YST Episode 164 Oct 2019 part 1

So much happening on the spinning front for me this month, that I needed two podcasts to talk about it all.  So this is the first one, and Episode 165 will continue with more spinning goodness.

As promised, some links to people mentioned in the podcast:

A lovely squishy package arrived at my house one day full of Baby Doll South down fiber.  It was processed and mixed with lovely mohair and a tiny bit of nylon.  The ewe's name is Lily and was white.  The ram's name is Ray, and is a lovely silver gray.  

This fiber is from Teresa at SpinHistory.com

Wooly Knob Fiber Mill, is only on FaceBook, search for them there.

Fall Apart Farm, McArthur, Ohio has purebreed registered Icelandic sheep.  They also can be found on Face 

Dream Weaver Fiber Arts where I met Kathy at the Wool Gathering  and bought a lovely turkish spindle.

Alpaca Pines Fiber and Mill is the source of the beautiful alpaca I spun during Spin Together.  They are in Illinois.

The Spin Together Group on Facebook is now a good choice for replacing Spinzilla, spinning during the first week of Oct.  Check it out for next year's spinning.

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 163 A review of the video World Spinning Techniques

This podcast is very different and so you have a choice.

There is a library based video website called Kanopy.  I found a very interesting video on spinning throughout the world.  I wanted other spinners to see it too, but they may not have access unless their library card (and their library system) grants access to Kanopy.  The reason I do not include a link here, is because it is best to access it from your library's website.  

So first, if you have a current library card,go to their website and look for Kanopy, click through to it and  set up a free account. Then search and watch the video World Spinning Techniques.  If you do watch the video, you really do not need to listen to the podcast.  If you can not access the video, then there is a detailed, albeit,verbal description from when I watched the video.

Or do both, I would love to have you listen in to my reactions to all the amazing things I saw in the video.

The picture connected with this podcast has just slight relevance, it is three sample skeins of the alpaca fiber I have been spinning lately.  Alpaca is the first fiber talked about in the video.

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 162 TdF2019 part 2

I was able to do so much during this Tour de Fleece, it took two podcasts to tell you all about it.  See the previous podcast for part one of this two part series.

The first fiber I talk about spinning is called Fake Cashmere, due to it softness.  It is however, 100% nylon.  I bought my fiber from a dyer whose business is Jazz Turtle.  

It seems most people like to spin this fiber blended with other fibers, but I enjoyed spinning it on it's own.  Another source for the fiber is Paradise Fibers

The next fiber I worked with was a dyed merino silk batt in the colors purple and green.  Listen as I explain how I made color sequencing work for the 2 ply yarn.

On the TdF challenge day, I got out the book charka, not something I have much skill with. I was able to set it up and spin some single on it for my challenge.

I spent many days during the Tdf dyeing fiber, both in locks and in big pots full of fiber.  I had the amazing once in a life time experience of dyeing a color I will never be able to repeat, calico locks.  This podcast tells you how that happened.

Finally for the state fair entries, I needed an art yarn and chose to spin locks into a yarn.  It was a learning experience and I share all I learned to make this yarn.

Lots and lots of information in this podcast, grab a big chunk of fiber, your spinning tool of choice, and join me.

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 161 TdF 2019 part 1

This is the first of a two part podcast, because I had so many projects to tell you about for the Tour de Fleece.

In this podcast I talk about spinning cotton sliver on the Majacraft Aura, not a very traditional way to spin cotton.  My challenge day project was finally achieving those beautiful tight rolags on my blending board.

I also completed two skeins.  The first was a dyed polworth from Yarn Hollow

The second skein was a gray Horned Dorset fiber, which I got from Dyed in the Wool.  I talk a little about the breed too.

I suggest checking out Hilltop Cloud, to get an idea of the type of rolags I was making on the blending board, but when I checked the website they are not currently in stock.  A quick search of Etsy brought up these, and these.

 

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 160 Spindle Spinning From Novice to Expert

Here is the first of the book review only podcasts I mentioned in a previous podcast.  After years of podcasting, I realized that the book reviews will be easier to find if in their own individual podcast.

