Yarnspinners Tales's Podcast

Got grist? If not, this podcast will help you understand just what this spinning term means, how it is figured and why it's an important part of spinning a specific yarn.

This episode continues the discussion of spinning a certain type of yarn, regardless of the fiber you choose. This time we are not going to just copy a commercial yarn, but start from nothing but the idea of spinning yarn for socks.

A very important link on the web was mentioned in the podcast and it can be found here. It is the work of Llyn Payne, and is a listing the the characteristics such as YPP and WPI of commercial yarns using the standard numeric system available on ball bands. From this information we can find the target range of these figures to use in our calculations for creating similiar yarns.

I would like to take a moment to explain a calculation that I mention in the podcast that did not get enough explanation. The discussion was covering how to determine the amount of fiber needed to spin a project (in our example we were saying socks) The formula uses grist, weight length and the number 16 (oz to lbs conversion). It looks like this:

G=(M/W)L

where G=grist M=16 for US weight or 1000 for metric W=weight and L=length

Normally this calculation is used to figure grist (because we have the weight and length already) If we want to find out how much fiber to buy to make a certain yards of yarn at a certain grist we can do some algebraic magic and solve for W. I did this in the podcast without really explaining how I got the amount. Here's the actual calculation:

If I want to spin 450 yards of 2 ply sock yarn and look up in the above chart to see that sock yarn has a range of 1675 to 2100 YPP (which is the grist and I will take an arbitrary middle of the range figure 1800) it would be solved like this:

1800=16/W(450)

16/W=1800/450

16/W=4

Multiply both sides by W

16=4W

4=W

This means W (your weight of fiber needed) is 4 oz I very conveniently choose a number that worked out evenly, it will not always do that, and the spinner should always round up to be sure to have enough.

A big thank you to my daughter who was in college more recently than myself and so could remember how to solve algebra equations.

Music today is from Mevio a podsafe music network. The interlude music was by Kumpania Algazarra and is called Skabicine. The closing song is Hardly Enough by WAZ

As always a big thank you to Clare Dowling for the spinning song.

It was suppose to be yarn for socks, but.... How often do we say that as spinners. If you have found a specific project that you want to make from hand spun yarn, and you want some tips on how to spin the yarn the right size, listen to this podcast.

My blog can be found here.

I now have a website studio on Artfire which is called ZavagantStudio. I have lovely fibers ready to spin, and even a sampler box of fibers, that allow you to spin a variety of fibers. And for the knitters and weavers that listen in who haven't learn to spin yet, I have my handspun yarn for sale. Please take a few minutes to check the studio and my products.

All music today is from Mevio's Music Alley formerly the Podsafe Music Network.

The wonderful interlude music is by Alimagne and is called Solo.

The closing song, Let's Eat Home is by Linda Baker

This podcast continues the discussion of how to buy fibers for spinning and then store them. I first talk about what to look for when purchasing the non wool fibers, like alpaca, mohair and angora. The second part goes into how to store your fibers until you are ready to wash the fleece or spin them.

I have more photos of a recent fleece that I was prepping for storage on my blog.

I could not ignore the holiday though, and since it is Halloween, my yarnspinner tale is an original ghost story I tell just for this podcast. It is called The Haunting of Sara Jane.

A big thank you to Clare Dowling for her Spinning song used in the podcast intro. All music is from the podsafe music network now known as music alley. Musicians in today's podcast include:

New Band demos with Halloween

the delicate art of noise pollution with Spooky Funk

If you are a spinner or knitter and would like to support this podcast please check out my Artfire studio. I have fibers for spinners, and handspun yarn for knitters available for sale at that site.

Buying a fleece straight from the sheep is the true starting point for many spinners. In this podcast I talk about thinking through the process before you actually go shopping, and then what to look for when you are finally ready to buy.

I would like to include references to two books that I mention in this podcast:

Turning Wool into a Cottage Industry by Paula Simmons

In Sheep's Clothing by Nola and Jane Fournier

Music is from the podsafe music network and was the instrumental Change of Autumn by Brian Turner.

As promised: a listing of sheep breed based on the softest possible micron count (the number listed after the name of the sheep):

Sheep breeds softest to roughest listing

Reference In Sheep's Clothing by Nola and Jane Fournier

Fine wools Merino 18 Rambouillet 19 CVM 21 Cormo 21 Polworth 21 Romeldale 21 Targhee 22 Polypal 22 Bond 23 Columbia 24 Corriedale 26

Down Breeds Shetland 23 Southdown 23 Clun Forest 25 Montadale 25 Tunis 25 Black Welsh Mountain 26 Ryeland 26 Shropshire 26 Suffolk 26 Cheviot 28

Longwools Blue faced Leicester 24 Texel 26 Gotland 28 Perendale 28 Teeswater 30 Wensleydale 30 Romney 33 Cotswold 34 Coopworth 35 Lincoln 36 Border Leicester 37

The wonderful fluffy sheep is one of the breeds I talk about in today's spin in podcast, the Polworth. I also discuss the Southdown sheep breed.

I've put in a small segment for beginner spinners on just how I fiddle with my spinning wheel when starting to spin a new to me fiber.

And if it is a spin-in then there must be a story, and today's yarnspinnertale is about sense of humor.

Here's the promised links!

Here's a good link for more information about the Polworth sheep.

I have a group on Ravelry, listed as yarnspinnerstales spin-in. Search in the groups box and come join the group.

I have a fiber sampler box of 10 different fibers for sale in my Artfire store, ZavagantStudio. Check it out now and then, I will continue to add items for sale there over the next two months.

All music is from Mevio's Music Alley (formerly the Podsafe Music Network). Today's theme: Humor!

