#handspinning — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #handspinning, aggregated by home.social.
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First bobbin of singles filled, first braid spun up.
It's surprising how much faster a bobbin fills when you don't try to spin as done as possible (which is my default most of the time).
The fiber drafts like a dream - BFL is a great breed.
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RE: https://sunny.garden/@Paws2Spindle/116961470705350878
Question for fiber folks about moths:
Last night, I forgot I had these skeins out drying until after dark. When I went to bring them in, a moth flew up from one of the skeins. These are a blend of wool and dog fur.
Should I be worried that the moth might have laid eggs in the yarn? Should I throw them in the freezer or do something more drastic? I'm keeping them well separate from the rest of my stash for now.
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RE: https://sunny.garden/@Paws2Spindle/116961470705350878
Question for fiber folks about moths:
Last night, I forgot I had these skeins out drying until after dark. When I went to bring them in, a moth flew up from one of the skeins. These are a blend of wool and dog fur.
Should I be worried that the moth might have laid eggs in the yarn? Should I throw them in the freezer or do something more drastic? I'm keeping them well separate from the rest of my stash for now.
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not going to spin into the wee hours today, because it's Hot. and I'm Tired. so I'll finish this bobbin tomorrow and then I'll decide how to ply it - right now I'm thinking maybe a bubble crepe.
this colorway is called Abalone and it's very pretty.
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not going to spin into the wee hours today, because it's Hot. and I'm Tired. so I'll finish this bobbin tomorrow and then I'll decide how to ply it - right now I'm thinking maybe a bubble crepe.
this colorway is called Abalone and it's very pretty.
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#TourDeFleece Stage 16
Gave the Tibetan Mastiff/merino blends a wash in doggy shampoo. Forgot to give them a thwack! I usually don't with fur, but wonder if it might be good to do with the blends.
Tonight's heritage blend: 50g of Manx Loaghtan top, a breed from the Isle of Man that almost went extinct. According to Fleece & Fiber, originally, brown was a rare color, but was selected for during its recovery and is the predominant color now. It's mostly a meat breed, but has a soft fleece (which I can confirm! It was light and soft!), "a relatively soft fiber with an exceptional amount of bounce, a quality that can be maximized through woolen-style preparation and spinning."
I enjoyed spinning it woolen long-draw style. My camera doesn't quite capture the sandy/mousy brown correctly. I can see why F&F concludes, "Unusual color and softness. Should be better known than it is, because of its resilience and all-around appealing character."
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#TourDeFleece Stage 16
Gave the Tibetan Mastiff/merino blends a wash in doggy shampoo. Forgot to give them a thwack! I usually don't with fur, but wonder if it might be good to do with the blends.
Tonight's heritage blend: 50g of Manx Loaghtan top, a breed from the Isle of Man that almost went extinct. According to Fleece & Fiber, originally, brown was a rare color, but was selected for during its recovery and is the predominant color now. It's mostly a meat breed, but has a soft fleece (which I can confirm! It was light and soft!), "a relatively soft fiber with an exceptional amount of bounce, a quality that can be maximized through woolen-style preparation and spinning."
I enjoyed spinning it woolen long-draw style. My camera doesn't quite capture the sandy/mousy brown correctly. I can see why F&F concludes, "Unusual color and softness. Should be better known than it is, because of its resilience and all-around appealing character."
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Tour de fleece part 3
3 braids of Bluefaced Leicester, I'm spinning it a bit thicker than usual and then chain ply to keep the color sequences.
At least that's the plan.
@fiberarts @handspinning #tourDeFleece2026 #handspinning #fiberarts
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Tour de fleece part 3
3 braids of Bluefaced Leicester, I'm spinning it a bit thicker than usual and then chain ply to keep the color sequences.
At least that's the plan.
@fiberarts @handspinning #tourDeFleece2026 #handspinning #fiberarts
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Tour de fleece part 3
3 braids of Bluefaced Leicester, I'm spinning it a bit thicker than usual and then chain ply to keep the color sequences.
At least that's the plan.
@fiberarts @handspinning #tourDeFleece2026 #handspinning #fiberarts
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Tour de fleece part 3
3 braids of Bluefaced Leicester, I'm spinning it a bit thicker than usual and then chain ply to keep the color sequences.
