Drop Spindle Spinning for Complete Beginners: From Zero to Yarn Hero

Hey there, fiber friends and future spinners! So, you've decided to dive into the wild world of drop spindle spinning. Awesome choice! Whether you're a hobbyist, a DIY enthusiast, or just someone longing to dip their toes into the magical realm of fiber arts, we've got you covered. Think of this guide as your trusty handbook, your seasoned cheerleader, and your no-BS buddy, all rolled into one. Ready to spin your way into greatness? Let's do this.

Meet the SpinOlution Bullfrog Spinning Wheel. Now, before you start thinking I’ve gone off the deep end, diving into some fairytale about frogs and princesses, let me set the record straight. The Bullfrog is the big sister of the ever popular SpinOlution Pollywog. Same design just larger.

In the world of handspinning, the choice between spinning from a roving braid and a blended fiber batt can significantly impact the texture, color, and experience of spinning yarn. Both preparations offer unique characteristics and cater to different preferences and projects. This blog will delve into the properties, advantages, and considerations of each, helping spinners make an informed decision on their spinning journey.

Beginners Guide to spinning yarn, tips tricks and tools

Spinning yarn is a craft as ancient as civilization itself. Throughout history, spinning yarn has evolved from a necessity into a creative and meditative hobby. Beginners may find the art of spinning a bit daunting, but with a few key tips and an understanding of the basic tools and materials, anyone can start their journey into this fulfilling activity. Let’s unravel the essentials of yarn spinning for a beginner.

How to Spin a Color-Changing "Fractal Style" Yarn

Creating handmade yarn can be a rewarding and creative experience. If you love working with yarn and want to add a unique touch to your projects, why not try spinning a color-changing "fractal style" yarn? In this blog post, we will explore the process of spinning such a yarn using wool roving. So, let's dive in!

Exploring Color Blocked Spinning Fiber Roving vs Marbled Spinning Fiber Roving: A Yarn Spinning Crafts Blog

In today's article, we are going to explore the differences between color blocked spinning fiber roving and marbled spinning fiber roving. Whether you are an experienced spinner or just starting out, understanding the characteristics and potential applications of these two types of roving can help you create unique and beautiful handspun yarns. So, let's get started!

The Importance of Recycled Wool

The First time I heard of using recycled yarn was from my friend Dawn who owns Twice Sheared Sheep. You are probably falmilur with this brand because I love to collaborate with her for our yarn kits and bundles. Like most of us she started her business out in one direction and then it has grown and changed since then but I know that one of her main focus when she started was “recycled" or “ reclaimed yarn” You can hear more about that directly from Dawn here

Here at CHY I’m not so much up cylicing yarn but rather enjoying using reclaimed wool in our products. In our case that is where wheel the fleeces are processed into clean and useable wool for our batts or custom rovings we are able to work with boutique mills that will save and reuse some of the wool that didn’t make it though the first pass. If you’ve ever used a drum carder yourself you know all about how a good bit of lovely wool and fiber can be stuck on the machine while hand blending. Where in many cases larger mills would end up not saving this wool we love that we can reduce it and give it another life. I had fun using some myself for some incredibly soft Merino Batts I was dividing up. You've also proababy seen it in our work in the way of reclaimed Sari silk and “ wool neps “ for a tweed texture.

Heidi and I were at Convergence in Knoxville last year when we befriended a mill from NC who introduced us to this lovely fiber blend. It was described to us a very well cared for breed whose wool is a combination of Merino and Rambouillet! We thought it was absolutely dreamy and I have so enjoyed using this roving in some of our spinning fiber subscriptions from time to time and more recently these fun “ tweed” style rovings. We also think it’s a dream to spin and have enjoyed using this tweed roving ourselves for the handspun yarn subscription. This has quickly become a favorite of my moms to spin which is why I wanted to look more into it.

wool processing tips- washing raw wool- how to clean wool for spinning

In this blog post, we will discuss some helpful tips for processing raw wool. Processing wool is a vital step in turning this natural fiber into yarn or other textile products. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced wool enthusiast, these tips will guide you through the process:

Sheep Breeds with Long Wool