Devin Helmen has been immersed in fiber since learning to spin at age 8. They spin, knit, and weave in beautiful Minnesota. Devin enjoys writing and teaching about fiber arts and has a passion for spindles and everyday textiles.
I often hear people talking, half proudly and half guiltily, about their stashes of spinning fiber, but I celebrate my stash. To borrow a phrase from a global phenomenon, my stash sparks joy!
Devin offers tips for making space for spinning to suit any living situation, from a single spindle and a few ounces of fiber in a basket to a room filled with tools, a wheel, and fiber.
Sizing your singles yarn will not make a weak yarn stronger, but it will prevent some of the fuzzing due to abrasion, which is inevitable in all yarns as they are being woven.
Devin Helmen sings the praises of making handspun yarn with a purpose—or what he jokingly refers to as “chore spinning.”
I love wearing handspun socks in the Minnesota winters. I have encountered many people who think that there is some magic to making sock yarn.