Another busy month. January is always time when I play catch up after the Christmas holidays, and the weather over the past week has been somewhat chilly... so much so that I have a rather fetching chilblain on my toes after several very cold dyeing sessions. Thick Alpaca socks and insulated snow boots clearly aren't enough for my ice block feet, so I've just ordered a pair of silk liner socks to see if that will help. I've also kept up my resolution to try and make time to get away from work. We went back over to the coast to finidsh a circuit of geocaches we started over the Christmas holidays. I've also been back over at Westhope College learning how to weave baskets using rush. I've been wanting to do this course for 18 moths, but a combination of the courses being fully booked, or not coinciding with when I was free has meant that I've been waiting for a while. It was definitely worth the wait the wait, and I've come away feeling inspired to have a go at doing a bit more. The tutor, Rosie Farey, makes beautiful miniatures, but in true Katie style I decided to go big! And then had a bit of an anxious moment when we couldn't get my basket off the mould...
I was teaching myself in the middle of the month, and had a great time at East Sussex Guild, who looked after me spectacularly well. Next weekend I'm down in Devon, and have got a few days off planned in Exeter after I finish teaching, so if anyone has any suggestions for things I should go and see or do please let me know! The next shop update is almost completely dyed, so should be live in the shop either at the end of the week, or maybe next week when I get back from Devon. I have also started dyeing for Wonderwool Wales, and plotting some new stand decorations! Finally a note about Brexit, because I have been getting a few worried emails from European customers. It takes a lot to get me angry, but I am furious about the whole situation. I have no idea what will be happening on 29th March, and unfortunately until our politicians make some decisions I have no way to plan for what will happen. For now, all I can say is cross your fingers that those in power will stop being cowards, and stand up to say what a stupid decision it would be to leave the EU. I'm still making plans for the future though, because I am determined to still be here, and I will get your parcels to you somehow... One of the things I wanted to do by cutting back on show commitments was to explore new ideas. So I'm pleased to say that the Wool-Free club will be coming back! It's going to be set up to work for those of you who like to create blends, and those of you who want to try spinning fibres like cotton, ramie, linen, and bamboo by themselves. It also means that I will be able to offer more choice of non-wool fibres in the online shop. And finally, I hope that I've always tried to make this clear, but if I haven't I am sorry, and will try harder in the future to do better. All are welcome here. Whoever you are, providing you are respectful, and kind to others, you are welcome in the comments here, on my Facebook page, my Instagram feed or in the Ravelry group or when I meet you in person. I will not tolerate racism, or discrimination of any kind, and expect those who share my space behave in the same way. As usual we had a houseful at Christmas, and limited space in our little cottage meant that my wheels were rather neglected. I did however convert my new sister-in-law to spinning! My little brother got married in September, which is one of the reasons why my autumn was so hectic! I spent most of my holidays sewing.... I finally finished the red flannel shift dress from a pattern I drafted at at workshop at Westhope College. I have no decent photos... because it's Wales in winter. It never got light, and I lack the selfie magic! All through the holidays people were opening their 12 Days of Christmas parcels. It was such good fn to open a parcel every day that we're doing it all again for the Tour de France... so if you missed out on a 12 Days of Christmas parcel, maybe you can join us for this project. I also got out and about nearly every day during the holidays. We explored new places, and did quite a bit of geocaching. On a dyeing front, I've been back at work for a few days now. Nearly everything that I sold out over the holiday has been restocked, and the first hand dyed fibre of 2019 is drying as I type. Look out for a shop update in the next couple of days.