This podcast reviews the book Spindle Spinning from Novice to Expert by Connie Delaney.  

Links to possible sources for this book can be found on Abe Books

Also seen listed on Ebay here

In both cases, the exact listings may no longer be available, but it serves for you to see the book and description, and know how to search for it in those websites.

One last link is to the fiber I talk about in the review, kenaf.  The Wiki page for it is here.

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 159 June 2019

It's that time of year, and the tents are up and the vendors hopeful as the cycle of yearly fiber fairs continue.  I mention in the podcast my 'blue sky' dream of hitting them nationwide some year.  A van full of fiber to sell, and be replaced by purchases, sounds just right!

The photo for this podcast shows the Pegosa alpaca fiber I am currently spinning by the lock on my Roberta.

There are lots of links for the podcast, for everyone that I mentioned, be sure to check out the webpages.

The Woolery, which you can find at fiber fairs and their storefront.

Dyed in the Wool.  I owe Sandy Ferguson an apology for not mentioning in the podcast, her as an owner of this business too!

The Alien Encounter sock pattern can be found on Ravelry, here.

The Stoltman Family farm only has a FaceBook page, here.

Ohio Valley Natural Fibers, is the fiber processing mill I talk about.

Yarn Geek Fibers has this page of dyed yarn and fibers for sale.

Punkin Patch is Equinox Farm home of the crazy sheep lady.  There's a good blog on that website, where you can get you fill of photos and good writing. This is the farm from whom I purchased Bullwinkle's fleece.

This blog had one post that showed Bullwinkle, he's the white sheep.

This farm is also part of the breed conservancy program, Shave 'em to Save 'em, for rare breed sheep. 

 

Here's the latest episode

There is no podcast or photos for this post.  I promised a listing of the YST episodes that review books.  I will try and update this as I review more.

Episode 11 05/09/08  Your handspinning    Elsa Davenport
                                    Creative Weaving Spinning and Plant Dyeing   Beryl Anderson
                                    The Encyclopedia of Handspinning  Mable Ross
                                 

Episode 33  06/22/09  Spinning Designer Yarns Diane Varney
                                    The Intentional Spinner  Judith Mackenzie Mccuin

Episode 47  05/31/1     The Craft of Natural Dyeing  Jenny Dean
                                     Colours from Nature A Dyers Handbook  Jenny Dean
                                     Dyes from Native American Plant A Practical Guide
                                             by Lynn Richards and Ronald J Tyrl
                 
Episode 99  09/09/13  Sweaters by Hand Designs for Spinners and Knitters
                                            by Helene Rush and Rachael Emmons
 
Episode 141  02/02/17 Yarn i tecture  Jillian Moreno

Episode 158 05/15/19  Creative Spinning  Alison Daykin and Jane Deane

YST Episode 158 May 2019

I realize that is an unusual subtitle for a postcast.  I recently had a total knee replacement surgery, and for the first 15 minutes or so of this podcast, I do talk about how the healing process delayed my spinning and fiber work for several weeks.
But once the spinning wheels got going again, I had two WIP to talk about, the Pegosa alpaca project was continued and I finished spinning two fibers I had used for a project back in Sept. a babydoll Southdown and a Polworth.
As promised I did one book review at the end of this podcast.  It is Creative Spinning, a creative combination of two authors, Alison Daykin and Jane Deane.
The Polworth fiber I spun is from MohairandMore.  
The episode of this podcast where I review the breed Babydoll Southdown is here, episode 37.
Please see a separate non podcast page on the blog for a listing of episodes of this podcast that contain book reviews.  That way I can list the episode number, and the book title, and keep it updated.
Photo shown with this episode is of the southdown/polworth skeins I finished and talked about in the podcast.



Here's the latest episode

Here's some photos of the fibers I talk about in the podcast.  First up, babydoll southdown.  As you can see it is like roving/top had to tell the actual process with the short fibers.  Also you can see the very short neps that existed throughout the fiber.  Part was used to do the breed review and the rest was used for the combination skeins.

This is the Mohair and More polworth top.  I love the colors in this fiber.  I am also very aware that the colors flow lengthwise along the fiber, like the many colors were laid side by side and then the top was created.  So often the processing puts chunks of color along the length of the top, a completely different look to a colorway.

