Tanzanite Flax Brunch: Spin This Delicious Wool & Flax Blend Yarn

There are just some handspun yarns that dazzle us with texture and depth. They spark curiosity about how they were made. At the School of SweetGeorgia, we explore all kinds of colour spinning techniques, from blending hues, dividing up braids for fractal spun yarns, to combo spinning and more. But sometimes, the magic lies in the fibre itself and the way it’s prepared. This is one of those yarns that makes us ask more! In our newest course, Spinning Bast Fibres: Tow Top & Bast Blends, Kim McKenna takes us through her process for creating this stunning skein of handspun yarn from a wool & flax blend. Step-by-step, she shares her thoughtful approach to working with these unique fibres, and the result is truly captivating.

wool and flax yarn
Learn to spin this stunning yarn in our new course, Spinning Bast Fibres: Tow Tops & Bast Blends!

Spinning Bast Fibres: Tow Tops & Bast Blends

Many spinners find bast fibres like flax and hemp a bit daunting at first. But in this new course with Kim McKenna, she gently guides us through approachable, step-by-step lessons that open the door to these remarkable plant-based fibres. It’s an invitation to expand your spinning practice in exciting new ways.

Tow Combed Top

Rather than diving straight into long, line flax and managing a distaff, we begin with a softer entry point: tow combed top. Tow top is often referred to as the “waste”, left behind after line fibres are removed, but these tow fibres are still full of strength and character. In fact, it’s strong enough that you’ll need scissors to break your singles.

handspun yarn
Kim demonstrates four ways to spin each fibre and many ways to explore blends!

Tow fibres bring something special to handspinning. As Kim shows, it adds texture, dimension, and beautiful shifts in colour and value when blended with wool, a stunning example of how even the most overlooked fibres can create something extraordinary. These handspun blends are amazing for knitting, crocheting, and great weft in weaving.

Throughout the lessons, Kim explores a variety of bast fibres including natural and bleached flax (linen), hemp, ramie, and Himalayan nettle. But this is just the beginning. She also shares how to confidently sample new-to-you fibres, setting you up for success and inspiring future discoveries in your spinning journey.

Making Bast Blends

In this course, Kim McKenna doesn’t just show us how to spin 100% bast fibres, she also dives into blending them with wool, making bast blends. Using Corriedale, Merino, and our BFL+Silk blend, Kim walks us through multiple handspun yarns, each with rich, textured combinations that highlight the strengths of both plant and animal fibres.

wool and bast yarns
A sample of just a few of the wool and bast blended yarns that Kim shares in the course.

Kim takes the time to explore a variety of blend ratios and, just as importantly, knits swatches of each one. Seeing how the fibre behaves through every stage gives us an invaluable look at how different blends perform, sparking ideas for our own spinning experiments and creative play.

This featured yarn is a perfect example of her thoughtful approach to fibre preparation. Rather than simply adding bleached flax tow to the top with wool, Kim chose two braids of SweetGeorgia BFL+Silk fibre, in the Tanzanite and Beachside Brunch colourways, selects specific colours from each braid, and prepares her fibre using a blending board, hand cards, and a diz. The result is a captivating 3-ply yarn that showcases both planning and creativity in every ply.

Wool & Flax yarn
Tanzanite Flax Brunch: handspun yarn, prepared from our BFL+Silk hand-dyed fibre from two colourways, blended with bleached flax tow combed top fibre.

Learn More with Kim at the School of SweetGeorgia

Kim McKenna teaches a wide range of spinning courses at the School of SweetGeorgia. From beginner-friendly options like Tension Systems and Spin-In Clinic to more in-depth explorations such as Nuances to Spinning Better Yarns and Working from Fleece, she brings care and clarity to every lesson. Kim also dives into colour and fibre blending in Spin a Hand-Dyed Braid Five Ways, helping spinners of all levels explore new possibilities with confidence.

wool and flax yarn
Print

Tanzanite Flax Brunch

A Wool & Flax Blended Handspun Yarn: a project that’s more than a snack spin, not quite a full meal, something in between, like brunch!

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

Preparing the Tanzanite & Flax Fibre

  • Following Kim’s instructions in the course, start by dividing the Tanzanite fibre into separate colour piles. This will help you see the range of hues more clearly before you begin blending.
  • Next, weigh out the recommended amount of flax. Take your time to get everything measured accurately for the best results.
  • Now, begin layering your blend on the blending board. Try to maintain even and consistent coverage as you add fibre.
  • Once your blend is complete, remove the fibre as a batt and gently break it into strips. Place each strip onto a hand card, then use a diz to remove the fibre into a continuous roving. This helps create a smooth, easy-to-spin preparation and adds to the fibre blending process.

Preparing the Beachside Brunch fibre & Second Ply of Tanzanite

  • Divide the braid into manageable and equal-sized strips. Place one strip onto a hand card, then gently diz it off into roving. 

Spinning the Yarn

  • Spin all three plies as Kim explains in the course.
    wool batt from a blending board
  • Ply all three singles together using the Plying Through the Ring method. Once finished, wet-finish to set the twist, then admire your beautiful handspun yarn!

More About Kim McKenna

Want to Learn More About Spinning Wool & Flax (And Other Bast) Yarn Blends?

Join the School of SweetGeorgia! One of the great perks of being an All-Access member is the opportunity to ask Kim McKenna questions about their articles and courses and connect with fellow members.

Not yet a member of the School? We invite you to come and see what it is all about! Use the code: EXPLORETHESCHOOL to save 15% on an All-Access monthly membership!

The post Tanzanite Flax Brunch: Spin This Delicious Wool & Flax Blend Yarn appeared first on SweetGeorgia Yarns.



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