On a whim, while browsing Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, I came upon Job’s Tears. Job’s Tears is a grain grass native to Southeast Asia. Job’s Tears are used in Chinese medicine, as a grinding grain for flours and breads and in soups. It is also used for beads. I searched for information on harvesting Job’s
For many of us in the United States, we’ve been swamped with digital connection during the last two weeks. Those who are working from home have had endless Zoom meetings and webinars. All of the fiber folks I know have stepped up to offer online teaching, digital yarn shows, and video meetups. So many museums,
Looking for some color inspiration for your fiber? Try one of these color apps. Yes, I know there are a ton of great apps out there. These are a few of my favorites. CANVA Canva is a multi-faceted tool that allows you to design professional-looking documents, logos and infographics. It also has a nice palette
Allow me to throw a few statistics at you about knitting: According to the Craft Yarn Council, 53 million Americans (more than 15 % of the U.S. population) know how to knit. Another 7.3 million knitters live in the UK. Since 2002, participation in the knitting community has increased by more than 150%. Research shows
While reading back over old issues of Spin-Off, I found an article about synthetic fibers that fascinated me. It made me go out of my way to order a 1978 book titled Man-Made Fibers Fact Book. Before 1900, man-made synthetic fibers didn’t really exist. The article lists a number of synthetics with their first U.S.
Like with most of the topics we discuss, opinion is nine-tenths of the law. However, let’s talk a little about the physics behind what makes a good spindle bowl. The bowls pictured are my two favorite spindle bowls. The ceramic, divot bowl is from Monger Ware Arts. The concave, wooden bowl is from Skaska Designs.
When it comes to talking about plant fibers, we throw a lot of terminology around. For a number of us, wool was our first fiber, and plant fibers are a world away. (Mind you, there’s not a “best” starting point. It isn’t “better” to start with wool over plant fibers. Start where you’re at. I
One of the most common errors I see in natural dye recipes and discussions online is the confusion between a mordant and a modifier. For example, I’ve heard vinegar called a mordant more times than I can count. The truth is, mordants and modifiers have very different purposes. A mordant, usually a heavy metal such
The tour is upon us! Happy spinning! What is Tour de Fleece (TdF)? TdF is a fiber event hosted on Ravelry which coincides with the Tour de France. For every day the tour rides, we spin. We rest on the rest days and challenge ourselves on the challenge days. This year’s tour rides from July
As many of you know, I am a librarian by day, so it should come as no surprise that I’d have a plug for the library at some point. This is a reminder that, as a fiber artist, you’ve got a world of resources at your fingertips. Yes, you’ve probably got access to Youtube and Google.
