I hope you enjoyed this years Fiber Fun Month! If you would like to join me in doing an interview, guest post, or another idea feel free to email me. I plan to keep more fiber and craft related posts going through the winter, so be sure to come back again. 
   

Bulky Yarn Pom-Poms

 

  You can make pom-poms with many different types of yarn. But have you ever tried using bulky yarn or specialty yarns? If not then you should give it a try! The bulky yarns and specialty yarns can make some of the coolest looking pom-poms. From velvety plush, to full and airy, the pom-poms can be amazing!  In this post I will show you how to use one of the large Clover brand pom-pom makers to make a bulky weight Sashay yarn pom-pom. But be warned, with these simple tools from Clover, making beautiful pom-poms is so easy it can becoming addicting! :) So grab your pom-pom maker and some yarn, and lets get started.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Step 1:  Open up one pair of arms on your pom-pom maker. Holding a short yarn tail near the base of the arm, start wrapping your yarn up the arm of the tool. As you go keep pushing the wraps together towards the beginning, that way you can fit as much yarn as possible in the fist layer. 

    Step 2:  When you get to the end go back over your wraps with 1 to 2 thinner layers of yarn. You want to make sure the pom-pom maker can still close, and that you can still cut through it, but having as much yarn as possible on it will give you a thinker and fluffier pom-pom. After it is full close the arm and cut your yarn, leaving a short tail.

    Step 3:  Now open the other arm on the tool and repeat steps 1 through 2.

    Step 4:  Now that your pom-pom maker is full of yarn you will need to cut it. With a small pair of sharp scissors you will need to cut straight down the middle on both sides. Use the grove the tool has in the middle as a guide to keep the cutting going straight. As you are cutting make sure the arms of the tool stay closed. If they open right now your pom-pom may fall apart.

    Step 5: Now take some worsted weight yarn in a coordinating color, and cut off a piece about 20 inches long. And tie the yarn in a double knot around the pom-pom maker. The tying yarn will slip down through the grove in the middle, so you are able to tighten the knot all the way down. You want to make sure the knot is as tight as possible, but be careful not to pull to tight or the tying yarn may break.

   

  Step 6: Then just open both arms, and gently pull both halves of the pom-pom maker apart. Fluff the pom-pom up, and shape it with scissor to get a nice round shape and even up any stray longer pieces. You can leave the tails of the yarn you tied it with on the pom-pom if you want, that way you can use it to easily attach the pom-pom to you next project. 

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~    And that is all there is to it! And since you can use the same steps with other sizes of yarns, there are so many fun options when it comes to making your pom-poms! Not only can they be used on hats and other knit/crochet projects. But you can even make fun things like pom-pom snowmen, turkeys, or even a pom-pom bouquet. Enjoy!   

     

Mini Reviews - 3 Amazing Patterns

Below are some mini reviews for 3 patterns I enjoyed making. And the best part is that most of them are available for free! So be sure to pick up your favorites and get crafting!   ~~~~~~~~~~~    

   Small Talk Shawl by Cheri McEwen   This free crocheted shawl pattern is easier to make than it looks! I made mine in size 3 cotton crochet thread instead of wool. But it turned out great and was perfect for wearing to the special occasion I made it for. It is a beautiful lacy piece, and by not blocking the edging it kept a wonderful ruffled look. The pattern was easy to catch on to, and when I did run into a question with the written instructions there was also a chart that helped me out. It was a lovely pattern and I would love to make more of these shawls in other colors!      

   Freddie the Field Mouse by Jo Creates    This is just such a cute little mouse! He was easy to make and used only a small amount of yarn. The pattern was easy to follow, and had links to tutorials for the long-tail cast on and any special techniques that were used. Making it even easier for beginners to use this pattern. It was a fun project, and it was easy to personalize him. And since the pattern is free there is no reason not to try making at least one!      

   Cardrona Cowl by Charlotte Marjoribanks   The Cardrona Cowl pattern is currently listed for $3.95. But if you like knit accessories that are warm, squishy, and easy to make then you need to try this cowl! I really enjoyed knitting it, and it is now one of my all time favorite cowls! The cowl has a unique stitch pattern that is surprisingly simple to make. And the pattern is well written and easy to follow.  I love Charlotte Marjoribanks designs, and I highly recommend them.  

ChiaoGoo TWIST 5 inch Interchangeable Needles and Cable Review

  I love the ChiaoGoo TWIST 5 inch interchangeable needles! They have super smooth joins, wonderful lace tips, and I love how they are made from surgical grade stainless steel. Plus with the needle size laser imprinted on each needle it is easy for me to find the ones I need.  