This is a better look at what I am talking about with the colors.  See how the blue, pink, white all travel along the length of the top.  Next to the opened top, is a Roberta bobbin with the spun single.

These are the skeins I would like to use together for a project.  On the left top is all babydoll southdown skein. Under it is a very small combo of both fiber.  The top long skein is 100% 2 ply polworth.  Then there is a smaller skein of the two fibers plied together, which looks bluer, and below that the largest skein of the two plied together.  The bottom skein is more of the southdown only.

These are the sample skeins for the alpaca, The Pegosa Project.  On the left is hand held combed top spun and 2 ply.  In the middle is the top from the large Indigo Hound 5 tine combs.  The largest skein on the right is from the four batts I drumcarded of the alpaca.

Details of all of these can be found on my project pages in Raveley, just search for me as Yarnspinnerstales to find my pages.

Test post

I was told blogger didn't exist anymore, but maybe that was just on IOS

YST Episode 157 The Pegosa Project

It's official!  I have joined the ranks of retirees.  Now it is time to 'spend' my stash, or as I have decided to call it, my retirement 'fund'.

We start this with a very large blanket of alpaca fiber from an alpaca named Pegosa.  The first pound is washed, but not completely processed as I am using it to test various processing methods.  This podcast talks about combing with handheld combs, and the yarn that I spun from that top.

Needless to say there will be plenty more to podcast about Pegosa's fiber in the next few months.  However I have talked about alpaca in past podcasts too.  If you are interested, here is a list of episodes with links:

Episode 35  Washing alpaca

Episode 101  Machine washing alpaca

Episode 102  Spinning alpaca

Episode 108  Dyeing alpaca

Episode 123 Alpaca in the dyepots

One other spinning project completed since the last podcast was fiber from Homestead Hobbyist, a lovely polworth/silk blend.

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 156 Drafting

Happy New Year!  It is always full of thoughts and plans for the spinning projects ahead.  In today's podcast I talk about maintaining watch on the drafting zone to make your yarn more intentional. Watching the drafting zone will help you break out of making the same WPI yarn all the time to making art yarns that feature thick and thin singles.  All of this is the topic of this podcast.

I have done previous podcasts on drafting if you care to find those and listen to them.  Just click on the links to go to them.  Episode 26 (woolen and worsted spinning) episode 40 (spinning intentional yarn) and episode 67 (woolen spinning).

Links to things I also mention in the podcast are:

Book of Days, something I came across while looking up distaff day.

Fellviewfibres

The source of the punis I spun, made from wool and silk.

The videos I viewed while researching spinning thick and thin can be found on Youtube by searching the topic.

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 155 Stitches Midwest

Links to vendors mentioned in the podcast:

Stitches events in general Atlanta Ga event May 30-June 2 2019 Stitches United is on that page too.

Youghiogheny Yarns Keri Fosbrink dyer

Fiberlady bamboo fiber

Buffalo Wool Co Buffalo wool yarn and fiber

Franklin Habit

Shirsty Cat Designs Merino silk fiber

2 Guys Yarn Company

Soak Flatter spray

Lost City knits Denise Bell 
Applecross Highland shawl Ravelry pattern

Knitted Knockers

knitbahpurl

Stevenbe

Vintage Lace book by Gladys Amedro

The video blogger I mentioned is Quayln Stark and he blogs on youtube.  The stitches midwest podcast can be found here

I talk about a fiber processor  but failed to mention the name. The farm business is called Alpaca Pines and their website can be found here.

There was a what I called a wood ball winder that I was unable to find online to show you. I have found out since that this item has another use, which is to hold the ball of yarn wound on to it as you knit. So the concept for it I think is to wind the yarn on it from a skein and then let it sit near you as you knit, it will rotate release the yarn. No balls of yarn rolling away from you.

I was not able to find any 1500 yard one dye lot skeins of yarn online, like I saw in the market. I think this concept is a custom dye project, so if interested contact your favorite dyer, see if they can purchase the yarn in the large skein and dye it for you.