At least that's the plan.
@fiberarts @handspinning #tourDeFleece2026 #handspinning #fiberarts
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Tour de fleece part 3
3 braids of Bluefaced Leicester, I'm spinning it a bit thicker than usual and then chain ply to keep the color sequences.
At least that's the plan.
@fiberarts @handspinning #tourDeFleece2026 #handspinning #fiberarts
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Looks like I’m heading into contrast colours now.
Partridge, merino/tussah silk 75/25.Switched to the next higher speed on the wheel, after getting used to it with the malachite ply on the weekend. This is definitely the perfect speed for my default yarn. Lovely spin.
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Looks like I’m heading into contrast colours now.
Partridge, merino/tussah silk 75/25.Switched to the next higher speed on the wheel, after getting used to it with the malachite ply on the weekend. This is definitely the perfect speed for my default yarn. Lovely spin.
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Looks like I’m heading into contrast colours now.
Partridge, merino/tussah silk 75/25.Switched to the next higher speed on the wheel, after getting used to it with the malachite ply on the weekend. This is definitely the perfect speed for my default yarn. Lovely spin.
-
Looks like I’m heading into contrast colours now.
Partridge, merino/tussah silk 75/25.Switched to the next higher speed on the wheel, after getting used to it with the malachite ply on the weekend. This is definitely the perfect speed for my default yarn. Lovely spin.
-
Looks like I’m heading into contrast colours now.
Partridge, merino/tussah silk 75/25.Switched to the next higher speed on the wheel, after getting used to it with the malachite ply on the weekend. This is definitely the perfect speed for my default yarn. Lovely spin.
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it's probably the 1 AM fumes but this might be my favorite yarn ever? cause wow 😍
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it's probably the 1 AM fumes but this might be my favorite yarn ever? cause wow 😍
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it's probably the 1 AM fumes but this might be my favorite yarn ever? cause wow 😍
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it's probably the 1 AM fumes but this might be my favorite yarn ever? cause wow 😍
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it's probably the 1 AM fumes but this might be my favorite yarn ever? cause wow 😍
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during #TourDeFleece remember to take breaks and stretch. I did this whole bobbin and now my butt hurts. 🙃
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during #TourDeFleece remember to take breaks and stretch. I did this whole bobbin and now my butt hurts. 🙃
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during #TourDeFleece remember to take breaks and stretch. I did this whole bobbin and now my butt hurts. 🙃
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during #TourDeFleece remember to take breaks and stretch. I did this whole bobbin and now my butt hurts. 🙃
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during #TourDeFleece remember to take breaks and stretch. I did this whole bobbin and now my butt hurts. 🙃
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#TourDeFleece Rest Day # 2
No spinning, but I did transfer my Tibetan Mastiff / merino blends to skein/hank format for better side-by-side comparison. Making up for my unofficial rest day last Friday.In these photos, top to bottom:
- 2:1 TM/Dark Chocolate (purple ties) 3-ply
-2:1 TM/Espresso (orange ties) 3-ply large & 2-ply small
- 3:1 TM/Espresso (yellow ties) 3-plyI'd already done a 1:1 TM/Espresso blend, and found that it really didn't have the fuzzy halo you get from 100% fur yarn: it was just a brown yarn. So, the bottom 2 blends are to see if I can get more of that halo back with a smaller fraction of wool, while still keeping the benefits of wool's "memory". The fur is much harder to come by, so the more wool I can get away with, the longer I can make the fur last.
The 3:1 does indeed look fuzzier than the 2:1, so I'm quite curious now how it'll compare after wash, thwack/snap, and swatch.
The Dark Chocolate is a slightly redder brown merino from a different sheep from the same flock. It's still subtle, but you can see the difference from the Espresso a little more here than on the bobbins. It brings out the redder tones in the fur, whereas the Espresso is a better match for the dark browns in the fur.