    The matching TWIST interchangeable cables are also great to work with. They are red nylon-coated multi-strand cords that have just the right amount of body to them. They are very flexible and they really are memory free! They use a key to connect the cables to the tips. But I have found it easy to do, and I have had no trouble with them coming unconnected while knitting. And the holes used for the tightening key can also be used as a lifeline hole.          I have also been really enjoying the great accessories that match this needle set. There are small cable join to large needle tip cable adapters, cable connectors, end stoppers, etc. (The end stoppers have already saved me once, and I am so glad I decided to get them!) And the stitch markers are a dream to use. They are snag free and easily glide along as I knit. I love the quality, style, and usability of this great interchangeable set, and I highly recommend them!  

     

Addi FlexiFlips Double Point Needles Are Here!

    Addi FlexiFlips Double Point knitting needles are finally available! With their dual-tip design you can now choose how sharp of a tip you want to use with just one needle! Because one end of the FlexiFlips has a turbo tip and the other end has a rocket tip. And with one FlexiFlip doing the same job as two normal double point needles, you can now use fewer needles for the same sized project!   One of the places that currently has them for sale is Handsome Fibers. One thing I love about their company is that they offer free shipping on any order! The needles they have in stock are selling out fast, so be sure to get your needles soon. Click here to see the FlexiFlips Double Points that Handsome Fibers currently has available.        

Fiber Facts - Australian Heritage Angora Goats

 Fresh Hand Spun Commercially available Mohair   Mohair from Angora goats is a lovely fiber that has some wonderful qualities. But have you ever heard of Australian Heritage Angora Goats? They are great goats that have some unique qualities to their fiber.   Like the commercial Angora goats, Australian Heritage Angoras get shorn twice a year. Female Australian Heritage Angoras only give about 4 pounds of fiber at each shearing, which is about half what the commercial Angora will give. And their coats are less even than the commercial Angoras. But unlike normal commercial mohair, Australian Heritage Angora fleece is grease-free! Meaning you can simply use shampoo and hot water (that's still comfortable for bare hands) to wash it. And because it is difficult to felt it makes the washing process even easier.    The Australian Heritage Angora fiber have the same warm and long wearing qualities as normal mohair. But because their fleece lacks the strong curl of commercial mohair they have gentle waves of beautifully silky, soft, fiber. It takes dyes well, and amazingly the only natural fiber that surpasses it in luster is said to be mulberry silk. Plus contrary to popular belief mohair can be spun by itself. Making some beautiful draping yarns for a treasured project. If you use the worsted spinning style you can get a yarn with high luster and a light halo. Or if you want a softer yarn you can spin it in the woolen style for a yarn with a higher halo, but with less luster. However there are many other fun uses for mohair other than spinning. With one of them being some amazing real looking doll hair! Whichever way you like to use it, mohair is a fun fiber and it definitely worth trying yourself!    Unlike commercial mohair, Australian Heritage mohair can be very hard to find. A good place to start looking would be with the breeders who raise this amazing type of goats, like Della Downs in South Gippsland Australia.    

Yarn Sale Highlight

  Paternworks is currently having an amazing sale on their website. You can now take an extra 60% off of their sale prices! They have some beautiful yarn, patterns, needles, kits, etc. And with some yarn being under $3 this is definitely a great time to stock up! The coupon code is;     EXTRA60   Be sure to check to it out soon before they sell out! Below are some highlights from their sale.     16" Addi Turbo Rockets Circular Needles  Was $14.99, now only $4 with coupon   Cabled Cushion Knitting Kit Was $54.99, now only $12 with coupon  

Lumis Yarn - worsted gauge - 103 yards (50 grams)

Was $10.99, now only $2.80 with coupon
 

Cottonation Yarn -  heavy worsted gauge - 261 yards (100 grams)

Was $15.99, now only $3.20 with coupon
 

Coton Satine Yarn - dk gauge - 125 yards (50 grams)

Was $9.99, now only $2.40 with coupon
 

   

Free Patterns of the Month - Thanksgiving Time!

Since Thanksgiving is taking place later this month I thought I would post some cute projects that would be perfect for the occasion. They should not take long to make, so grab your yarn and get some fun autumn projects going in time for Thanksgiving!       Tea Time Pumpkin Coasters First up we have the Tea Time Pumpkin Coasters by Ira Rott! They are such a cute crocheted project, and I love the vine and stem detailing that they have. They are perfect for using during family gathering like Thanksgiving, or anytime you want a nice coaster to add some fun to your day.   

      Amigurumi Tiny Tom Turkey Next we have the Amigurumi Tiny Tom Turkey by Mevlinn Gusick. I feel like this is one of the cutest crocheted turkeys I have ever seen! He is tiny, round, and has the classical turkey colors and details that I love. Making a couple of these for your Thanksgiving table would be such a fun addition.  

       Acorn pincushion Last, but certainly not least, it the adorable knit Acorn pincushion by Amanda Berry! A bowl of these would made a great addition to your Thanksgiving decor. And afterwards you would have some super cute and useful pincushions to use all year!  

