New knitting

WHAT is Plying? Plying is when bobbins containing handspun singles are removed from the wheel, placed on a lazy kate, and then subjected to more twist.  To achieve a balanced yarn, more twist is added in the opposite direction of the first twist. This is not always the case, however. Some designer yarns add the second twist in the same direction as the first twist. This article is a review of some of the key aspects of plying handspun for balanced yarns using a spinning wheel. Transforming handspun singles into multi-ply yarn offers numerous benefits. WHY Ply? Many factors come into play when choosing whether or not to ply my singles. To give you some food for thought, here are just a few considerations I use in my own practice: Give a Yarn Strength The more plies, the stronger the yarn. Unless I want a dense fabric, I usually weave with singles or 2-ply yarns. Multi-ply yarns are good for strong rug warps or fabrics requiring densely packed weft yarns. One way I...

Do you happen to have little bits of sock yarn leftover from different projects? At today’s Taking Back Friday video, I want to share with you how I make scrappy socks using all of these bits and pieces of yarn to make some really fun, beautiful, and colourful socks to wear. I’ve created a cozy little sock knitting corner in my attic with my circular sock machine, and I’ll show you how I knit scrappy socks on my CSM. I’ve pulled out a collection of yarn colours I want to use from the bins holding all of my leftover sock yarns. You can of course make scrappy socks with hand-knitting either using two circulars, two-at-a-time, double pointed needles… however you want to knit socks. You could also use a similar process and knit yourself a cowl with stripes, or wrist warmers. Lots of different ways you can use all of your sock yarns! Just grab all of your yarn scraps and join me and make some scrappy socks! Notes from this Episode The yarns I’m using is Tough Love Sock in Arbutus, ...

In early 2000, I learned how to make yarn on a wheel through resources, support, and guidance offered by my local textile guild – the Langley Weavers and Spinners (British Columbia, Canada). A few years later, I learned how to spin on a top-whorl drop spindle and was instantly hooked. I embraced the simplicity and accessibility of the spindle. This launched my yarn-making and my foray into drop spindles. Fast forward a couple of dozen years to a global pandemic. Combine that with mind-craving stimulation and hands itching to learn a new series of skills, and I fell deep into the world of supported spindles.  When I first started learning how to make yarn with support spindles, I didn’t know what I was looking for in terms of beneficial features. I bought spindles that were beautifully crafted and gave me joy. That is until I started working with them. Over time, I’ve learned to appreciate the words of Stephanie Gaustad, “ One spindle does not do it all, it does what it does again ...

New weavers sometimes have a bit of a challenge coming to grips with the numbering systems (yarn counts) used to identify their yarns. In knitting, word descriptions are used, but in weaving, yarns are generally numbered, such as 2/8 or 5/2. These numbers are referred to as the ‘count.’ Then, it must be determined whether the numbers are the old ‘imperial’ way of numbering or one of the metric numbering systems. (See Yarn Counts at the end of the article for more details). So, yes, it does get a bit confusing! There can also be an assumption that any yarn with the same count number will be identical in terms of characteristics. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. The only thing the numbers refer to is how many yards per pound, meters per kilo, or 100 grams, etc.   The numbers are the ‘count,’ but they don’t tell someone how the fibres have been prepared for and then spun. Does this make a difference? Yes, it can! I came to weaving via spinning,...

No CSM ribber? No problem! At today’s Taking Back Friday episode , I want to share how I crank 3×1 mock rib socks on my circular sock knitting machine — my Erlbacher Speedster CSM. I’ve been wanting to get really good at using my ribber attachment for the past year. However, I feel like it requires a lot of time, focus, and attention. The kind of time that I don’t have a lot of right now. So, what I have been working on instead is to take the next baby step towards knitting ribbed socks. Join me at the vlog as I see if this mock ribbed sock is a good alternative to a traditional, fully ribbed sock knit with a CSM and ribber attachment. Closing the little gap from the purl bump (from the row below), before the pre-heel. Showing the difference if those purl bumps are not picked up. They result in a small eyelet. If you want to learn more about knitting with circular sock machines, I do have a lot of videos of how I knit socks on my CSM . I hope you will come back and join me f...