The latest edition of Ply Magazine has been one of their most successful so far... it's all about socks. So the next couple of updates will have a bit of a sock focus in case you fancy trying out some of the techniques. I stock 3 different sock- specific blends. Pure Southdown for those who like the all-natural option, Superwash BFL & Ramie for those who want to machine wash and have improved resistance to felting but don't want nylon, or Superwash Cheviot, Silk & Nylon which is my personal ultimate sock yarn; machine washable, with nylon so I don't wear a hole in 2 months. Sound intriguing? You can buy copies direct from Ply (including a digital edition, or there are numerous world-wide stockists. Over the next couple of months I'll be visiting a couple of guilds. I'll be at East Sussex Guild on 19th January giving a talk, and will also have some fibres with me. I'll also be at Devon Guild on 9th February, talking about dyeing techniques, and will have the shop with me again. Visitors will be made very welcome so if you're in the area please come along. So far I'm managing to stock pretty well to my resolution of rounding up all the things that have been happening in the valley over the past month. Maybe this is the secret to New Years Resolutions, don't make them at New Year. Of course this post is a bit later than usual, but that's because I took my holiday for the year up on the Northumbrian Coast. It was beautiful, and windy, and just what was needed. As usual I'll be working pretty much up until Christmas, and then taking some time off over Christmas New Year to spend time with family, do lots of cooking, and mess around with some non-Hilltop Cloud projects. As we're talking about Christmas, here are the dates by which you need to place your orders- Wed 5th Dec; Cyprus, Malta, Asia, Far East, Eastern Europe, Caribbean, Central and South America Sun 9th Dec; Greece, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand Wed 12th Dec; Canada, Czech Rep, Italy, Poland, USA, Finland, Sweden Sun 16th Dec; Rest of Europe, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, UK Parcels will be going out as normal throughout the holiday period, on Monday and Thursday mornings, and I plan on sending both clubs out before Christmas. I've also made a start on dyeing the special fibre I posted about last month, and even managed to twist John's arm in to supplying me with a further 10kg. The first batch went up in the shop with the latest update, and I will be dyeing small batches for every update until I run out of base. This fibre is special, because every step of the way is done with such care and attention. First the flocks that supply the fibre are specially selected, the fleeces are first graded by the sorted at the south Molton Wool Marketing Board Depot. It then goes through a secondary grading process to remove a further 20% of any kemp and coarse fibres, or ones with too short a staple. It's then scoured, and finally combed by the team at John Arbon textiles, and combined with 20% Mulberry Silk. At the moment it's the most expensive base that I stock, but with good reason, you can't produce a base like this cheaply.
This is also the month we said good-bye to Otis, my trusty ex-BT van has carried me around the country to shows and workshops for the past 5 years, but he was getting older, and with my decision to do fewer shows I no longer needed such a large vehicle. Our space at Wonderwool Wales has already been confirmed, and will be the only show in 2019 where I will be taking a full stock of fibres. Wonderwool is by far the most shopper-friendly of all the shows, with wide aisles, generous stand sizes, and a level floor. If you've never come then it's well worth the trip. Did you know that there's s sharing thread over in the Hilltop Cloud Ravelry group? And as a reward for sharing your photos there are random prizes on offer? The current thread is here, all you need to do is post a picture of spun yarn, or a finished object. Here's a few highlights from the last thread, that really do deserve to be seen by more people, they're stunning! Click on the photo to go the Ravelry project page to find out more details. You can browse the rest of the thread here, and do come over and share your creations in the current thread.
October also became known as the month with the cold... It circulated the whole household, in fact Mum is still suffering. My fibre was at Bakewell Wool Gathering, but I was away at Lakes & Lancs Guild teaching. If you're in that area and aren't a guild member, then I can thoroughly recommend going along to a meeting to see what being a guild member is all about. I also squeezed a couple of shop updates in, and have finally been able to get to grips with a sewing machine and some fabric I bought on my holiday in America last year. I spent yesterday at Westhope College learning how to take patterns from existing garments without unpicking them... now I just need to get my sewing skills up to scratch so I can replicate a couple of my favourite garments! We had some lovely warm summer days which have really helped to set the bees up for winter. They were buzzing all over the Mahonia bushes while I was at work in the dye studio, which is such a cheery sight. My aunty was here for 2 weeks as well so we took her on a day out to see the Welsh Quilt Centre in Lampeter. sadly this is closing on November 17th, but if you can manage to get over before then I can really recommend it. I'm just sad that this piece of Welsh history is going to be lost from public display. My Aunty used to work in the garment factories in Stoke on Trent when she was younger, and while she was staying with us we showed her this BBC programme which features modern women going and working in a clothing factory through various decades. The final part of the month has been focussed on getting the final details arranged for the 12 Days of Christmas parcels. The first batch are now ready, and will be going on sale soon. I'll be making the announcement on my email newsletter, so if you're not already subscribed then head over here. Once the first batch has sold I will be making up a second smaller batch, so keep your eyes peeled! So what will November be bringing...
