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Meet the Jacob: Robin Lynde in Black and White (and Lilac)

Meet the Jacob sheep, a rare breed known for its spotted fleece and multiple horns, producing soft and lofty fiber that’s favored by handspinners.

Your Guide to Silk with Karen Selk

In her quest to understand all aspects of silk, Karen Selk has focused her life’s journey on both the lustrous fibers and the communities that produce it. This 5-part mini-series taps into her decades of experience and enduring love for all things silk.

Long Thread Podcast: Peggy Orenstein, Author of Unraveling

Season 6, Episode 5: Life lessons are where you find them. Peggy Orenstein found them in her quest to build a sweater from scratch.

Green Dye and Death

This St. Patrick’s Day, let’s talk about the color green, specifically, the emerald-green dye put out by the Wilhelm Dye and White Lead Company.

Long Thread Podcast Transcript: Shepherd & Navajo Weaver Nikyle Begay

In Spring 2022, we spoke with Nikyle Begay from their home on the Navajo Reservation in Season 5, Episode 1.

VM Is Not the End: Save That Fleece with Handcards

Vegetable matter (VM)—the chaff, twigs, and burrs that can become embedded in our fleeces—is considered a flaw. But how much VM is too much? It’s a matter of opinion.

Collecting Cashmere in Kyrgyzstan

Comb, shed, or shear? The advantages of hand-combing the extraordinary goats of Kyrgyzstan is explored here.

Subscriber Exclusive

Inspired by Speckles: Adding Easy Bursts of Color to Your Handspun

Hand-dyed speckle yarns inspired Joanna Johnson to try adding small streaks of color to her handspun. Learn two methods for adding these bursts of color with our step-by-step tutorial.

Color Play with Plant-Dyed Tops

Peek inside one spinner‘s process of using natural dyes gathered from his homeland in Australia to create nearly 150 dye extractions and over 15 pounds of colorful fiber to spin and knit to his heart's content.

Color Scheme: Spin Off Spring 2023

Just in time for spring, Spin Off contributors share their experiences dyeing, blending, spinning, and more in pursuit of the perfect palette.