Category: Craft

Southdown spin

On By CarynIn Craft

I have finished spinning 4 ounces of Southdown wool using a Turkish style spindle to make single spun yarn.

Photo description: Turtle of Southdown yarn on a Turkish Style spindle outside with dilute calico in the background

Southdown sheep are a dual purpose breed from England. When I bought this wool, the sheep were on the Conservation Priority list. In 2024, they came off the list and are no longer considered a threatened heritage breed. Which demonstrates the power of attention and purchase.

Photo description: all five turtles spun from 4 ounces of Southdown roving made while walking the neighborhood

Before I ply these singles, I think I will experiment with making swatches with the singles. The ways the yarn twist and fabric method bias interact have peaked my curiosity and I was to do some experiments.

Twining lotus

On By CarynIn Craft

This is lotus flower fiber, from the long stalks of the water plant.

Photo description: bundle of lotus stalk fiber (above) and a small twined rope (below)

I should have hackled this fiber to separate the strands and remove the shortest sections, but I picked it as a travel project, and figured out I should have run it over my steel combs about 30 minutes down the road. I’ll be finding tiny bits of lotus fiber in the car for the foreseeable future (along with bits of flax and yarn ends).

The fiber is enjoyable to twine. There are some very long fibers in the bundle, around 5-6 feet long. Twining goes better with a little sponge and a spray bottle of water so I can keep my finger tips moist as I twist.

Twining has become my favorite travel project because I can watch the scenery and not have to keep my eyes on my hands.

Throwback Thursday: pull apart cake

On By CarynIn Craft

In March 2017 I made a pull apart cake for my eldest. She picked out a cat picture (not any of our cats), and I used an airbrush with food dye to paint white frosting on cupcakes. The ears are massive mounds of fondant.

Photo description: pull apart cake airbrushed to look like a white and orange cat
Video description: top down view of a pull apart cake being pulled apart

1×1 color work

On By CarynIn Craft

I’ve been collecting patterns from Wool & Pine that use 1×1 color work. I put my toe in the water using scrap acrylic yarn: a variegated green/tan/black as the main color and then sun and sky colors (blue, white, gray, yellow, orange) for the secondary colors.

Photo description: cowl knit with 1×1 rib bands and 1×1 color work between.

I love the look of the broken horizontal stripes, it isn’t hard, but it isn’t fast. I don’t like the large number of yarn ends and dealing with them at the end of the project. Full disclosure, on this project I didn’t neaten them, just tied knots and left the fringe inside. I

t does make a thicker fabric, which isn’t ideal here in Texas. I do want to use the technique for a larger project, but ideas are still brewing.

Throwback Thursday: crochet cardigan

On By CarynIn Craft

In March of 2017 I was crocheting a yellow lace circle vest for my sister. The pattern included classic crocheted lace elements.

Photo description: yellow crocheted circle vest made with #10 cotton with slits between the center and edging for arms, shown after blocking
Photo description: lace circle vest on a red mannequin showing the fold down collar

My sister was visiting, so we did a fitting and she requested sleeves. By June of 2017 I had finished the sleeves by doing a simple net for the arms, and a matching edge pattern for the bell sleeves at the elbows.

Photo description: same vest, but now with bell sleeves
Photo description: side view of the mannequin with the bell sleeve spread out a little to show the pattern

Although it was pretty, the delicate lace was, well, delicate. It didn’t hold up well to use.