I've already got the first part of a shop update dyed, so it won't be too much longer until there's some fresh fibre in the shop. Next weekend is also my guild Open Day. If you're in the area then there's lots to see and do, it's free entry, and there will be quite a few stands selling goodies, I'll have fibre at reduced prices as I sell off all my show stock at the end of the year. I'm also doing a bit more teaching at Pembrokeshire Guild, and then I get to go on holiday at the end of the month. If you're in a guild and considering making a booking I'd urge you to get in touch sooner rather than later. My diary in 2019 is now full, and I only have a few vacancies left in 2020. I also have a very special parcel that is waiting for me... 10kg of double sorted John Arbon BFL & Silk. I couldn't get any of this fibre last year, so am really pleased to have some available this year. I'm currently weighing up the possibilities of how to dye it... September, as predicted was a little bit insane. The trip to teach at Bradford Guild was lovely, held in the Industrial Museum, which I am determined to make a trip back up north to visit, the bits I glimpsed as I took everything to the guild meeting room looked fascinating. Then there was my brothers wedding, when we seemed determined to suck al the bad luck away from the bride and groom... an extra drive back to Wales for a lost bag, and a malfunctioning lock on the hotel room seemed to ensure the actual day went smoothly, and was a real delight. I have hardly any photos, there were 2 professionals circulating nearly the whole day, so I put my phone away, and enjoyed the only occasion when my extended family is likely to be in the same place at the same time.
Then to finish off the month we went to Yarndale, unfortunately not such a good weekend. Our spot by the open shutter meant the wind blew through the stand all day, and then the rain shower that arrived unexpectedly at 3pm meant a very quick dismantling of the table of yarn bowls because the rain was blowing in through the door. The other end of the stand was something of a stygian hole, so to be blunt, fibre sales were disappointing, despite 5 portable lights attempting to illuminate things. We love Yorkshire, and love visiting Skipton. Eating our fish and chips by the canal on Friday evening as become something of a tradition. With all that in mind it seems like now is a good time to break the news about shows for next year. We are cutting back on the shows we attend. In the case of all the shows we're choosingn not to apply to exhibit it's for a variety of reasons, partly financial, and partly personal. It's in no way a reflection of the show itself, just a case of us wanting to switch things up a bit, and making the decision that is best for Hilltop Cloud. We are planning to be at Wonderwool Wales, and Bakewell Wool Gathering. At the moment it seems unlikely that I'll add any other shows to the mix, if you are in the north of the country then I will have a stand at the Association Summer School in York on Saturday August 10th, and you will be able to buy my fibres in person at the Trade Fair, and come to see what we've been doing in the class I've been teaching. I've had a few ideas floating around for new projects, so hopefully by removing the workload of a couple of shows, I might be able to bring some of them in to fruition! My final show for October is Bakewell Wool Gathering. This is a lovely smaller scale event, held practically in the centre of Bakewell. Then to finish off the year, my own guild is hosting an open day on 10th November. As it's my final event of the year I will be offering reductions on the remaining show stock. It should be a really nice day to come along and chat to some fellow spinners and eat cake! My work plans for the month didn't end up going to plan... the fibres I'd expected to dye ended up being shuffled down the dyeing list. So we shall see what this month brings! I've already got the first shop update of the month part dyed, so I'm hoping to be able to list lots of new fibres later this week. I've also got something that I'm working on behind the scenes as a bit of a Christmas treat.... Watch this space! Around a year ago I wrote a blogpost about the packaging that use. I've always tried to use packaging responsibly, from the very first day when I set up the business, and have always tried to make sure that you receive fibre in the best possible condition. If I put fibre in a piece of packaging it's because I think it needs to be there. Tissue paper might be more recyclable, but it's fundamentally useless at doing anything other than looking pretty. As a small business I've always been limited by what packaging products I can buy. I might buy in relatively large amounts, but I'm no where near large enough to be commissioning custom designed packaging.. Finally however the packaging industry seems to be catching up and there's now a huge amount of biodegradable items on the market! Of course newness of products, and limited availability means that nearly all these