     

5th Annual Fiber Fun Month!

 

  Welcome to the 5th annual Fiber Fun Month! We have some great posts planned for this month, so be sure to come back often. Tomorrow we are going to get things started with a group of free patterns that would be perfect for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday. So be sure to stop by and check it out!    

Thanks for Coming!

  Thanks for joining us during our Fiber Fun Month 2017! It was a fun month with some unique fibers, free patterns, and ancient fiber crafts. I hope you enjoyed reading more about them, and I hope you stop by again soon!      

Finn Wool

 

Finn sheep are an amazing breed that are thought to be several hundred years old. The females are loving mothers and are known to have "litters of lambs" instead of a single lamb each year! Originally Finn sheep were imported to North America for use in cross-breeding programs to increase the number of lambs each year in commercial flocks.    But the pure Finn sheep are a wonderful breed with great qualities. Finn sheep are a smaller sized sheep that have a wonderful docile and friendly personality. And since they do not have any horns you don't have to worry as much about them getting stuck in your fence and other such problems. Making them easy keepers that are a joy to own.   Finn sheep are also a very nice medium wool breed . They have a 3 to 6 inch staple length and a micron count that is normally around 24 to 31. Their wool has a wonderful soft hand and a lustrous shine to it that hand spinners love. This type of luster is normally only found in the long wool breeds of sheep. And since the long wool breeds are often coarser, Finn wool makes a great chose if you are looking for a lustrous wool that is softer. It is also a wonderful wool for felting. Whether you like to do wet felting or needle felting Finn wool is a wonderful chose. Making them a wonderful rare breed of sheep that is a must try!    

Free Knit and Crochet Patterns!

 

  I love finding beautiful free patterns! Whether it is for knitting or crochet I am always on the look out for my next project. So I thought I would post links to some great free patterns below.    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Lacy Shawls   Small Talk Shawl  (Crochet) by Cheri McEwen      Kindness KAL Shawl   (Knit) by Jaala Spiro     One Skein Summer Shawl   (Knit) by Kat Oliver   I promise you pineapples (Crochet) by Justyna Kacprzak    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Mittens   Friendship Mittens (Crochet) by Lyn Robinson   Hippocampus (seahorse)  (Knit) By  Tori Seierstad    The Secret (stranded)  (Knit) by Julie Hamilton     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Cowls     Bandana Cowl   (Knit) by Purl Soho     Abstract Leaves Cowl  (Knit) by Deb Mulder    City Neckwarmer  (Crochet) by Donna M. Rutledge    A Very Braidy Cowl (Knit)  by Maryse Roudier    I'll Pack A Cowl for Rhinebeck (Knit) by Deb Jacullo
 

Ramie Fiber

 

   
If you like flax, bamboo, and other plant fibers than you should look into trying some ramie! Ramie is a lovely fiber that comes from a perennial plant. It has been used since ancient times and is one of the oldest plant fibers. Ramie is a beautiful naturally white lustrous fiber that is similar to silk. But you can also buy it in many dyed colors online if you are looking for some colors for you projects.

Pure ramie lacks elasticity, but it is very absorbent and breathes easily. It is one of the strongest natural fibers, and is even stronger when wet. Plus one of my favorite things is that ramie fabric holds it's shape, reduces wrinkling, and does not shrink. And because it is resistant to bacteria/mildew it does not rot easily. Although you want to avoid folding ramie fabric repeatedly in the same place or storing it with sharp creases in it.

You can spin pure ramie into a wonderful fine weaving yarn. And like flax you can spin it either wet or dry. The new yarn is stiff at first like flax, but the lustrous appearance and softness will improve with washing and age. Ramie is a really neat fiber, and it is definitely a must try for anyone who loves spinning unique things!
 

Project Trends For 2017

 

  With spring just around the corner what can we expect in the upcoming year? Well there are some fun trends that may be showing up for 2017!     Pantone Color of the Year The Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 is Greenery. Which is a beautiful spring green color! It would be a great color for making a spring accessory with. It reminds me of fresh spring fields in the country with new little lambs leaping about.   Stripes If you like stripes then you should have fun with this trend! You can add fun splashes of color to just about any project by using stripes. And with all the different options of sizes, widths, etc, they can take on many different looks. With narrow colorful stripes, wide neutral colored stripes, and everything in between, you can make it your own.   Natural Yarns This is a wonderful trend for people who like to use natural products. Natural fibers/yarns come in many beautiful shades. From a off white, fawn, brown, chocolate, black, grey, and more. There are plenty of amazing colors to work with. And when you use a natural color like this for a project it can easily match so many of your outfits! Plus the colors never really go out of style so you can use it for years to come. Making it a great color chose for any special project.   Real Shoe Looking Baby Booties  Baby booties are cute as it is. But when they are made to look like a real shoe they can get even more cute!  And with all of the wonderful baby shoe patterns currently available there are a lot of great designs to pick from. From winter boots to tennis shoes, there is a great project waiting for you. Plus they would make such a great gift.
Big stitches Big stitches with big bulky yarn (or roving) are great for many reasons. For one they are very quick to finish, so you get to enjoy using your new hand made item sooner! The large stitches also have such a fun look. Making any project really stand out from the normal look.   Hand-Dyed Shawls   Hand dye shawls and wraps are a beautiful thing to make. You can make them lacy or a solid design, and there are so many amazing shapes you can make them in. And since you can either dye the yarn or dye the shawl after it is finished, there are lots of options when it comes to making your one of a kind project. You can even buy beautiful hand dyed yarn online that is ready to be made into your next project. Either way you do it a hand dyed shawl or wrap is a great project that will be a true treasure!

