Fiber/Spinning Expert – YarnStories

Episode 215 | Fibrevolution with Shannon Welsh

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Shannon Welsh, cofounder of Fibrevolution. Fibrevolution’s mission is to bring flax and linen production back to the state of Oregon (and really the United States). We’ll talk a little today about what happened to the industry there and what challenges Shannon and Angela face trying to bring it back

Shannon (left) and Angela, Co-founders of Fibrevolution

Interview Notes:

Fibrevolution’s website
Primer on Flax & Linen
Fibershed
Flax Plant – the basis for linen
Agronomics and Agronomy
How Linen is Made
Retting
Scutching
Hackling or Combing the Flax
Biocomposites
How Crop Rotation can break disease cycles
Oregon’s History of Linen Production
Lewis & Clark’s Flax Encounter?
Flax Tow – You can buy some to spin from the Woolery!
Kudzu fiber?? Using an invasive species as a sustainable fiber sounds AWESOME.
Nettle Fiber
Why is cotton unsustainable?
Good, Fast, Cheap – Pick 2
Fibrevolution on Instagram
Fibrevolution on Facebook

You can follow me in all my making at Miriam Felton Knit Designs on Facebook, and on Twitter or Instagram. Thank you so much to the patrons who keep this podcast paid for. You can join the Patreon at patreon.com/miriamfelton – Patronage starts at $1/month

If you can’t support the podcast with real moneys, you can rate and review it in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, Facebook, or wherever, or share the podcast with your fiber-loving friends.

If you can’t support the podcast with money (I totally understand), you can rate and review it in Apple Podcasts, Facebook, or Stitcher or share the podcast with your fiber-loving friends via social media or word of mouth. If you want to send me money, but can’t do a recurring monthly thing, you can buy me a coffee at ko-fi.com/miriamfelton.

You can follow the podcast on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

I’ll return for the last time in Season 2 with a conversation with Jessica Marquez, author of Make and Mend: Sashiko-Inspired Embroidery Projects to Customize and Repair Textiles and Decorate Your Home

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I want your feedback!

We’re nearing the end of this season (the next episode will be the last until this fall), and I’d love to hear your feedback. Have you liked the show? What would you like to hear in future? To make this feedback process easier for you you can leave me a note anywhere….

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Email me at miriam AT yarnstoriespodcast DOT com

Episode 212 | Superwash Wool Part 2 w/ Cliff Cox

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Cliff Cox is the Plant Manager at Chargeurs, a multi-national company with a plant in South Carolina that produces superwash and non-superwash wool sliver (combed and carded top). In this two-part series we will use the conversation with Cliff to dive into the deep mysteries of Superwash Wool and the ways it is made.

Interview Notes:

Review…..

The structure of wool and wool scales up close
Why and how wool felts/shrinks (DFE)
Wool before and after the chlorine/Hercosett process
Wool before and after the Chlorination portion
Chargeurs, where Cliff work

NEW Notes….

Wool Pools! I just imagine a swimming pool full of wool that I can dive into and swim in like Scrooge McDuck with his vault of coins
Wool Mercerization using Silicone Softeners
Not Cotton Mercerization
Coated Fleeces can keep Vegetable Matter (VM) down
Carbonizing of VM for wool
The enzyme based process study abstract
UV/Sericin Process for finished fabric
Life Fiber Eco Friendly Treatment not durable, since it doesn’t bond to the wool surface
Bio-based polymers for non-shrink wool treatment include Collagen, Chitosan, and Feather Keratin
Plasma Process, using Ozone, an “organic” process.
Modified Drum Carder Descaling
EcoWash Wool available from Spirit Trail Fiberworks
Comparative Shrink Resistance of different methods
This slide show was super helpful
Breeds of wool less likely to felt:
Doreset Down Sheep *squee*

Dorset Down Hampshire Down Oxford Down Shropshire Southdown Suffolk Dorset Ham Dorset Poll Clun Forest Cheviot Portland

I want to thank Cliff Cox and Chargeurs for talking to me in such candid detail about how they run their plant.

If you can’t support the podcast with real moneys, you can rate and review it in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Facebook, or wherever, or share the podcast with your fiber-loving friends.