items are more expensive, but for the most part it's not by a vast amount. One thing that's become very clear when I compare my accounts, everything I buy is costing more than it was 2 years ago. I didn't pass on the postage price rises in April this year,so I suspect that I will need to charge slightly more for postage once I swap to using all the new packaging. I've used biodegradable mailers for a long time, but I'm now using ones that are biodegradable, and made from recycled material. The first orders using these mail bags went out this morning, and as I run out of stock of the other sizes I will gradually switch over to using them. If you get one of the new bags the biodegradable additive means that they are not recyclable, they need to go in with your normal waste. If you have a compost heap you can also add them to that. I've also been on the hunt for a more environmentally friendly version of the clear grip seal bags that I use, and finally one exists! These are still re-usable, but I can also heat-seal the top, meaning them can go through the postal system with no further packaging. These pair of bags have been travelling backward and forward through the UK mail system a few times to check how they stand up to the abuse of the postal system. They're still waterproof, but are now biodegradable so will break down in to compost. The outer is made from renewable wood pulp starch. These bags will compost, but I'd recommend including them with your regular rubbish because a household compost heap will take a while to break these down. Once they arrive you can tear off the top, off over the pretty contents, and still use the bag for your own fibre storage. I also did this to one of them....
Finally, I'll also be swapping over the cellophane bags that I use for things like Gradient Packs, and any other form of fibre that uses lots of small chunks of fibre. I can now get a clear film bag made from cellulose film (wood pulp from managed plantations, which again means they're compostable. A few fibres have already been sent out using these bags, because I have ordered more bags than you can imagine to work out the size and type that works best! I do sill have quite a decent stock of the old bags, but if you get one of the new ones, it will have this sticker on the seal. You won't see all of the new packaging all at once. If I still have a few hundred bags left then it would be just as damaging for me to throw them away as it would for me to send you the fibre in an old style bag that you can then reuse.
The only form of packaging that will remain as non-biodegrable plastic is the small label bands I use on the fibre. I have tried other versions, but when you rummage around in a sack of 50 braids to find the right one strung labels tangle up, the string rubs on the surface of the fibre, and the hole in the card breaks. Card and staples cause similar issues. Some dyers individually bag every single braid, but I'd rather go the route of a single small piece of non-biodegrabale plastic, than use large numbers of bags, particularly because so many of you order multiple braids of fibre. I'm very limited in storage space, so can't hang everything up, so my labelling solution has to be robust.Eventually I suspect that tyvek wristbands will be made out of a new material, but for now it's just a case of waiting for the manufacturers to catch up with consumer demand. We'll still be doing our bit to re-use or recycle the packaging that comes to us, there are 3 of us working from home, and we often don't fill our 240L rubbish bin when it's collected every 3 weeks, so I think we do a pretty good job. We're all so used to be able to turn on a tap and get as much water as we want... Clean, ready to drink, and in plentiful supply. Our main complaint is usually that it doesn't taste very nice in certain parts of the country. However, we're not on mains water supply, neither are any of our neighbours, or many of the rural properties in this part of Wales. We all rely on springs, wells, streams and lakes. Normally this isn't a problem, this is Wales, water is one thing we have in plentiful supply, it's one of our biggest exports. If you live in western England then part of your supply probably comes from Welsh reservoirs. Then this happened... a miserly 2mm of rain in 3 weeks. Streams started emptying, springs ran dry. Normally reliable water supplies no longer existed. Luckily, we seem to have a spring that is well supplied, and thankfully we never ran out water. Though thankfully we fixed our leaky pipe in early June... Our water supply system is old, and for a long time we'd had a very damp patch in the garden. We presumed it was a spring, but when all the other damp patches in the garden dried up we did some investigating. The copper pipe that brings the water to the house had developed a huge hole... It's now all replaced with brand new plastic pipe, that doesn't leak, and will last a very long time. This is the marsh that supplies our water. Under all this reed grass are 2 plastic pipes with holes in them. The