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Let’s Talk Yarn Standard Weights

So you want to make that really cool shawl/sweater/scarf/hat on Ravelry. It calls for a yarn that is discontinued, but you have the same standard weight yarn in your collection that would be really great. Can you just go ahead and use that yarn and get the same results as the photo?

Maybe…. Here’s a video of my understanding of standard weights and how they affect all your knitting.

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6 weeks until the 2021 Tour de Fleece

Hey spinners! Have you decided to participate with us? We have a team that you can join in our Ravelry group here. Or in our Facebook Tour de Fleece group here. I’m dyeing up new rovings that are fun and will be so colorful too.

I’ve decided my goals for the Tour. For the challenge days, I will develop my skill to spin singles that will stay singles. And for the rest of the tour. I’m spinning up a 2ply fingering weight yarn to make the Tenga top pattern. I just started to spin up some samples that I can swatch, so I’m getting a head start. I’m using a roving made from some BFLxShetland fleeces that I bought from a partner farm. It’s a delightful dark brown/charcoal color and really pretty soft as well.

What will you make during the tour? Comment below and let me know!!

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New Podcast: Color Complements and More

In this part 4 of the Be a Color Explorer series, I teach you about complementary colors and more. We look at how to work with those multicolored skeins and bring them into harmony with other skeins in your collection. If you’ve been following along, you will have started to develop confidence in your own color sense, your own color choices and have learned to put together skeins for great shawls, sweaters and other textiles.

Click here to listen to the podcast. Or subscribe on Itunes, Spotify or anywhere you listen to your podcasts.

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Newly Added! In Person Spinning Class

Are you a fiber lover? Have you dreamed about making your own yarn? Now that vaccinations are in place and the virus is starting to wane. I am going to start offering my in-person classes to a small select group of people. 

This spinning class will be limited to 2 people at a time.  Depending on the weather, we may be able to do this outside on the porch unmasked. Or if we need to be indoors we will wear masks at least until that mandate is lifted.  I will be offering this once a month for the next few months.  If my dates don’t work for you, please contact me and we can work out an alternate date or time.

blue green marled merino yarn

This is a 3 hour class offered from 1-4pm on each of the dates.  You don’t need to bring anything, I have spinning wheels and spindles for you to use.  If you do have equipment that you would like to use, just let me know.

Really early FGF dyeing

You will learn how to prepare the fiber for spinning. You will learn how to use a spinning wheel and/or a spindle to make yarn from roving.  If there is time, you will also learn how to ply your yarn too.

You can reserve your spot here.

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Tip of the Day: Auditioning Skeins that Work

In this quick tip and trick of the day, I walk you though how I put together skeins that will work well together in a shawl, sweater or larger project where you want multiple skeins.

Of course if you love any of these combos, you can get them in my webstore. I also have special OOAK curated triads for sale here.

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Maryland Sheep and Wool Prep Behind the Scenes

These are part of my Five Elements collections. In this photo are space and water

Getting all ready for the show this weekend. Remember I’ll be open from 11-2pm on Saturday and Sunday and I will be hosting concierge shopping at 3pm EDT via zoom. Link will be sent out to email subscribers on Friday morning.

More of the Five Elements collection: earth, fire and air pictured
Big ole pile of Zephyrette our luxury blend
More springtime colorways
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Tip of the day: adding new yarn

These two tips of the day seem to really go together. First of all where to change your yarn when you are doing colorwork and even if you are just putting in a stripe. And second what to do when you come across a knot or other imperfection in the yarn. I show you the way that I start a new yarn so that there aren’t loose stitches or even a hole that you have to fix later.