The first song is by Marc Gunn, a podcaster of Celtic Music (The Celtic Music Podcast Show) and writer of very funny songs, often about cats. Today I chose What Do You Do With a Catnipped Kitty.

The very unique 'singing' of the Miranda Rights is called the Miranda Lullabye, and is sung by Paul and Storm.

The show closes with The Recycle Song by Bill Bates.

As always, a big thank you to Wren Ross for Baa Baa Black Sheep and Clare Dowling for Spinning Wheel.

Happy Spinning!

It's like a spinning studio, in a book size box. That's how the charkha spinning wheel is described in the podcast. Along with many fun stories involving spinning on this unique spinning tool, we also try to give you specifics on just how to spin on one yourself.

Every now and then it seems that the pictures really will speak louder than the words, so to help you understand just what we are talking about we have posted a video on Youtube. Here's a direct link for it. You have to pick which to do first, listen to the podcast, or watch the video...just don't do them both at the same time!

I have lots of links about charkhas. You can find lots more through Google I am sure. If you want to join the discussion, come on over to Ravelry and join the Yarnspinnerstales group there. We'd love to hear from you.

Thank you to Elaine Benfatto for her DVD Charkha Spinning: Tips and Techniques, which I review in the podcast.

Thank you to Jonathon Bosworth, for making not only the charkha we talk about, but many other lovely spinning tools.

Thank you to Gokul Salvadi for all the music in today's podcast. The interlude was Plucked Sitar and the closing song was Traibal Dance. His music can be found at Music Alley, formerly the Podsafe music network.

Here's lots more links

http://www.markshep.com/nonviolence/Charkha.html

http://www.journeywheel.com/content/section/6/107/

http://www.charkhafiberbook.com/

http://ssbjecharka.blogspot.com/2009/03/spin-sing-and-power-e-charkha-way.html

http://www.mielkesfarm.com/charkha_vid.htm

http://www.charkha.biz/Charkha/tools.htm advertises tuned indian charkha

http://www.woolery.com/pages/charkhafr.html has video I reviewed

http://www.paradisefibers.net/CHARKHA-SPINNING-TIPS-DVD-p/999131.htm also has video

http://halcyonyarn.com/spinning.php has video

http://www.yarnbarn-ks.com/CHARKHA-SPINNING-TIPS-DVD/productinfo/VS-DX417/ has video

http://www.dyegarden.com/2009/05/cigar-box-charkha-building-and-dye.html building a cigar box charkha

http://www.woolworks.com/Shop/Videos/Spinning has video

http://fiberdrunk.blogs.se/2007/09/16/charkha_plying_solution~2990381/ cool upright kate

It's July and the spinning is easy. Grab your fiber and favorite spinning tool and listen in as I talk about washing alpaca fiber, keeping angora bunnies cool in the heat.

Music used in today's podcast in from Music Alley, formerly the podsafe music network. A big thank you to all the musicians that put there music out there for us to hear, we love you for it!

Summerfeeling is the name of the interlude music and it's by Dreamweaver.

Triple6fusion played Night of the Dancing Guitars.

The wonderful closing song for the podcast is by John Voorhees.

Don't forget to check out my new Artfire store Zavagantstudio. Fibers with lots of luxury for spinning are currently available.

There are not really any photos for this podcast, but feel free to check out my blog anyway.

Happy spinning!

This podcast talks about carding with handcarders, or a drumcarder. Not only is it a wonderful way to get your fiber ready to spin, it is also a very useful tool for blending fibers or colors.

Carding with handcards is shown on this video. We made this video when we were podcasting about cotton, but the concept of carding is the same, and I thought it would be good to include the link again.

There was a big announcement quietly made in this podcast: My new online shop! This shop will be a place for selling fibers and other creative pursuits that catch my fancy. You can find it at ZavagantStudios at the Artfire website.

If you want to see other carding that I have been doing, check out my blog.

The music used in today's podcast is from a podsafe music network, mevio (formally the podsafe music network site).

The interlude music is Summer by General Fuzz.

The closing song is Midsummer Night by Robert Walker.

And as always a big thank you to Clare Dowling for the spinning song that I use as my podcast theme song.

Happy blending!

It's Spin in time, grab your fiber and listen in as the podcast reviews two spinning books and later a yarnspinnerstale about best friends.

The books in the review this podcast are Spinning Designer Yarns by Diane Varney, and the newly released book by Judith Mackenzie McCuin.

I have a group on Ravelry now, come join us! Here's a direct link, or you can go to Ravelry, click the groups tab and search for yarnspinnerstales, you should get a link to connect to the group.

It seems that the Podsafe Music Network now has a new name (and probably new owner). Although it will be hard not to call it that, because that's been it's name forever. However when you go to the home page you will see it is now called Mevio. Whatever it's called, the music is still available to podcaster's and therefore for your listening pleasure also.

Summer is officially here, and so the music has summer as it's theme.

Peaches in the Summertime is by Iona Leigh a repeat artist for the podcast.

Summer with a New Piano is the lovely instrumental by Allan Metts

A brief reprise was Summer Thing by Mathechew Studios

And the closing song, My Best Friend is by Spaghetti Cake

Spinning non wool fibers, part two. The protein non wool fibers are the topic of today's podcast which includes silkworm silk, soysilk, and milk fiber. The photo shown here is dyed soysilk.

Some more photos of the fibers we talk about are on the blog here.

Music today is from the Podsafe Music Network and includes the following musicians:

Opening song: If Everybody Loved the Blues by Mean Gene Kelton and the Die Hards.

The interlude music was a portion of Chris Harper's Deep Blue Sky.

Closing song was What More Do You Want? by Maria Daines

Bonus track is Cowboys and Aliens by Jeff Ronay