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#TourDeFleece Rest Day # 2
No spinning, but I did transfer my Tibetan Mastiff / merino blends to skein/hank format for better side-by-side comparison. Making up for my unofficial rest day last Friday.In these photos, top to bottom:
- 2:1 TM/Dark Chocolate (purple ties) 3-ply
-2:1 TM/Espresso (orange ties) 3-ply large & 2-ply small
- 3:1 TM/Espresso (yellow ties) 3-plyI'd already done a 1:1 TM/Espresso blend, and found that it really didn't have the fuzzy halo you get from 100% fur yarn: it was just a brown yarn. So, the bottom 2 blends are to see if I can get more of that halo back with a smaller fraction of wool, while still keeping the benefits of wool's "memory". The fur is much harder to come by, so the more wool I can get away with, the longer I can make the fur last.
The 3:1 does indeed look fuzzier than the 2:1, so I'm quite curious now how it'll compare after wash, thwack/snap, and swatch.
The Dark Chocolate is a slightly redder brown merino from a different sheep from the same flock. It's still subtle, but you can see the difference from the Espresso a little more here than on the bobbins. It brings out the redder tones in the fur, whereas the Espresso is a better match for the dark browns in the fur.
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#TourDeFleece Rest Day # 2
No spinning, but I did transfer my Tibetan Mastiff / merino blends to skein/hank format for better side-by-side comparison. Making up for my unofficial rest day last Friday.In these photos, top to bottom:
- 2:1 TM/Dark Chocolate (purple ties) 3-ply
-2:1 TM/Espresso (orange ties) 3-ply large & 2-ply small
- 3:1 TM/Espresso (yellow ties) 3-plyI'd already done a 1:1 TM/Espresso blend, and found that it really didn't have the fuzzy halo you get from 100% fur yarn: it was just a brown yarn. So, the bottom 2 blends are to see if I can get more of that halo back with a smaller fraction of wool, while still keeping the benefits of wool's "memory". The fur is much harder to come by, so the more wool I can get away with, the longer I can make the fur last.
The 3:1 does indeed look fuzzier than the 2:1, so I'm quite curious now how it'll compare after wash, thwack/snap, and swatch.
The Dark Chocolate is a slightly redder brown merino from a different sheep from the same flock. It's still subtle, but you can see the difference from the Espresso a little more here than on the bobbins. It brings out the redder tones in the fur, whereas the Espresso is a better match for the dark browns in the fur.
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#TourDeFleece Rest Day # 2
No spinning, but I did transfer my Tibetan Mastiff / merino blends to skein/hank format for better side-by-side comparison. Making up for my unofficial rest day last Friday.In these photos, top to bottom:
- 2:1 TM/Dark Chocolate (purple ties) 3-ply
-2:1 TM/Espresso (orange ties) 3-ply large & 2-ply small
- 3:1 TM/Espresso (yellow ties) 3-plyI'd already done a 1:1 TM/Espresso blend, and found that it really didn't have the fuzzy halo you get from 100% fur yarn: it was just a brown yarn. So, the bottom 2 blends are to see if I can get more of that halo back with a smaller fraction of wool, while still keeping the benefits of wool's "memory". The fur is much harder to come by, so the more wool I can get away with, the longer I can make the fur last.
The 3:1 does indeed look fuzzier than the 2:1, so I'm quite curious now how it'll compare after wash, thwack/snap, and swatch.
The Dark Chocolate is a slightly redder brown merino from a different sheep from the same flock. It's still subtle, but you can see the difference from the Espresso a little more here than on the bobbins. It brings out the redder tones in the fur, whereas the Espresso is a better match for the dark browns in the fur.
-
#TourDeFleece Rest Day # 2
No spinning, but I did transfer my Tibetan Mastiff / merino blends to skein/hank format for better side-by-side comparison. Making up for my unofficial rest day last Friday.In these photos, top to bottom:
- 2:1 TM/Dark Chocolate (purple ties) 3-ply
-2:1 TM/Espresso (orange ties) 3-ply large & 2-ply small
- 3:1 TM/Espresso (yellow ties) 3-plyI'd already done a 1:1 TM/Espresso blend, and found that it really didn't have the fuzzy halo you get from 100% fur yarn: it was just a brown yarn. So, the bottom 2 blends are to see if I can get more of that halo back with a smaller fraction of wool, while still keeping the benefits of wool's "memory". The fur is much harder to come by, so the more wool I can get away with, the longer I can make the fur last.
The 3:1 does indeed look fuzzier than the 2:1, so I'm quite curious now how it'll compare after wash, thwack/snap, and swatch.
