I’ll figure out how to make something spun, woven, knit, crocheted, nålbound, and embroidered.

Warped

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

I was able to wait for the finish to dry before warping up my new inkle loom, but I didn’t take pictures until I had woven for a while.

Photo description: inkle loom warped with size 5 pearlized cotton in variegated colors of brown, blue, and teal, set up with a rigid heddle

I made my rigid heddle a little taller than it needed to be, but it fits nicely between the upright supports and the removable side. It spreads the threads out quite a bit, and I’m struggling with keeping the band a consistent width, so I marked my shuttle with quarter inch ticks. On the next shuttle design I’ll engrave a ruler. I’ll also make adjustments to the size; I don’t like how the thread builds up on this design.

Photo description: shuttle wrapped with pearlized cotton and with ruler marks

So hard to wait

On By CarynIn Craft

I applied Howard’s Feed-n-wax to my newly made inkle loom, and to the freshly designed and cut wood rigid heddle and shuttle, both marked with the dragonfly symbol I designed for the loom.

Photo description: inkle loom in pieces so the feed-n-wax can be rubbed onto all the surfaces

It was so hard to wait for the finish to dry, I really wanted to warp it up and get testing!