Tag: handspun yarn

June/July 2023 Update

Emily Wallace Handwoven5 Comments

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I thought I would post some of my recent projects from June/July since I haven’t posted on WordPress for a while. You can find me on Instagram @emily_wallace_handwoven & also on Facebook as @emilywallacehandwovendesigns.

I’m preparing for a Scottish Festival in October, so lots of tartan scarves are on the loom. I’ve started with Middleton, Wallace, and Wallace Hunting–but more will follow.

I’ve also been weaving some handspun table runners for this event (and the holiday market in December). One is from various raw fleeces that I’ve had remnant yarn left over from and the more colorful runner is from another handspun yarn from hand dyed roving (BFL)

I’ve been spinning for the Tour de Fleece as of July 1st and here are my completed yarns so far: Handdyed Corriedale, Zwartbles, Herdwick, Icelandic/Balwen Welsh Mtn, and Shetland (finished but still on the wheel in this picture).

Monday’s knitting project was a raw fleece remnant yarn beanie from Gulf Coast Native, Icelandic-x, Babydoll Southdown, and Shetland.

2022 Tour de Fleece: Days 1-3

Emily Wallace Handwoven1 Comment

Tour de Fleece update for days 1-3:

Total yield: Approx. 192 yds of 2-ply worsted weight yarn (111g/ 3.90 oz)

Day 1: Spun 55.5g of White Eider wool singles (combed top from Camaj Fibers)

Day 2: Spun 55.5g of White Eider wool singles

Day 3: Plied 111g of White Eider wool singles

White Eider wool
White Eider wool singles
White Eider wool singles
White Eider wool 2-ply yarn
Punkie helping me ply
White Eider wool 2-ply yarn

Tour de Fleece 2022: Day before prep

Emily Wallace Handwoven1 Comment

I debated whether to participate in this year’s Tour de Fleece–mostly because I spin so much on a weekly basis as it is. Also, I’m having a major surgery on July 20th, so I can only participate from July 1-19th. I did, however, decide that I will participate as much as I can during the time before my surgery. After all, I may not be able to spin for a good six to eight weeks during my recovery period, so I had better get all the spinning done that I possibly can.

Last year, I only spun fiber that I processed from raw fleece during the event. This year, I will spin anything in my fiber stash–both dyed and undyed.

I don’t have a specific spinning goal or plan for this year’s Tour, so I’ll let each day play out how it will and I’ll post updates and pictures as I go along (just like last year).

The pictures below represent some of my fiber options I’ve chosen for the Tour. I probably won’t dig into my raw fleece processed fiber, but I like to keep my options open, so who knows? If I make too much of a plan, I tend to rebel against that plan anyway, so it’s better for me to keep my spinning options open.

I may also spin on my drop spindles for a few days this year, something I didn’t attempt last year. I’ve been having a lot of fun spinning on my Turkish drop spindle lately, so I may spin some singles on it at some point.

I’d love to hear what others are doing for this year’s Tour, so feel free to comment below with your own plans.

Finnish fiber from Camaj Fibers
Norwegian
fiber from Camaj Fibers
Swaledale
fiber from Camaj Fibers
White Eider fiber from Camaj Fibers
Various dyed fibers from my stash

Handspun Swaledale Wool Coaster

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Last April, I spun Swaledale wool for the first time and after weaving a table runner with most of the yarn, I put the remaining bit away until this week. I knew I would have to make home decor or the like out of this breed because of the high micron count (and super high amount of kemp), so I decided on an oversized crochet coaster for the remaining yarn.

I used a free crochet pattern “The Iris” which can be found HERE. I used the picot edging option.

On a spinning note: Other than a large amount of kemp in the Swaledale wool that I spun, I really enjoyed spinning this breed.

Handspun Swaledale crochet coaster
Handspun Swaledale crochet coaster
Handspun Swaledale crochet coaster
Swaledale top and handspun yarn
Swaledale handspun & woven table runner

Swaledale ewe and lamb (photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Raw Fleece to Finished Yarn: Navajo Churro/GCN lamb fleece sample + more

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This time of the year, I hate being outside–mostly because of the 90+ degree weather mixed with 50% or higher humidity here in Alabama. The only good thing about the heat is its ability to dry wet fiber quickly when set out in direct sunlight. So, I’ve tried to get through some of last year’s fleeces–or at least continue sampling those fleeces–while the heat lingers.