The Dark Chocolate is a slightly redder brown merino from a different sheep from the same flock. It's still subtle, but you can see the difference from the Espresso a little more here than on the bobbins. It brings out the redder tones in the fur, whereas the Espresso is a better match for the dark browns in the fur.
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I think it's technically a rest day for #TourDeFleece but whatever. These singles have too much twist (on purpose) and they'll turn into a fun boucle.
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I think it's technically a rest day for #TourDeFleece but whatever. These singles have too much twist (on purpose) and they'll turn into a fun boucle.
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I think it's technically a rest day for #TourDeFleece but whatever. These singles have too much twist (on purpose) and they'll turn into a fun boucle.
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I think it's technically a rest day for #TourDeFleece but whatever. These singles have too much twist (on purpose) and they'll turn into a fun boucle.
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I think it's technically a rest day for #TourDeFleece but whatever. These singles have too much twist (on purpose) and they'll turn into a fun boucle.
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Håndten - du kan godt! Lær at spinde dit eget fantastiske garn
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This is what that skein looks like after a relaxing bath and some good thwacking.
Still "overplied", with some curls and pliebacks. But that is the nature of this kind of yarn - it's called opposing 3-ply https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com/start-spinning-sock-yarn-twist-ply-structure/
And it still has quite some spring in it.
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This is what that skein looks like after a relaxing bath and some good thwacking.
Still "overplied", with some curls and pliebacks. But that is the nature of this kind of yarn - it's called opposing 3-ply https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com/start-spinning-sock-yarn-twist-ply-structure/
And it still has quite some spring in it.
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This is what that skein looks like after a relaxing bath and some good thwacking.
Still "overplied", with some curls and pliebacks. But that is the nature of this kind of yarn - it's called opposing 3-ply https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com/start-spinning-sock-yarn-twist-ply-structure/
And it still has quite some spring in it.
-
This is what that skein looks like after a relaxing bath and some good thwacking.
Still "overplied", with some curls and pliebacks. But that is the nature of this kind of yarn - it's called opposing 3-ply https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com/start-spinning-sock-yarn-twist-ply-structure/
And it still has quite some spring in it.
-
This is what that skein looks like after a relaxing bath and some good thwacking.
Still "overplied", with some curls and pliebacks. But that is the nature of this kind of yarn - it's called opposing 3-ply https://sweetgeorgiayarns.com/start-spinning-sock-yarn-twist-ply-structure/
And it still has quite some spring in it.
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#TourDeFleece Stage 15
Tonight I spun Exmoor Horn, which according to Fleece & Fiber is "a meat breed, so their wool is an interesting, overlooked by-product. Wool data is scarce." The book's hands-on description comes from a single sample that "felt very crisp, nearly crunchy, with some spring to it."I'm not sure if I'd call the fiber I got crunchy, but it is definitely not as soft as the Lonk I spun last night. The fibers were long (6") and relatively straight, more than I'd expect from the photo in F&F.
It was quite easy to spin! (F&F notes this too.) I easily got into a smooth rhythm of semi-woolen long-draw (long, slow drafting, but with lots of little releases of twist along the way). I was able to get even results, thicker than my usual fur singles. Kemp was rare enough that I didn't mind pausing to pick it out as I came across it.
However, F&F suggests a worsted spin, so I did a bit of inchworming the last ~25%, which also was nice and smooth, and tended towards finer singles even though I tried to keep it thicker. Sadly, I didn't mark the transition between the two, because now I want to ply the woolen and worsted singles independently to see how they compare. I guess I'll just have to see if I can spot it by eye.
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#TourDeFleece Stage 15
Tonight I spun Exmoor Horn, which according to Fleece & Fiber is "a meat breed, so their wool is an interesting, overlooked by-product. Wool data is scarce." The book's hands-on description comes from a single sample that "felt very crisp, nearly crunchy, with some spring to it."I'm not sure if I'd call the fiber I got crunchy, but it is definitely not as soft as the Lonk I spun last night. The fibers were long (6") and relatively straight, more than I'd expect from the photo in F&F.