 

 

 

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 154

In this discussion of what I did during the 2018 Tour de Fleece, I talk about the wool breed Zwartbles, spinning buffalo fiber on a drop spindle and finally a very rare breed of wool, Dor Galen.

The buffalo fiber was included in the Clouds of Luxury from the Etsy store Sericin

The Dor Galen fiber was purchased at a fiber festival several years ago from Sandy Ferguson's Dyed in the Wool   

Dor Galen is no longer available, the horned dorset at the bottom of the above linked page is probably a good close substitute.

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 153 TdF2018 Part 1

My favorite time of the spinning year, the Tour de Fleece event.  As promised, here is the review of what I spun this year.

This is part one of the two part podcast.

A few links.  To see photos of all of the lovely fibers and yarns I talked about, go to my group in Ravelry, yarnspinners spin in and look at the TdF2018 thread in the discussions.  You must be signed into Ravelry for the link to work.

Links to the fiber artists whose fiber I spun and talked about are:

A Star is Shorn  the Etsy store.  I spun a superwash merino 

Fellview Fibres  the source of the wool/silk rolags I spun for the first challenge day.

 

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 152

When I find that a podcast has no specific topic, but many different stories, I call them a spin-in.  I also likened this to writing you a letter, dear listener! But mostly it feels like when we gather together with our spinning wheels and spin and talk.  One never really knows what the conversations will be.

I catch you up on my recent projects, spinning and otherwise, tell you about a few things I read online, rant a bit about books and bookcases, and end with the promise of lots of spinning to come as I participate in this years TdF on Ravelry.

I took time to update the episode list last month, so if you want to find a specific topic in a podcast, check out that list.  It will show the date the podcast was released.  Use that date to find the podcast in the archives on this website.

