Warm Pup Sweater

We have an active dog, but her small frame and thin fur sometimes leave her shivering! This pink pup sweater was crocheted to size using handspun wool yarn.

This crocheted pink pup sweater was stitched to size for my little dog. Mila loves to go anywhere we go. Even though she stays active, her small frame and thin fur sometimes leave her shivering! I chose pure wool for her sweater, so she would still be warm when she gets snow-damp. I’m not sure how this bright,… read more

Core Spinning

Core spinning involves wrapping fibers around a strand of spun yarn. The fibers cover the strand of yarn, which becomes the "core" of the new yarn.

Core spinning involves wrapping fibers around a strand of spun yarn. The fibers cover the strand of yarn, which becomes the “core” of the new yarn. You can use virtually anything for a core: another strand of handspun, thread, commercial yarn… Here I used a commercial fingering weight acrylic yarn that’s been sitting in my stash… read more

Crochet Pattern: Ribbed Keyhole Scarf

Ribbed Keyhole Scarf: a quick pattern for a crochet scarf with a "keyhole" opening on one end. This cozy accessory stays in place without tying or pinning.

This Ribbed Keyhole Scarf makes a great last-minute gift because the design is simple and the pattern works up so quickly. Only a few hours and one skein of worsted weight yarn! The scarf is worked in rows, leaving a “keyhole” opening on one end. This means you can have a cozy accessory that’s not super-long, but stays in… read more

A Beginner’s Adventures in Handspinning

Join me as I take on a new fiber hobby to complement my crochet: handspinning my own yarn. Part 4 includes my further progress as a new spinner.

Part 4 I feel like I’m making progress as a new spinner and things are going pretty well. I’m starting to move beyond the park-and-draft method of having to stop the spindle to catch up with the drafting. I’ve been trying to spin a little every day, as suggested for beginners to really get the rhythm down. I’m still… read more

A Beginner’s Adventures in Handspinning

Join me as I take on a new fiber hobby to complement my crochet: handspinning my own yarn. Part 3 includes my first finished two-ply yarn.

Part 3 I’ve finished spinning my first 2-ply yarn. Spinning the dyed combed top with my light drop spindle, I got the singles as thin and uniform as I could. It’s still taking me some time to get the rhythm and consistency down. I spun two singles and wound them into balls. I love the way the singles turned out, and… read more

A Beginner’s Adventures in Handspinning

Join me as I take on a new fiber hobby to complement my crochet: handspinning my own yarn. Part 2 includes my first attempt at spinning a single.

Part 2 I’ve finally embarked on my journey in handspinning yarn. Here it is: my first single! Becoming familiar with working with fibers and manipulating them into yarn has been a slow, but quite interesting, learning process. There are so many factors that affect the character of the spun yarn. Getting everything to come together as… read more

A Beginner’s Adventures in Handspinning

Join me as I take on a new fiber hobby to complement my crochet: handspinning my own yarn. Part 1 includes an introduction and resources.

Part 1 I’ve been itching to try handspinning my own yarns. My fiber addiction finally got the best of me. For too long I’ve drooled over others’ handspun yarns. I’ve fondled wool fleeces, fantasized about color combinations. It was time to try it for myself. My man made me a small and simple drop spindle, a bottom… read more