water seeps in and runs in to a collecting tank. At this stage it's still swamp water, but underneath the deposits that have built up over decades the water is actually remarkably clear and clean. Even better, despite the dry weather, it's still running! That trickle provides our water supply. Enough water for 3 adults to do all their household activities, and for me to run a dyeing business. Pretty incredible really. From that collecting tank a pipe runs downhill. This photo really gives a sense of how steep the valleys are in this part of Wales. The storage tank is just visible; the wooden fencing to the left of the green bush. This tank holds our water supply, it means that we can do all the normal daily things, even though the water is only a trickle. The tank empties during the day, then overnight fills back up again. We upgraded the old 1000L tank with a 2500L tank a few years ago. The old tank now sits in the garden so we can water plants in dry weather. This big tank is set up with an overflow system. In winter a pipe takes the water back to the stream that the spring normally flows in to. In summer we can bypass that system, and bring the overflow directly down to the garden. Even throughout the dry spell we've had a trickle of water much of the time that we've been able to use to keep things alive, and ensure the fruit bushes still crop. From that tank, another pipe flows down to the house (this is the one we replaced this year), and it gets cleaned and filtered. (the blue pipe in the photo is the overflow going to the stream) A UV light kills all the bacteria and viruses, and there's also a pH filter to clean out any sediment, and to lower the pH. Our water is naturally around pH 6, and will slowly dissolve all the copper pipes in the house if it's not raised. The water is also very rich in iron (that's what the black deposits are on the side of the collecting tank). Our kettle doesn't fill up with limescale... we get iron-scale!
All of this is why I rarely dye to a recipe, particularly for complicated colourways. Our water supply can be incredibly variable. During the dry weather is was noticeably more acidic, and had more mineral content as the water was running through the soil more slowly. When we get a heavy spell of rain (like the 2 inches that have fallen over the weekend) the water becomes cloudy with mud. All these things change how the dyes behave, it's generally ok for very simple solid colours, but the ones that rely on complex colour interactions... just don't play ball when I dye them at different times of the year! I love silk. I love spinning it, love dyeing it, and just think it's such a wonderful fibre. But it has it's own terminology, and that can get confusing, someone asked me about it via email recently, so I thought a summary on the blog might be helpful for other people. First things first, what is silk? I sell 2 kinds of silk, and they're the kind of silk you're most likely to encounter as a spinner. All silk comes from silk worms. We're all familiar with the idea that caterpillars build a cocoon in which to turn in to a butterfly or moth. A silk worm does this by spinning out a strand of silk, similar in the way a spider spins out a web. The best quality, shiniest silk comes from a reeled cocoon. By Claude Valette - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14980967 This produces a single strand of continuous silk. In order for this process to occur the cocoon must be processed before the moth emerges. However, this isn't wasteful, for people who process the silk the pupae is a valuable source of protein Each stage of further processing then goes on to make use of each lesser grade of silk, usually depending on consistency of the fibre length, and fibre type. There's next to no waste, everything gets used, and as spinners we use nearly all of the different grades of silk, either as top, brick, noil, or laps. The key exception to this, and explains their comparatively high price is silk hankies. These are a whole cocoon stretched over a frame, so they can't be processed to remove as much value from the different grades. Tussah vs Mulberry There are many types of moth who produce silk during their pupal stage. The most common are Tussah and Mulberry. Which moth provides which kind starts to get complicated, but generally Mulberry Silk comes from the Bombyx types of moth. This is sometime why Mulberry silk is also called Bombyx silk. Tussah silk comes from other types of moth. However, the types we usually have available as spinners are all farmed. So what are the differences that matter to us as spinners? These are both silk top. Bottom fibre in green is tussah, top in blue is mulberry. Mulberry is shinier, and much more compact. The tussah feels slightly toothier, with a little bit more wave to the fibre. Mulberry also has a longer, more consistent staple length. They will both spin in a shiny silk yarn. But for maximum shine I tend to go for mulberry over tussah. For blending with wool tussah is generally a better option, as it matches most