Colour Collab // Rachel Smith: Wesley’s Field
At the start of the year, our spinning instructors at the School of SweetGeorgia shared photos of what inspires them during the winter season. From those beautiful images, our team in the SweetGeorgia studio hand-dyed custom colourways, bringing the inspiration to life through our Colour Collab Collection: Winter Inspirations. Each instructor spun their colourway which we are happy to share with you! Whether inspiration comes from a photograph, a colourway, or a finished yarn, we love sharing that creative spark with our fibre arts community. Rachel Smith: Wesley’s Field is the third post in the series
Throughout June, we’re sharing these special yarns along with the stories behind how they were spun.
Please check back to see all five posts as they are released:
- Kim McKenna- River Walk
- Diana Twiss- Shadows on Snow
- Rachel Smith- Wesley’s Field
- Debbie Held- Winter Skies
- Katrina Stewart- Sprinkles of Joy
Wesley’s Field Colourway
The Inspirational Photograph
“This photo was taken out at my in-laws in rural Ontario, overlooking my nephew’s field (hence, Wesley’s Field). They have the most amazing skies, and this particular Christmas season was cold! “
The Fibre: Trifecta & Corriedale
Trifecta: This base begins with Bluefaced Leicester wool, a fibre known for its strength and surprising softness, making it perfect for next-to-skin projects. We then add mohair, not to create a fuzzy texture, but to boost durability. Finally, a touch of silk brings both extra strength and a beautiful sheen, enhancing the natural lustre of the blend. Together, these fibres create a yarn that is strong enough for socks yet soft and drapey enough for the dreamiest shawls.
Corriedale: Corriedale is a favourite among many spinners, and for good reason. It’s easy to manage while spinning, takes colour beautifully, and is durable and soft enough for next-to-skin use. Many beginners start with Corriedale because it leads to satisfying results right from the start.
The Handspun Yarn
Rachel blends technique with a relaxed approach to create truly beautiful yarns. You’ll find all the step-by-step details just a little further down in this post.
Rachel: “I wanted an easy spin, so I sat down and just started spinning from one end with no preparation at all. I spun a fine singles with the intention of making a 3-ply later. Then I wound off three equal parts of the singles to ply together. I added more twist than I normally would, but I knew the BFL–Mohair blend could handle it, and it’s made a beautiful yarn to work with.”
Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith, a knitter and handspinner, creates spinning content through Wool n’ Spinning and fosters a community for handspinners of all levels, sharing her love for making yarn. She has been knitting and sewing for many years, with spinning becoming a passion after a friend helped her get her wheel running smoothly.
Rachel lives just outside Vancouver, BC, with her husband and two children. When not crafting, she enjoys being outdoors, camping, hiking, and capturing moments through photography. Rachel also works as a critical care RN in a large ICU.
Rachel Smith’s Courses
Spin to Knit a Hat
There’s something magical about dreaming up possibilities from a hand-dyed braid. In this course, Rachel shows you how to turn that braid into yarn ready for your favourite knitting patterns, covering sampling, colour management, and more.
Spin to Knit Socks
Once you have worn a pair of hand-knit socks, you will never go back. But how do we make our handspun yarns strong enough for socks? Through these lessons, Rachel explores how to create your ideal pair of handspun socks and what to consider before you spin.
Spin to Knit a Sweater
Spinning yarn for an entire garment can feel both exciting and a little overwhelming. How do you keep your yarn consistent, and how much do you really need? In this course, Rachel walks you through everything to consider when spinning larger quantities, from sampling for success to planning with confidence.
Spinning Sheep Breeds
Join instructor Rachel Smith in this in-depth course as she explores a wide range of sheep breeds for spinning, from fine and medium wools to longwools, downs, and even double-coated and primitive breeds. Each lesson looks at what defines these categories, breed characteristics, and how they influence the yarns we can create.
Spinning Luxury Fibres: Silks
Start to explore luxury fibres, starting with the elegance of silk. While silk often appears in blends, its true beauty shines when experienced on its own. Rachel Smith takes us through the different types of silk, from their origins to spinning techniques, and shows how to blend them beautifully with merino wool using hand cards and wool combs.
Spinning Luxury Fibres: Camelids
One of the most accessible and cuddly fibres for hand-spinners comes from camelids. This course offers an inviting introduction to spinning alpaca, llama, and camel fibre. Rachel explores how to spin pure camelid fibres and create luxurious blends with silk and merino for something truly special.
Spinning Luxury Fibres: Goats & Rare Fibres
Rachel introduces us to the exquisite fibres from goats, cashmere, mohair, and pygora, as well as yak and angora (rabbit). These rare and delicate fibres often demand special attention while spinning. To wrap up the Luxury Fibre Series, Rachel shows how to blend any of these fibres, including silks and camelids, into personal, custom creations using the techniques and considerations explored throughout the series. The possibilities are endless.
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! All-Access gets you access to knitting, crochet, dyeing, spinning, weaving, tapestry, punch needle, and more! Or, choose to sign up for just the Spinning membership. Come take a look, we have something for everyone!
More About Rachel Smith
Rachel also creates content on the SweetGeorgia site. Browse Rachel’s articles to discover techniques, refine your skills, and spark creativity.
Colour Collab // Rachel Smith: Wesley’s Field
Instructions
Spinning
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Rachel was aiming for an easy, no-fuss spin. Without any fibre prep, she spun the braid from end to end on one bobbin.
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About two-thirds of the way through, she began to think about how she wanted to ply the singles. She did plyback samples for both a 3-ply and a 4-ply. The 4-ply had more substance; it was firm but not stiff, while the 3-ply was softer. The 3-ply came out at 9 WPI compared to 14 WPI for the 4-ply. In the end, she preferred the feel of the 3-ply and chose to go with that.
Plying
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To prepare for plying, she measured 300 feet of singles from the one bobbin through her yardage counter. She then ran it through the yardage counter again, dividing the yardage evenly across three bobbins, ensuring each had the same amount for her 3-ply yarn.
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Drawing on her experience from her Wool n’ Spinning group breed study, Rachel wanted a firmer twist angle. Her yarn twisted four times on itself after plying and became balanced after wet finishing.
Notes
Join Our Community!
- At the School of SweetGeorgia, we’ve built a vibrant and welcoming community of fibre-loving makers, passionate instructors, and dedicated staff. Whether you’re looking for guidance on a new technique or just need a little creative encouragement, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
- 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!
- We welcome you to join us in our SweetGeorgia Community. This is where we share projects that inspire, have fibre-filled conversations, host make-alongs, and participate in a variety of virtual meetings! We discuss all things knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, machine knitting, and more!
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