It was quite easy to spin! (F&F notes this too.) I easily got into a smooth rhythm of semi-woolen long-draw (long, slow drafting, but with lots of little releases of twist along the way). I was able to get even results, thicker than my usual fur singles. Kemp was rare enough that I didn't mind pausing to pick it out as I came across it.
However, F&F suggests a worsted spin, so I did a bit of inchworming the last ~25%, which also was nice and smooth, and tended towards finer singles even though I tried to keep it thicker. Sadly, I didn't mark the transition between the two, because now I want to ply the woolen and worsted singles independently to see how they compare. I guess I'll just have to see if I can spot it by eye.
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#TourDeFleece Stage 15
Tonight I spun Exmoor Horn, which according to Fleece & Fiber is "a meat breed, so their wool is an interesting, overlooked by-product. Wool data is scarce." The book's hands-on description comes from a single sample that "felt very crisp, nearly crunchy, with some spring to it."I'm not sure if I'd call the fiber I got crunchy, but it is definitely not as soft as the Lonk I spun last night. The fibers were long (6") and relatively straight, more than I'd expect from the photo in F&F.
It was quite easy to spin! (F&F notes this too.) I easily got into a smooth rhythm of semi-woolen long-draw (long, slow drafting, but with lots of little releases of twist along the way). I was able to get even results, thicker than my usual fur singles. Kemp was rare enough that I didn't mind pausing to pick it out as I came across it.
However, F&F suggests a worsted spin, so I did a bit of inchworming the last ~25%, which also was nice and smooth, and tended towards finer singles even though I tried to keep it thicker. Sadly, I didn't mark the transition between the two, because now I want to ply the woolen and worsted singles independently to see how they compare. I guess I'll just have to see if I can spot it by eye.
-
#TourDeFleece Stage 15
Tonight I spun Exmoor Horn, which according to Fleece & Fiber is "a meat breed, so their wool is an interesting, overlooked by-product. Wool data is scarce." The book's hands-on description comes from a single sample that "felt very crisp, nearly crunchy, with some spring to it."I'm not sure if I'd call the fiber I got crunchy, but it is definitely not as soft as the Lonk I spun last night. The fibers were long (6") and relatively straight, more than I'd expect from the photo in F&F.
It was quite easy to spin! (F&F notes this too.) I easily got into a smooth rhythm of semi-woolen long-draw (long, slow drafting, but with lots of little releases of twist along the way). I was able to get even results, thicker than my usual fur singles. Kemp was rare enough that I didn't mind pausing to pick it out as I came across it.
However, F&F suggests a worsted spin, so I did a bit of inchworming the last ~25%, which also was nice and smooth, and tended towards finer singles even though I tried to keep it thicker. Sadly, I didn't mark the transition between the two, because now I want to ply the woolen and worsted singles independently to see how they compare. I guess I'll just have to see if I can spot it by eye.
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#TourDeFleece Stage 15
Tonight I spun Exmoor Horn, which according to Fleece & Fiber is "a meat breed, so their wool is an interesting, overlooked by-product. Wool data is scarce." The book's hands-on description comes from a single sample that "felt very crisp, nearly crunchy, with some spring to it."I'm not sure if I'd call the fiber I got crunchy, but it is definitely not as soft as the Lonk I spun last night. The fibers were long (6") and relatively straight, more than I'd expect from the photo in F&F.
It was quite easy to spin! (F&F notes this too.) I easily got into a smooth rhythm of semi-woolen long-draw (long, slow drafting, but with lots of little releases of twist along the way). I was able to get even results, thicker than my usual fur singles. Kemp was rare enough that I didn't mind pausing to pick it out as I came across it.
However, F&F suggests a worsted spin, so I did a bit of inchworming the last ~25%, which also was nice and smooth, and tended towards finer singles even though I tried to keep it thicker. Sadly, I didn't mark the transition between the two, because now I want to ply the woolen and worsted singles independently to see how they compare. I guess I'll just have to see if I can spot it by eye.
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was jonesing for a proper bouclé spin after yesterday's whoopsie, so I pulled out a trash batt and made sixty yards of sheepy silliness.
I'll make something pretty tomorrow.
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was jonesing for a proper bouclé spin after yesterday's whoopsie, so I pulled out a trash batt and made sixty yards of sheepy silliness.
I'll make something pretty tomorrow.