Tina's How To Design Natural Fiber Yarn for Knitting, Crochet, and Crafts

Handspun is as Green as it Gets!

summerlandfibers — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:08:15 +0000

Everywhere you go these days, you hear about this or that “going green”. Well, handspun yarn has not “gone green”, it is and has always been as green as it gets. Stop and think on that for a moment. Every bit helps. Even on a small scale like making hats, scarves or mittens for your friends. Those are less items mass produced. Less items mass produced mean less energy used in the producing. As a fiber artist, I have always realized processing fiber myself saves money. If I wash and card the fiber myself, (or spin in the grease) I haven’t paid for that step in processing the fiber…. however, take that thought one step farther. I not only saved the cost of paying a mill to do it for me, the mill did not pay for electricity to run the equipment or water to wash and scour the fiber. Now think about that in the bigger sense. When you buy a wool sweater from a commercial store, the sheep were mass sheared with an electrical shear, the wool was scoured in hot water in large amounts through several cycles using both water and electricity, not to mention the chemical bath to remove the vegetable matter, then dyed in a commercial size tub using heat to activate and set the dye. The wool was probably air dryed in a heated room to speed up the drying process, then picked to remove any remaining vegetable matter and carded on large equipment. Then the wool was spun by a machine into yarn, and knit by a machine into your sweater. At this point, I am sure the sweater was shipped via truck to the location where you purchased it. Are you getting the picture? A sweater spun and knit by your own loving hands will have more sentimental value and will probably be kept and worn for much longer than a cheap one you purchased, thus limiting the need for replacement. This should give you one more reason to feel good about spinning your own yarn and kniting, crocheting, weaving or felting your own clothing.

Santa Fe Farmer’s Market NOW Ships!

summerlandfibers — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:58:05 +0000

Shipping service is now available from the Market! The Santa Fe Farmer’s Market has recently partnered with Mail Call, a locally owned pack and ship company, to provide shipping service from the Market. Do your Holiday shopping at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market, and Mail Call will ship it for a small fee. Look for their booth next to the Mercado, at the Paseo de Peralta end of the Market Pavillion.

Winter Market at Santa Fe Farmer’s Market

summerlandfibers — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:52:20 +0000

Winter hours are in effect for the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. Visit them Saturday’s 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Market Pavillion located at 1607 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Get your farm fresh vegetables, fruit, cheese, meats, baked goods, and many other local items. Currently in season: wreaths and centerpieces, chile ristras, gourds, fresh cider, apples, jerusalem artichokes, jujube fruit, dried red chili, tomatoes, potatoes, winter squash, beets, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, turnips and mushrooms.

Free Knitting Patterns

summerlandfibers — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:27:34 +0000

I found a very good site I would like to recommend for free knitting patterns. http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com As you may or may not know…. I rarely use patterns. I do simple projects and sort of wing it! But I do take my hats off to those who follow patterns as that is not something I am good at. My mind just doesn’t work that way. Yes, I know the stitches, I can read the pattern. But trying to follow them, it somehow gets all jumbled up in my head. Someday, I wish to master this and get over my “learning disability”. Wish me luck.

Kool Aid Dye for Wool or Mohair

summerlandfibers — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:22:50 +0000

Yes! You can dye your natural fibers, including wool, cotton, mohair, alpaca, llama, etc. with Kool Aid. It is simple, inexpensive, and effective. I have used them in a pinch when I have run short of commercial acid dye. Kool Aid stains fiber or fabric, so it will work as a dye. Kids love this project! The only thing to remember is that for a rich vibrant color, you must use a lot of Kool Aid for a small amount of fiber. Heat the Kool Aid in water and vinegar just as you would an acid dye, and let it simmer on the stove. Or as an alternative, add ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for several minutes. I have a friend who puts the solution with 2 ounces of fiber in a quart canning jar and leaves it in the sun for several hours. Anything that will apply heat to the mixture will work. Just simply rinse when done and air dry.

Updates From the Ranch

summerlandfibers — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:44:33 +0000

Well folks,

Spinning yarn, crocheting, but no longer ranching. Here is the most recent events in the life and times of ME! I gave the ranch in the East Mountains back to the ex, and moved to the mountains. I spent a few months in the Ruidoso/Alto area. I am currently living in Alamogordo, and working in Alto. Yes, long commute… but currently worth it. I have a day job at the Alto Lakes Golf and Country Club where I hold the position as administrative assistant and Architectural Control Commission Secretary. I have given up the Farmer’s Market in Santa Fe for the time being, but I hear they are doing great and have just moved into their new building. I do wish them well. I am still spinning and crocheting my beautiful hats. Anyone still interested in products of either yarn or finished goods may find what they need on my website http://summerlandfibers.ecrater.com . Once again, I missed the Taos Wool Festival. My life has greatly changed, but all for the best, I assure you. Although I am not raising the animals any longer, and I actually live inside city limits, I do still have some fleeces remaining from my stock. I assure you all, I know where to get fleeces when I do need them! My friends in the East Mountains will take care of all my needs. Please do feel free to continue to read my blog and post your comments as needed.

Thank you all for your support.

Tina Nowell

Hand Spinning on an Ashford Joy

summerlandfibers — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:29:26 +0000

My friends and I got together on Samhain for a spinning circle. This is my pal Debra spinning on her Ashford Joy. It is wonderful to get together for fellowship, sharing ideas and techniques. Every spinner has her own style. We can all learn from each other.

2006 Toas Wool Festival Booths

summerlandfibers — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:21:54 +0000

Here is another photo by Debra Haden of the booths set up at the 2006 Taos Wool Festival. Thanks Deb!

Hand Sheering Sheep

summerlandfibers — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:14:23 +0000

Here is a photo I received from Debra Haden of a hand-sheering demonstration by Sharon White, at the 2006 Taos Wool Festival. I am certainly not this good at it. I cheat! I put my sheep in my goat stand and stand them up while sheering them. My back just won’t take bending for that long of a period of time. I do use the old fashioned type hand sheers. I may have statd this before, but I purchased… at a very expensive price tag.. an electric sheer. It is noisy, heavy, and it cut my poor sheep’s skin terribly! Never again. I love my babies too much to put them thru that. Any one want to buy it?

Taos Wool Festival Pix

summerlandfibers — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:03:41 +0000

I asked readers to share photos of the Taos Wool Festival. I received several from the 2006 festival. Let me know if you have any from this year. I will gladly post them for everyone to see. Thanks to Debra Haden for these.