 

Nalbinding - What in the World Is That? ~ Book Review

  Book Description   This is the black and white version of the book: Nalbinding - An Age-Old Technique Nalbinding was and is found around the world, but in most industrialized countries it is virtually unknown today. This was not always so. Only when knitting began to spread in the European Middle Ages, did nalbinding sink into oblivion there. Today, creative people are re-discovering nalbinding. If you are interested in how nalbinding developed, this book provides you with a historical overview based on the most important archaeological finds. If you are a textile artisan or scholar, you will find fascinating structures and diverse variations described and explained. And finally, if you have the courage to learn and revive an ancient handicraft, there are instructions for various stitches and practical projects.   My Review I love this book! Even though the pictures are black and white they are very helpful, and the book holds so much wonderful info. It has a lot of great historical finds, history, and how-to info in this book. It shows how to do different types of stitches, different ways to add on new pieces of yarn, how to start the bottom in multiple ways, etc. And with nalbinding being such a rare craft, a book with this much quality work put into it is worth a lot. If you are interested in giving nalbinding a try I highly recommend this book! It is really nice to have so much info on hand in print.  

HersheyFiberArts Nalbinding Needle Review

  I recently decided to try ordering a 3 inch walnut Nalbinding needle from HersheyFiberArts. And it is one of my favorites now! Things like the size, smoothness, and a good feel in the hand are important to me. And this needle was a pleasure to work with.    It is very smooth and it works amazing well for nalbinding. It goes easily through the yarn loops without snagging. And the needle is just the right size. It is small enough to go through my thumb loop without getting in the way, but it is big enough to feel just right in my hand.   It also has a lovely finish on it. Helping to protect it over time, and giving it a beautiful finished look. HersheyFiberArts has proven to me again and again to have great quality products for reasonable prices. And I look forward to seeing what Caroline Hershey comes out with next.  

Nalbinding ~ A Thousand Years Older Than Knitting?!

 

  Nalbinding is an amazing technique that makes a beautiful sturdy fabric from yarn. It is often used to make things like mittens, hats, socks, and other great projects. Unlike knitting and crochet which use a continuous ball of yarn, nalbinding is made with shorter pieces of yarn at a time. One end of the yarn is threaded onto a needle, and you make a chain of loops at the other end. Then connecting loops are made by passing the needle and full length of working yarn through previous loops. Which makes new stitches as you go.  To me the process feels like a cross between knitting and hand sewing. But because the stitches in nalbinding are taller than knit stitches the process goes quicker than you might think.    Because of the way the fabric is made is does not unravel if dropped. And there is not an exact pattern you have to follow. Making it a great project to take with you on the go. The needles can be made with wood, bone, or antler. And some even have beautiful wood burned decorations on them.    Amazingly it is believed that nalbinding predates knitting by about a thousand years! And examples of ancient items made with nalbinding have been found all over the world. But sadly a lot of people now days do not even know what nalbinding is. So if you are interested in learning more about it be sure to give it a try, and help spread the word about nalbinding! This week I plan to post some reviews of my favorite nalbinding needles and books.    

Personalized Nalbinding/Toothbrush Rug Needle Review

 

  This is the best toothbrush rug needle I have ever had the privilege of owning! I thought the needle design was lovely, with it's nicely beveled eye and smooth teardrop shape. But little did I know how wonderfully it would work! It glides through the fabric so smoothly. Making it easy to use on my newest project. Personally I love this needle so much that it is the only needle I want to use on all of my rug and basket projects now.    And it should last me a long time with the quality workmanship that was put into it. Plus I love how Pamela offers the option of having your new needle personalized. I had my name put on my needle, and it turned out beautifully! The wood burning showed up amazingly well on the white oak I chose, and the writing style was lovely. Pamela was also very nice and helpful with any questions I had, and she was wonderful to work with on my order. I highly recommend her Etsy shop to anyone who is looking for well made tools or beautiful finished rugs!