Here's the latest episode

Updated Episode Listing

Epi # Topic                                Date

1 Using Combs/Shetland              10/28/07
2 Spin In General Chatter            11/13/07
3 Raising Angora Rabbits             12/01/07
4 Christmas music only                12/16/07
5 Spinning Angora                       01/18/08
6 Border Leicester and BFL           02/02/08
7 Skirting a Shetland Fleece         02/16/08
8 Cheviot and Corriedale              03/02/08
9 Washing a fleece                      04/02/08
10 Finn and Perendale                 04/22/08
11 Book reviews                          05/09/08
12 Cotton Dyeing part 1 Chemical 05/30/08
13 Cotton dyeing part 2 Natural    06/01/08
14 Cormo and Montadale              06/20/08
15 Cotton prep and spinning         07/08/08
16 Romney and Targhee               07/31/08
17 Andean Ply, Fleece Picking        08/17/08
          Spinning Bulky yarn
18 CVM and Maine Island Sheep    09/01/08
19 Wheels and how they work       09/16/08
20 Navajo Churro and Jacob          09/30/08
21 Felting a fleece, faking pelts     10/27/08
22 Alpaca                                    10/31/08
23 Drop Spindles                          12/20/08
24 Spinning and Dyeing Silk          01/25/09
25 Cashgora                                 01/31/09
26 Woolen vs Worsted spinning     02/15/09
27 Tunis and Karakul                    03/14/09
28 Dyeing wool Discolored fleece   03/30/09
29 Spaelsau and Icelandic             04/23/09
30 Plying                                     04/30/09
31 Bamboo and tencel                  05/16/09
32 Silk, Soy and Milk fibers           06/01/09
33 Dog hair,Spinning DesignerYarn 06/22/09
       Review of Intentional Spinner
34 Carding and Blending fibers      07/07/09
35 Angora rabbits and the heat     07/31/09
          Washing alpaca fiber
36 Spinning with a Charkha          08/21/09
37 Southdown,Polworth                09/13/09
          Setting up a wheel to spin
38 Selecting a wool fleece             10/10/09
39 Selecting non wool fiber,storing fiber
       An original ghost story           10/24/09
40 Spinning for a specific yarn       11/21/09
41 Discussing grist                       11/29/09
42 Changing yarn size by adjusting 12/18/09
                       tension
43 Spinners block unlocking creative 01/20/10
                     juices
44 Fiber Fairs                                04/05/10
45 Coopworth and Polypay             04/18/10
46 Spinning tools                           05/08/10
47 Natural Dyeing book reviews      05/31/10
48 Planning a dye day                    06/22/10
49 Carbonized bamboo TdF            07/12/10
            history of wheels I own
50 Saran Wrap dyeing                    08/14/10
51 Dyeing for specific colors           08/28/10
          tertiary color study
52 Natural dyeing with walnut leaves 09/28/10
53 Front porch spinning Creativity    10/23/10
54 Color Theory with digitaldurga     11/10/10
55 Color Theory part 2                    11/10/10
56 Blending the Tertiary colors        01/10/11
57 Blending Hackle                         01/29/11
58 Types of Fiber combs                  02/14/11
59 Washing and combing 5 breeds   02/28/11
60 Spinners' single study                 04/07/11
           Forsyth product review
61 A new Wheel Majacraft Aura        05/07011
62 Black Welsh Mountain Clun Forest 05/17/11
63 Lock and fold spinning                 06/02/11
64 Oogie McGuire interview BWM breed 07/22/11
65 A podcast for knitters who want to 08/20/11
           become spinners
66 Learning the Aura and beaded yarn 08/21/11
67 Spinning Woolen                           10/05/11
Special Episode Happy fourth Year YST  10/15/11
Promo podcast for The Spinners Journal 11/05/11
68 Interviews with two scholar spinners 11/16/11
69 Leicester longwool, lincoln longwool  01/07/12
         spinning DVD review and Stitches East
70 Drum Carding projects                    02/21/12
71 Digital Sheep                                  03/31/12
72 Support Spindles                            04/28/12
73 Chatting with Fiber folks                  05/26/12
74 Let the Spinning Begin                    07/02/12
                     Tour de fleece 2012
75 The Wheel Keeps Spinning TdF12     07/05/12
76 Listen to your inner spinner TdF12    07/08/12
77 Is it rest day yet? TdF12                  07/11/12
78 Two types of plying TdF12               07/15/12
79 How the fiber speaks to me TdF12   07/18/12
80 Fractal spinning and finished yarn    08/02/12
81 The finish line TdF12                       08/07/12
82 California Red and combing CVM      08/16/12
83 Ryeland and Salish                         09/17/12
84 Positive Spin YST on Stash naming  10/05/12
85 Five year anniversary podcast          10/31/12
86 Katahdan review and porch spin in   12/10/12
87 A Fresh Start Review of 2012 spinning 12/31/12
88 Exchanges, an angora spinning          01/27/13
                       exchange
89 Thin, thinner, thinnest, a froghair       02/04/13
                   spinning exchange
90 Plying with commercial yarns             03/16/13
91 The more I teach, the more I learn     04/26/13
92 Chain plying (navajo plying)               05/31/12
93 Preparing for TdF 2013                      06/25/13
94 TdF13 day 1 and 2                            07/02/13
95 TdF13 days 3 thru 5                          07/06/13
96 TdF13 days 6 thru 9                          07/09/13
97 TdF13 traveling with baby                  07/19/13
98 TdF13 final report                              07/30/13
99 Book Review Hand Designs for           09/09/13
              Spinners and Knitters
100 Finishing yarn                                 10/20/13
101 Machine Washing alpaca                  01/11/14
102 Spinning alpaca                              01/30/14
103 Norfolk Horn                                   02/11/14
104 White faced Woodland                     02/14/14
105 Portland fiber                                  02/18/14
106 Ravellenic spinning                          02/22/14
107 Manx Loaghton and Hill Radnor         03/16/14
108 Dyeing Alpaca                                 04/24/14
109 Greencastle Fiber event                   06/02/14
110 Ky Sheep and Wool Festival             06/25/14
111 Preparing for TdF14                        07/09/14
112 TdF14 Team Painted Tiger               07/16/14
113 TdF14 Team Majacraft                    07/21/14
114 TdF14 Team Farm Fiber Marketplace 07/26/14
115 TdF14 Team Support Spindlers        07/31/14
116 TdF14 Final recap                           08/10/14
117 A Wool Gathering Yellow Springs Ohio 10/04/14
118 Spinailla 2014                                11/07/14
119 Fortutous fleeces                            11/27/14
                Interview with Digitaldurga
120 Roc Day 2015                                 01/07/15
121 Wool Wash review interview with      02/03/15
                          Natalie Redding
122 Review of Norman Kennedy's DVD    03/26/15
123 Alpaca in the dyepots                      05/16/15
124 Spin In General Chatter                   06/30/15
125 TdF15 part 1                                   07/15/15
126 TdF15 part 2                                   07/23/15
127 TdF15 final update                          08/03/15
128 Washing handspun yarn                   09/13/15
129 Spinzilla 2015 Ashford spinning quill 10/22/15
130 This, that and daydreams spin in chat 11/26/15
131 New Year, New spinning                   01/07/16
132 A Hand spun hat and a mystery yarn 02/17/16
133 Review of Craftsy, and more knitting 03/30/16
                   with hand spun yarn
134 Fiber purchases, state fair prep and   06/15/16
               Tdf spinning plans
135 Pre TdF and a swap                          07/03/16
136 TdF16 podcast 1                              08/01/16
137 TdF16 podcast 2                              08/15/16
138 TdF16 podcast 3                              08/27/16
139 Ravellenics 2016 and State Fair        09/27/16
140 Spinzilla and Natural Dye mordants  12/02/16
141 Spinning New Year's resolutions       02/02/17
        Book review Yarn.i.tec.ture
A Spinning Sabatical                              03/10/17
142 Life Changes,Why Worry?                06/16/17
           A conversation with my daughter
143 Counting Treadles for even plying     07/03/17
144 Dyeing with Lichens part 1               07/14/17
145 Dyeing with Lichens part 2               08/19/17
146 Spindle Crane review                      10/01/17
147 Spinzilla 2017 Recap                       11/02/17
148 Dyeing with Lichens part 3               11/21/17
149 Ten Years of Podcasting                   01/25/18
150 Ravellenics 2018                             03/28/18
151 Episode 151 Fiber Fairs                    04/20/18