If this podcast helped you understand something new, or gave you a deeper insight, I would really appreciate it if you could support me with rating, reviewing, or even buy me a coffee. You can do the coffee thing at ko-fi.com/miriamfelton.

You can follow the podcast on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

I’ll see you again in 2 weeks when we have a chat with designer, author, and publisher, Hunter Hammersen.

Episode 208 | Carson Demers & the Ergonomics of Fiber Craft

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In this episode, we chat with Carson Demers about his work in Ergonomics. He is a physical therapist who added a second career teaching knitters and spinners about the ergonomics of their craft.

Interview Notes:

- - Carson’s Website
  - Carson on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
  - Carson’s Book, Knitting Comfortably
  - Ergonomics aka Human Factors Engineering
  - Frank Gilbreth’s Study of Brick Layers
  - Injuries from working on computers
  - The shawls Carson is referring to are in my book, Twist & Knit: A Dozen Knitted Patterns for Handspun, Hand-dyed, and One-of-a-kind Yarns
  - Cat Bordhi’s Website
  - The classes Carson offers. Tell your LYS!
  - Lever Classes
  - How to Knit While Walking
  - More about Micro Tears
  - Types of Muscle Fibers
  - Carson on KnitStars
  - Carson’s Pupper – Lily
  - Bald Eagle Sounds
  - Alice the Camel is actually Mona the Camel. It’s been a few years. Forgive me.

You can follow me in all my making at Miriam Felton Knit Designs on Facebook, and on Twitter or Instagram at mimknits. You can check out the patreon at patreon.com/miriamfelton I’m live-streaming from my studio at Twitch.tv/MimIsMaking on Mon, Thu, Fri : 1 – 2:30 pm Mountain Time. Use this time converter to find what time that is for you. You can follow the podcast on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. If you’re enjoying this podcast please consider sharing it with a friend, posting about it on social media, or leaving a rating or review in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Facebook, or wherever. You can also join the Friends of YarnStories Ravelry group if that’s more your thing. And thank you so much for listening! This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

Thank you so much for listening! See you again in 2 weeks when I talk to Anastasia Williams of Garden Wool & Dye about Natural Dyeing.

Contest by Rewards Fuel.

Episode 206 | Cheryl Kolander

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This episode’s guests are first, Cheryl Kolander, pioneer of Peace Silk and avid natural dyer. Cheryl chats with us about raising silk – Sericulture. Then we chat with Sara Lamb about spinning silk and its various preparations.

Interview Notes:

- Diversity in the Knitting Community. Check out the story highlights from @su.krita, @astitchtowear (who you should be following anyway), @hi.ravelry, @thecolormustard, and @ocean_bythesea.
- Cheryl’s Site – Aurora Silk
- How Silk is Made
- Life-cycle of a Silk Caterpillar – Bombyx Mori and a moth emerging from the cocoon
- Mulberry Tree, the coolest thing about it is that it has poly-morphic leaves, meaning that you can have leaves of different shapes on the same branch.
- Natural colors in wild silk
- The natural black light fluorescing comparison of silk cocoons
- Machine Reeling Silk
- Hand Reeling Silk
- Byproducts of the Silk Industry
- Ornamental Weeping Mulberry (it doesn’t work to feed the worms)
- Benefits of wearing silk
Expert Notes:

- Sara Lamb’s website, Ravelry, and Facebook
- Sara’s Books & DVDs
- Spinning from the fold
- How silk hankies are made
- How to use silk hankies, bells, or caps

You can follow me in all my making at Miriam Felton Knit Designs on Facebook, and on Twitter or Instagram at mimknits. The address for the Patreon if you want to get some cool rewards and bonus content is patreon.com/miriamfelton. I’m live-streaming from my studio at Twitch.tv/MimIsMaking You can follow the podcast on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. If you’re enjoying this podcast please consider sharing it with a friend, posting about it on social media, or leaving a rating or review in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Facebook, or wherever. You can also join the Friends of YarnStories Ravelry group if that’s more your thing. And thank you so much for listening! This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

Thanks for listening! I’ll be back in 2 weeks talking with the lovely Jeanette Sloan about Diversity in Knitting.

Episode 205 | Anne Weil – Weaving Within Reach

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In this episode we talk to Anne Weil about her new book, Weaving Within Reach, her use of natural materials, and making weaving as approachable as possible. Then I chat with Angela Tong about types of looms and what you can make with them.

