Fibre Fixation

Fluffy fun

Spinning has always been one of my favourite fibre crafts. I love that I now have my spinning wheel accessible at all times, with an almost endless supply of ‘fluff’ to play with! I mostly work with dyed merino wool - the same high-quality fibre I use for felting - so I always have a vibrant palette on hand.

Plenty of fibre ready to be spun

My dream drum-carder

For years, I played host to a shared drum-carder, but this Christmas (thanks to Ed) I finally got one of my own! I couldn’t wait to test it out using the delicate beauty of ranunculus flowers as my inspiration. I blended the wool with soft pink silk, sparkling Angelina fibres, and textured recycled sari silk. The result? A multi-tonal, beautifully soft batt that spun like an absolute dream!

The science of the single

In the spinning world, the first strand you create is known as a ‘single’. That is a single ply of yarn made by the spinning wheel twisting the fibres together. On their own, singles can be a bit temperamental; they often hold too much ‘twist energy’, which creates a bias in your finished fabric.

To create a more reliable, balanced yarn, I always ply my singles. This involves spinning two strands together in the opposite direction. While I spin my singles clockwise, I ply them anti-clockwise. This counter-motion neutralises the extra energy, resulting in a more stable, balanced yarn that is ideal for knitting or weaving with.

I am absolutely in love with the palette of this amethyst and emerald art yarn batt. Beyond the soft merino base, I blended in generous amounts of lustrous silk to give it that signature 'Rosie Saves the Earth' glow.

To bring it all together, I plied the single with a delicate purple silk thread—if you look closely at the finished skein, you can see how it spirals through the wool. For that extra bit of 'magical wizardry,' I also spun in some coils; they add such incredible depth and dimension, making this yarn a dream for weavers looking to create a statement piece. All of my homespun yarn is for sale over in my Etsy shop.