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 151

Ahhh, tis the season of freshly shorn fleeces.  But what if your cupboard is already full?  

If you have an answer, come to the Ravelry group and search for Yanrspinnerstales spin in.  Join us there for the conversation.

A nice solution to at least organizing your fleece project is The Spinners Journal, a daily spinning book I created to sell.  Your purchase supports the archiving of my past podcasts.  Thank-You!

 

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 150 Ravellenics 2018

Ravellenics, for those that haven't heard the term, is an event hosted on Ravelry during the Olympics.  There are events you can enter projects, and win digital medals.  The rules state you start at the opening ceremony and finish by the closing ceremony.

I have done this many years now, every two years. Most years I do a spinning project, but the last two times I have done knitting projects with hand spun yarn.

This podcast talks about three of this years projects for Ravellenics, two completed and one still in progress.

Here's the latest episode

YST Episode 149 Ten Years of Podcasting

It's true, I have been podcasting for 10 years now!

In the first part of today's podcast, I review the book The Weaving,Spinning and Dyeing book by Rachel Brown.

In the second part I give a little bit of the download statistics for the podcast, some listener's comments about spinning in their lives over the last 10 years, and my favorite and least favorite parts of spinning.

I was able to include music with this podcast, thanks for the website Free Music Archive. They have an archive on non traditional birthday music and I pulled the following songs from that:

Another year older  by Jazzy-J

Singing Happy Birthday to you by BackyardMusic

It must be somebody's birthday by The Pendulum Swings

I mention a breed sampler shawl made by one listener, the pattern is The Dimpsey Shawl on Ravelry (you will have to be signed into Ravelry for the link to work)

Finally go you my blog and see the medal from Feedspot, for being named number nine in the top spinning podcasts!

Looking for the Spinners Journal?  It's here at lulu.com.  Thanks for supporting this podcast, with your purchase, and listening.

Here's the latest episode

Feedspot names Yarnspinnerstales top podcast

See my shiny medal :)   Click on it and see their listings of spinning podcasts.  I am number 9.