Using a drop spindle is a fun way to get started in the wide, wide world of hand spinning wool. The drop spindle is inexpensive to buy and an easy DIY project. We just finished a weekend at the Heart of New Mexico Fiber Gathering where I was able to demonstrate spindle spinning and visit with many people who are trying to learn how to spin yarn. These tips are my best advice for a beginning spindler. Don't feel frustrated until you've tried them all! 1. Watch someone spin wit

In the quest for self-sufficiency, most of us recognize the value of growing our own food and we plant gardens and raise livestock for food. But, next to food and a roof over our head, clothing ranks pretty high as a clear necessity! If you are someone who loves fiber crafts, such as knitting, crochet or weaving, don't overlook adding fiber animals to your homestead. Even if you don't have the necessary skills now, a beginning homesteader can learn how to knit socks and mitte

We just attended the 2016 Heart of New Mexico Fiber Gathering, held this year at Wildlife West in Edgewood, NM. Although I am fairly experienced with craft shows, this festival was only the second time we have been a vendor at a fiber festival. Our main business goal was to network and meet other fiber people and I'm happy to say that we were able to do that, and make a little money besides! In fact, all our fleeces are sold this year and we won't have to store any! For me, t

Crochet is one of my very favorite things! Felting is another fun activity and today I'm combining both in a simple tutorial for a fabulous gift - a felted mug rug. Technically the proper term to describe this particular felted project would be fulling. Felting occurs with mechanical agitation on the microscopic scales found along the individual fibers of wool. Usually felting refers to the disorganized, raw wool fibers, whereas fulling refers to the agitation and "felting" o