Weaving handspun

On June 18, 2023June 15, 2023 By CarynIn Craft

After spinning all my merino wool roving, I used it to warp my inkle loom. This is my first time weaving with my own hand-spun yarn.

Inkle loom half warped with hand-spun yarn

I did learn to review instructions before starting, I thought I could warp the loom, then put on the heddles, but I forgot the warp path for non-heddled yarn is different. I had to go back and untie and retie many warp threads. Lesson learned.

Weaving started using recycled plastic strips

I used strips of plastic cut from an empty laundry container to start the weaving and keep it straight. This also saves some unwoven warp to keep as fringe in the finished weaving.

Weaving went slowly because I couldn’t progress while the kitten was awake. He wanted to help.

Another challenge was the halo on my wool. The little fibers that stray out of the spun yarn like to stick together, especially when passing other little fibers on other threads. Oy. I found if I went slower and took time to separate the warp threads when I changed the shed, things went smoother. The felted wads on heddle strings are a testament to how much wool likes to felt.

I gave the band a light felting, just by taking it back and forth from hot water to cold water. I then laid it out to dry.

Happy Father’s Day to all those that give stability and guidance. Tomorrow I’ll share what I made for my Dad.

Walking entertainment

On June 6, 2023June 3, 2023 By CarynIn Cats, Craft, dog

The Texas summer is ramping up, and I don’t like walking when it is hot outside. Luckily, I have a large kitchen counter with room to walk circuits in the house. To keep the kitten occupied, I tied a ribbon to a small clip and clipped it on the back of my shirt.

The drier air is also better for my spinning, since heat, moisture, and pressure are the factors that felt wool. Missy the dog also thinks spinning time is kick the ball time, and it is amusing to watch her figure out the timing to drop the ball in my path so I can kick it before walking past. So yes, I walk the house spinning with a drop spindle, kicking the ball for the dog, trailing a ribbon for the cats. I am walking entertainment, but I’m getting in those steps!

Plying hemp

On May 31, 2023May 28, 2023 By CarynIn Craft

After finishing spinning the single, I made a two ply yarn from my hemp sample. I transferred the yarn to my niddy noddy, then tied it in four spots and removed the skein.

Hemp yarn off the spindle onto the PVC niddy noddy

Skein of 2-ply hemp yarn, before finishing

The next step is to boil the yarn, which still gives me trepidation. It will happen, but I need to sneak up on it.

Spinning a blaze

On May 22, 2023May 18, 2023 By CarynIn Craft

My youngest gave me a box of yellow to orange dyed merino wool and I decided to spin it up separately rather than blend it (so many choices with these bundles of colors!)

I like the small bundles of wool because they transport easily; I can walk with the roving loosely around my fiber hand, or I can pop the fiber into a container in my purse so I can spin while waiting.

Spinning hemp

On May 13, 2023May 10, 2023 By CarynIn Craft

I am delving into the fiber samples my sister gave me, starting with hemp. I tried spinning the hemp as I would wool, with a drop spindle and dry. The fly aways were epic. Since I had luck spinning flax roving using a bit of moisture from a sponge, I tried that method with the hemp. It meant I had to transfer what I had spun to a long shaft drop spindle (wrapping the yarn along the shaft at a low angle reduces the stress on the fibers).

Moving the spinning operation from a single spindle to a spindle and distaff setup

Rather than spinning directly from the roving, I separated bits of roving and laid them on a rectangle of fabric (all those old masks came in handy), taking care to lay them in the same orientation. I then rolled the fabric around the distaff and tied it loosely with some cord.