Hello Fiber Friends,

I have decided to post quarterly updates about what I have been working on in the studio.

Weaving

This quarter, I created a plan to make cotton tea towels out of 8/4 cotton, and to hand dye the warp. I used Alum Acetate to mordant the cotton warp, plus a soak in a Cream of Tartar bath. For the dye I used about 2 tsp of dye to 16oz of water. Although it looked quite vibrant during the dye process, the colors muted quite a bit after steaming and rinsing.

I then warped my loom sectionally by threading the warp through my tension box, and warping from the chain. This worked out very well. I picked an 8-harness pattern, threaded the heddles, and started weaving!

I made 4 23”x16” tea towels out of that warp, with very little loom waste. Really pleased with how they turned out and the weight and drape of the towels. I think 8/4 for warp and weft would make lovely cotton blankets too. Perhaps for a future project.

Knitting

I started Marie Wallin’s Yell Cardigan this quarter. It is a gorgeous fair isle extravaganza, and I am using the kit of Jamieson’s Spindrift. This will probably end up being a long term project. I was hoping to have it complete by the Summer Solstice, but I am not so sure if it will be possible with the amount of other projects I have planned. It is a super fun knit though! I will share progress photos of it once I complete the lower band of Fair Isle knitting.

Another knitting project I have been working on this quarter is the Ivy Tee by Petite Knit. It is the perfect little mindless knitting project that I needed this quarter. It’s top down with some nice simple saddle shoulder shaping, short rows for the neckline, and then some raglan increases for the sleeves. This version I am knitting has short sleeves and I am expecting it to be perfect for almost 3 season wear. I used the Sandnes Garn called for in the pattern, it is a 100% non-superwash merino wool. This yarn was very nice to work with, although just a little bit splitty. I found the pattern to be well written and very easy to follow, and for once I followed the pattern as writ!

My Pressed Flowers cowl is coming along—nearly finished but the Ivy Tee took some precedence over it. The Pressed Flowers cowl is one of my own creations, and this is my second time knitting it. I am considering writing and publishing a pattern for it, so if you are interested please do let me know. It’s a great pattern for letting handspun yarn shine. I am using some very old handspun, made from Hobbeldehoy battlings (if you remember Hobbeldehoy then you know!) and a yarn I made from one of the first fleeces I bought and processed myself from a Finn sheep.

Spinning/Fiber

Fiber-wise, I have been working on a Shetland fleece from an ewe named Olivia, who is 13 years old! Her fleece was purchased from SVFF and shared with my friend. I think we each got about 2-4lbs, I really can’t remember. The fleece was uncoated and Oliva led quite the sheepy life judging from the veg matter in the fleece. It washed up well and I have drumcarded it into batts. My plan is to spin it into either a 2 or 3ply yarn, depends on the final yardage.

I have also been working my way through Cyrus, a ram fleece from Shepherd’s Hey Farm in Comus, MD. Cyrus was my big MDSW fleece purchase from 2025. He is a 100% Romney and was coated, and worth every penny. His fleece weighed about 7 pounds unwashed. I washed him using my portable washer/spinner combo machine outside. That made quick work of washing and drying the fleece. I have been experimenting with combing some of his locks and plan to drum card most of the fleece…there is a LOT of it! I’ve sample spinned a bit of the combed top on some of my supported spindles, and I love the way it’s spinning up. Glossy, a little “wooly” and with a wonderful bounce.

That essentially wraps up Q1. More in the works for Q2, plus updates from the Waterford Weaver’s Guild, Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, and more fiber arts. Be well and keep creating!

Quarter 1

Weaving

Knitting

Spinning/Fiber