wool staple length better. If you're a beginner, it honestly doesn't matter which kind of silk you choose to spin. A good quality Mulberry is in some ways easier than Tussah as the staple length is more consistent. However, Tussah can be slightly grippier, and easier to keep control of. There's no one correct fibre to begin with, try both! The main thing is to keep your hands far enough apart. Remember the staple length, if you hands get too close together they will be pulling on the opposite ends of the same piece of fibre. Silk is incredibly strong, you will never draft silk with your hands too close together. Some people advocate spinning silk from the fold with a backwards point of twist draft, and using a high twist level. Personally I spin straight from the end, using a regular short forwards draw, with relatively low twist levels (less than I would use for wool in a yarn of the same thickness). I find that gives me a yarn with maximum shine, and that's what I want from my silk! So experiment, find the way that works for you. Put-Ups Unlike wool which usually only comes in 3 commercially processed forms (combed top, roving or batts), there are a huge variety of ways in which silk is processed. The most common form of commercially dyed silk is as tops. This is a thin strip with all the original fibres aligned in parallel. It will be one of the forms of silk that is processed first, and as a result contains high quality fibres, of even consistency and quality. Both fibres in the photos above are combed top. The form of silk that I dye most often are Silk Bricks. In essence these are a thicker piece of combed top. They are called a brick because they are bundled up in to a dense rectangular form. They're easy to dye because you can spread them out. Dyeing Mulberry Silk top with hand painting techniques is a little like wrestling eels. Other forms of silk you'll come across - Silk Laps These are the waste from the processing. When the silk cocoons are carded the long fibres pass through the machines, but the shorter, clumpier fibres are left behind. They build up on the drums of the carding machine, and are then cut off in enormous sheets of textured silk fibre. You can spin them by themselves, and get a shiny textured silk yarn, but where they excel is for adding texture to blends. They also work wonderfully on the surface of felt. -Silk Noil These are the bits and pieces that are leftover inside the cocoon. They're lumpy and bobbly and short. They're great for adding a tweed texture to blends. Silk Hankies These are a whole cocoon, stretched over a frame. They look like a square handkerchief, hence the name. They are also sometimes stretched in a cap shape, which do exactly the same thing. Because they contain a fibres that are so long they can be a real battle to spin. The best way I found to spin them was mounted on a distaff, and in the same way that you would spin linen. However, they are versatile... You can knit with unspun hankies Photos here, More details here. I love using them directly on the surface of a piece of felt, they form a thin spiders web over the top of the wool. Knitty Article with more details on drafting them out, and spinning with them here. They will give you a textured, uneven yarn. Do not try to spin these on a smooth, even thread! Another way to use the is to take a pair of scissors to them, cut them in to strips that match the staple length of you wool, and card them with other fibres. Grades? Silk comes in various grades, particularly mulberry silk. The grade refers to the quality, both in consistency of fibre length, and the amount of straight, non-waste fibres that are present. Silk top is usually A-Grade, it's such a narrow strip of fibre that you will spot any inconsistencies. Silk Brick comes in several grades. A, B1, B2 and C are the most common. As a spinner, do not bother with anything less than A grade. It's just an exercise in frustration. If you do have inconsistent fibre then spinning from the fold with a point of twist draft helps to keep the fibre under control. However, what's coming in to the UK at the moment is of nowhere near the quality that it used to be. I have bricks from 6 years ago, and compared to the Silk Bricks I can buy now they're in every way superior. There seems to be a tendency for far too much seracin to be left in the fibres. Seracin is the glue that the caterpillar uses to glue the fibres together. It has to be removed before processing by boiling and use of an alkali. If it's not properly removed the machinery tends to damage the silk, and you also struggle to dye the fibre as it acts as a resist to water. As a result I'm switching away from dyeing bricks and am moving towards dyeing silk top. This seems to be better processed and better quality. I'm having it specially made in a thicker put-up to make it easier to hand paint so I can get the same colour effects as you're used to seeing on my silk bricks. If you want to read more about silk, then the Wormspit website is filled with useful information, but is quite in depth.