Interview Notes:

- Basic Structure of Weaving

Anne Weil’s Site, Flax & Twine
Weaving Within Reach (affiliate link) Anne’s new book
Knitting Without Needles (affiliate link) Anne’s first book
Leather Lanyard Keychain
Velvet Ribbon Bolster
Twill Tape Bento Bag
Twill Pattern Cowl
How Weaving Became Computing
Woven Rope Bowl
Triangle Tank Top
Rachel Denbow – DIY Woven Art (affiliate link)
The Gradient Tote
Expert Notes

- Angela Tong on Instagram, Ravelry, and her site.
- A bit more about Rigid Heddle Looms — I like Schacht looms, personally. A good place to start is a 15″ Cricket Loom (affiliate link). Defaults to plain weave, but you can make longer cloth. The width of the loom limits the width of your fabric.
- Tapestry Looms or Frame Looms – limited by the size of the frame, usually weft faced, but easy to set up.
- Pin Looms (affiliate links) and how to work them. Does warp and weft in the same setup.
- Direct Warping! Watch it! It’s fun!
- Try Before You Buy Loom Sharing Thread from Ravelry
- Angela’s Rigid Heddle Class on Bluprint (previously Craftsy) (affiliate link)
- All Weaving Classes on Bluprint (affiliate link)
- Angela’s Mittens & Gloves Class on Bluprint (affiliate link)
- Angela’s Pin Loom Class on Interweave
- Angela’s Shawl Structure Video on Interweave

You can follow me in all my making at Miriam Felton Knit Designs on Facebook, and on Twitter or Instagram at mimknits. The address for the Patreon if you want to get some cool rewards and bonus content is patreon.com/miriamfelton You can follow the podcast on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. If you’re enjoying this podcast please consider sharing it with a friend, posting about it on social media, or leaving a rating or review in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Facebook, or wherever. You can also join the Friends of YarnStories Ravelry group if that’s more your thing. And thank you so much for listening! This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

Thanks for listening! See you in two weeks when I talk to Cheryl Kolander and Sara Lamb about silk.

Contest by Rewards Fuel.

Episode 202 | Sally Fox – Part 2

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Today’s episode is Part 2 of a conversation with Sally Fox, owner of Vreseis Limited, and the Colorganic Fiber trademark. She is a breeder of naturally colored cotton and a dedicated scientist. We’ll also talk to Joan Ruane about spinning cotton. You can find Part 1 here.

Interview Notes:

Sally Fox’s Website, Shop and Instagram
California’s Yolo County
The fabrics from Sally’s cotton that are made in Japan
Carbon Sequestration, it’s dense… watch this youtube video instead
Humus (I pronounced it wrong the first time and had to edit in the correct pronunciation. Not like hummus.
The pesticide load of cotton aka, why organic cotton is important
Cotton Seeds & Dairy Cattle
Life cycle of a Dragonfly

Expert Notes:

Joan’s website
Spinning ratios
Supported spindling
Different spinning wheel setups. Flier driven wheels are better for cotton according to Joan.
Tow, generally from flax or hemp
Silk noil
Cotton Lint vs Combed Sliver vs Carded, etc…
Harry and Olive Linder and their book about spinning cotton (affiliate link).

You can check out Joan’s site at www.cottonspinning.com/ She has information and resources for spinning cotton as well as her teaching schedule up there.

Joan also recommended that if you’re interested in spinning cotton you check out the Facebook group Hey, It’s All About Cotton.

Speaking of experts, one of our Season 1 experts, Amy King now has a Patreon! She’s creating fiber arts classes, so you should go check that out at patreon.com/SpunkyEclecticAmy

You can follow me in all my making at Miriam Felton Knit Designs on Facebook, and on Twitter or Instagram at mimknits. And again, the address for the Patreon if you want to get some cool rewards and all that bonus content is patreon.com/miriamfelton

You can follow the podcast on social media via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

If you’re enjoying this podcast please consider sharing it with a friend, posting about it on social media, or leaving a rating or review in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Facebook, or wherever.. You can also join the Friends of YarnStories Ravelry group if that’s more your thing. And thank you so much for listening!

This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

Next Episode is a talk about mindfulness and making with Gabrielle Treanor.