The second fiber shop we visited in Portland is an adorable store tucked away in the très-cool Pearl neighbourhood, called, appropriately, Pearl Fiber Arts. I was greeted by the super friendly Cindy, who showed me around the product-packed store, highlighting the local yarns and fibers…
Rayna and I received these batts a few days ago, from my friend, the incredibly talented Mother Macrina! She dyes fiber for her Etsy store, Inglenook Fibers, and her work is unbelievably beautiful. I could print pictures of her unfolded batts and put them on…
From this: To this: And this: And finally this! I was getting 11 WPI on this yarn, so I used my 7.5 dent heddle. Feeling pretty happy with it :) It’s about 60″ long and super warm. The Navajo plying really lends itself to warp…
It’s amazing how much the fiber changes, from merino top to actual yarn. This is a braid from a dyer called ‘Urban GypZ’ – part of our haul from Jaqueline’s stash (more on that later!). Most of it was spun on the weekend at the show.…
When I was spinning Peggy I kept wondering if spinning was supposed to be this hard. I practically had to manhandle the fiber to draft it, and ended up drafting very thin, almost to pencil roving, to make it go. Looking back, I’m amazed that…
A few months ago, Rayna picked up a massive stash of fiber from someone who had opted to get rid of, literally, a garbage bag full of the stuff. She was going through it and held up a braid and declared that she would likely…
Almost a year ago Rayna gifted me a braid of fluff in a really soft superwash blend of merino/bamboo/nylon (called, I have just learned, ‘Panda’) by Dripping Fiber Studios. The colour way was called ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ and, being that I was…
I’ve had my wheel for a week, and it’s already got a space in my heart right text to my loom and my Sock Rockets. It started out feeling like a battle between the wheel and I, but I learned to relax, to move my…
Leslie came over last night to give me my first really intensive spinning lesson. The wheel is a thing of beauty. It’s a Baynes, single drive, scotch tension, double treadle wheel. One day I’ll know what all that means. Leslie gave me a number of…
Last spring, Leslie, Rayna and I went to Colbourne Ontario, to meet Mr. Alvin Ramer. Mr. Ramer is, among many things, a spinning wheel guru, precious piece of Canadian history and, along with his wife Barbara Ann, a very wonderful person. Sadly, Mr. Ramer is…
“You should blog that photo” said Rayna, “You know, to show…” (Leslie finishes) “That you suck at something.” The girls were playfully ribbing me as I produces this laughable yarn :) it was my first time on a wheel, and it really feels like the…
Last Saturday, myself and my very favourite enablers partners in crime (Rayna, Leslie & Tito) went for a road trip out to Colbourne to see the Sensei of All Things Spinning Related. Alas, I cannot share photos for a while, but I will tell you…