http://www.wormspit.com/images/silkandsilkworms.pdf http://www.wormspit.com/peacesilk.htm This is a short, modified excerpt from my book, A Guide to Spinning Hand Dyed Fibre. If you browse the shop on a regular basis you'll notice that the hand dyed fibre braids have lots of information in the titles, and at the end of the titles are a few key words... Repeating, Variegated, Semi-Solid and Gradient. Those titles are telling you how I dyed the fibre, and are a big clue about how the braid will spin. Now, these are my classifications, rather than a recognised "industry" standard, but I do use them consistently, and most dyers will describe braids using a variation on these themes. Semi-SolidThis technique at first glance isn’t that different to the commercially dyed solid shades you can buy. However the hand dyed version will contain far more subtle variations. These give life to your yarn. It’s a particularly effective dyeing technique for yarns you know you’ll use for textured fabric for example cables or lace, because the variation in the colour won’t be fighting with the pattern of the stitches. Many times when I dye a semi-solid I'll actually mix up 4 different subtle variations of the same colour, and use those to dye the fibre. RepeatingThis dyeing technique uses multiple colours, they are applied to the fibre in a regular pattern to create blocks of colour that appear in the same order, and are the same length all the way along the braid of fibre. These braids can occasionally be hard to tell apart from variegated fibre, particularly if the colour blocks are short. The best way to tell is to unbraid your fibre, and lay it out in the same way the dyer will have done while applying the dye. It soon becomes pretty clear when the colour blocks start lining up. If you spin this yarn with no further manipulation then you will get a yarn that forms stripes. This is not a description you'll see many dyers use, but I find it helpful to distinguish between this style, and one where the colours are applied in a ore random fashion. VariegatedThis technique produces a braid with a whole variety of shades, but crucially they’re not placed at regular intervals, and appear in blocks of different sizes in a random order. That means the yarn you spin will have a variety of colours in it, but you won’t get a regular pooling or striping pattern. Again, the best way to check if this is the dyeing technique that’s been used is to unbraid and lay out the fibre. You shouldn’t be able to find any sort of repeating pattern. The degree of variegation will depend on how contrasting the colours were in the original braid. GradientIn braids that are gradient dyed each block of colour will only appear once. In comparison to repeating dyed fibre this dyeing technique should produce smooth transitions from one shade to another. You sometimes see braids of mirror gradient fibre. In these the fibre will have been doubled, and then dyed. This means you can use the 2 halves of the braid for a very easy matching 2-ply yarn, or can spin each half separately for matching skeins to make a pair of items such as socks or mittens. Ombre Gradients are similar to regular gradients, but only use one colour. This shade becomes progressively paler along the length of the braid. If you want to get more in control of the yarns you can make from these fibres then there's lots of information, and a huge number of swatches showing the techniques and manipulations, in the book.
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Hilltop CloudHilltop Cloud- Spin Different
Beautiful fibre you'll love to work with. Established 2011 VAT Reg- 209 4066 19 Dugoed Bach, Mallwyd, Machynlleth,
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