In this excerpt from “New Twists on Old Fibers,” Christina Pappas considers spider silk from historic and modern perspectives.
What fun we’ve had looking through the SOAR archives. See what we’ve uncovered, and learn a few fun facts about our returning instructors!
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When Estonian knitter Anu Kotli’s sweet sheep puppets appeared on the cover of Spin Off Summer 2006, they were a quick hit! Grab some sport-weight yarn and knit some floppy ears.
Nålbinding is one of the oldest textile arts. It’s so old, in fact, that the specifics of its origins are unknown.
Season 5, Episode 6: An icon of Indian textile tradition and independence, charkha spinning has mostly disappeared from contemporary life. Avani Varia works to preserve the skill, create a living for spinners, and spread the charkha joy.
As the temperature begins to drop and the leaves change colors, spinners feel the call in the air to join together and learn new skills at the Spin Off Autumn Retreat!
When I really want to surrender to spontaneity and playfulness, I take out my cake-decorating supplies and start dyeing yarn with food coloring.
Our annual tool issue turns to a topic brimming with creativity and steeped in debate: all things carding. Do you love handcards, drumcards, blending boards, and more? Share your article and project ideas with Spin Off!
We gathered some fibers we had on hand for this introduction to natural fibers. The list is nowhere near exhaustive, but it provides examples of common plant and animal spinning fibers.
The last Saxony wheel created by Rick Reeves will make its SOAR debut in a few weeks, so we wanted to share this 2017 article about the life and legacy of Rick and his wife, Marge.