Recent


Her Handspun Habit: My Handspinning Year in (Pre)view

Each year, as December rolls past like a freight train, I find a few moments to sit and quietly reflect on my year in handspinning.

Judith MacKenzie: Fiber Inspiration and Delightful Detours

For me, The Intentional Spinner by Judith MacKenzie is one of those special books that is full of craft detours.

Lice and the History of Textiles

Maybe it’s because I’m the parent of a preschooler, but I think about lice a lot. Usually, of course, it’s less academic and more “Oh, no, there’s another outbreak at school. Child, get over here and let me check your head.”

I Am a Spinner: Stefanie Johnson, Health Inspector

With my job, you have to have a desire to learn on a daily basis. We are constantly presented with new challenges and problems to solve.

Drumcarder Maintenance: 8 Tips to Keep Your Drumcarder Like New

Drumcarders are an investment, generally ranking second only to spinning wheels in cost. It pays to maintain this awesome tool!

4 Knitting Patterns Perfect for Your Handspun Yarn

The new year inspires many of us to plan and cast on fresh projects. Look no further! Here are a few of my favorite projects from Spin Off’s 2018 issues.

Making FibreShare Friends

In 2015, Ashley Thurman, a weaver from the United States, and Cherry Greenslade, a crocheter from Australia, came up with a simple idea: an online fiber and yarn swap between friends.

The Happy Handspun Hap

They tell me that one quick way to set a Shetlander’s teeth on edge is to talk about hap shawls. It’s why I wince at a chai tea latte with milk: in India, where “chai” means tea, it’s always tea with milk.

Get Mobile! 5 Tips for Spinning Yarn While You Walk

In “On-the-Go Spinning” from the Spin Off Fall 2016 issue, Devin Helmen shares his tips for spinning yarn while you walk.

Roving Reporter: Carded Clouds Fiber Prep

Carded cloud—with colors swirling and fading into one another—is not a fiber prep I often see in my fiber travels. Well-prepared cloud, with clean fibers open and ready to welcome twist, can be hard to come by.