One of the fleeces I washed/dried over the past few weeks is a Navajo Churro/Gulf Coast Native lamb cross from Summer Fields Farm in Monteagle, Tennessee–where I purchased nine fleeces last October. While it isn’t suitable for next-to-skin items, this fleece will be fine for home goods or outerwear.

29 g (washed and carded fleece) yielded approx. 80 yards of 2-ply sport weight yarn

Churro/GCN lamb fleece sample
Churro/GCN lamb fleece sample
Churro/GCN lamb fleece sample

I also washed & drum carded a sample of some Dorset Horn raw fleece that I purchased from Three Creeks Farm in New Hampshire. I have five pounds of this fiber, but this is the first sample I’ve done so far. I’ve worked with Dorset Horn raw fleece before and I enjoy working with this breed–from the processing to the final project.

Dorset Horn sample from Three Creeks Farm (NH)

I also decided to play around this week with my mini frame loom–using some waste fiber from other raw fleece spinning projects. I don’t weave a lot on any of my frame looms, but I hate wasting fiber–even if it isn’t enough for spinning or another project. Pictured here is left-over CVM and GCN from last year’s Tour de Fleece.

Off the Needles: American Tunis beanie (from raw fleece)

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This knitted beanie was finished a few weeks ago–a project from one of my Tour de Fleece 2021 spinning samples from an American Tunis raw fleece bought from Solace Farmstead in Coalmont, TN.

Although I don’t remember the fiber being exceptional when I was spinning it, the finished beanie turned out wonderfully soft and lofty. This would be a good yarn for a sweater project in the future with the remaining 2.75+ pounds of remaining fleece.

Raw Fleece to Finished Yarn Sample: “Freesia” Shetland lamb fleece from Ballyhoo Farms

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Sample of “Freesia” Shetland ram lamb raw fleece from Ballyhoo Farms (Kentucky) yielded 114 yards of 2-ply sport weight (40g). Fiber was scoured with Unicorn Power Scour and hand carded before being spun semi-worsted. I believe this was a 2021 fleece, so the tips were a bit fragile from temperature changes with the lanolin–and I bought it discounted as a result. I have 2 pounds total of this fleece.

New Fleeces from Ballyhoo Fiber Emporium: Shetland & Icelandic-cross Lamb

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Other than the two fleeces from my own sheep, I hadn’t bought any other raw fleeces this year. Then, Ballyhoo Fiber Emporium had a fleece sale–but even then, I was good. I only bought two: a Shetland fleece and an Icelandic cross lamb fleece.

I started processing the Icelandic cross lamb fleece today, and processed a small sample from the larger Shetland fleece. It was super hot outside today (91 degrees was the high), so I took advantage of the sunshine and dried the whole Icelandic fleece outside in a couple of hours. Then I processed about 30 grams of it (via my drum carder) and spun a two-ply sample of about 33 yards of worsted weight.

I’m still hand carding the Shetland sample, but I should have a yarn sample spun up tomorrow if everything goes as planned. The Vet is coming to castrate Sean, my surprise ram lamb born in February, so that’ll be the first order of business in the morning (and not something I’m looking forward to.)

Punkie inspecting the fleeces upon arrival
Shetland raw fleece
Icelandic cross lamb fleece
Shetland raw fleece
Shetland raw fleece sample & hand carded slivers

Raw Fleece to Finished Object: Gulf Coast Native Table Runner

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Yesterday, I was looking through some of my handspun yarn from last year’s Tour de Fleece and I found a skein of GCN yarn (raw fleece from Alchemy Farms, Gurley, AL) that I had slightly felted during the dyeing process. (Yarn had been naturally dyed with crushed annatto seeds). Knowing I couldn’t use it for clothing, I decided to weave a table runner with it and another small undyed GCN sample from the same fleece.

After measuring my coffee table to decide how long to weave the runner, I set up my 32″ Kromski Harp loom and began weaving. A few hours later, my table runner was finished, and another ‘raw fleece to finished object’ had been completed. My tension got a little uneven while progressing my work on the loom (something that I usually have control over), so one side is a little wider than the other. I think I could wet block it to even it out, but I’m not really too concerned since it’s for my personal use.

I’ve been moving at a snail’s pace this year, project-wise, but I’m hoping once my health issues improve, I can really move forward with my ’52+ projects a year’ goal.