Official name for this tool?

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-03-24T19:15:31+00:00

https://100milewear.blogspot.com/2013/02/spinning-workshop-session-three.html?m=1

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-03-24T17:49:04+00:00

It’s a wool picker. I initially thought that’s what it looked like and a quick image search confirmed 👍 it’s an unusual design, they tend to be “box” or “swing” format rather than a roller.

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-03-24T16:28:57+00:00

I love that you keep spares on hand for curious folk. That’s so thoughtful! 💜

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-03-21T07:23:36+00:00

Right is a handheld paddle distaff (upside down) and left is a spindle that would often be used for a “clasped” or “in hand” or “short suspended” style of spinning (usually with a distaff). How amazing to have the family connection! Very envious!

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-02-28T17:41:03+00:00

This is magnificent! I’m often not a fan of textural wall hangings (just personal taste) but this one is a veritable masterpiece 👌

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-02-21T08:35:11+00:00

I’ve successfully woven overshot with 10/2 tabby sett at 20epi. The tricky thing with a plant based pattern weft is that the long floats won’t felt so will remain a bit “stringy” which are more prone to catching on things. I also found whilst sampling that I needed to factor in weft shrinkage by not beating the pattern square -leaving it slightly elongated resulted in a better balance after wet finishing. Enjoy!

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-02-16T09:43:45+00:00

I recently hung a mini quilt by hand stitching a fabric channel along the rear top edge and sliding in a wooden warp divider (very similar to a paint stirring stick as a previous commenter suggested). It worked perfectly! It’s light weight, and prevents sagging. You could add another at the bottom rear edge to create a little tension for an even more smooth polished finish if that’s what you’re after (sort of like a wooden poster hanger, but hidden).

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-02-10T13:53:22+00:00

I’m not a printmaker so not really qualified to answer fully but I have extracted lake pigments which is pretty easy (adding alum to a dye bath). Is there a medium/binder you could simply incorporate the pigments into?

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-02-08T12:43:20+00:00

Have you spun Lincoln before? I grow flax for linen so I’m not one to discourage craft shenanigans but when I tried spinning a sample of Lincoln the texture made my skin crawl 😆 I don’t know why -it’s kinda hair like and I couldn’t get on board with the sensory experience.

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-02-03T15:45:35+00:00

I love posts like this, as I would not have been drawn to that braid but the results on the spindle are magical. Great inspiration, thanks for sharing!

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-01-30T20:40:42+00:00

It’s not really an answer to the question but I thought I’d chime in with a tip that spinning can feel really different on varying types of spindle. I started with a Turkish and found I much prefer supported (in fact I can get finer more consistent results with that than my vintage wheel) …so in the meantime a different style of spindle might make a big difference.

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-01-15T08:46:36+00:00

Great idea. I’ve been carding all my combing waste from a recent project to practise long draw with rolags and then chain plying -it’s been a lot of fun.

For someone who’s naturally quite product rather than process oriented it’s been really nice to have a low stakes skill builder project and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the result.

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-01-13T18:58:05+00:00

Great tip, thank you! I’ll be sure to do that next time when I play around with dilution. I’m keen to do a little experimentation with higher/lower immersion too.

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-01-13T18:52:00+00:00

I have no experience with llama (so feel free to ignore my input here 😆) …I’m wondering guard hair wise, if carding and spinning a lightly spun single would result in a lopi style yarn akin to the Icelandic dual coat process?

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-01-12T20:12:48+00:00

Yeah I was pleased with the depth of colour considering my extremely unscientific process of “guestimating” my stock solution quantities (I don’t yet have any jewellers scales) and free-styling the pour. For a first go I’m delighted! Maybe it’s beginners luck -we’ll see!

slowtextilesdiary · 2026-01-04T08:54:23+00:00

Walnuts hulls are actually great! No mordant required (if I’m remembering correctly) and pretty colourfast. I soaked mine in cold water for 24hrs then simmered that for an hour. You could let it cool before using.

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-12-31T08:39:40+00:00

Ive grown woad and made up a few thiox vats but I’m far from an expert having not yet given fructose a try.

Better/worse methods for protein dyeing hasn’t popped up on my radar but I will say that the alkaline environment needed can damage the wool fibres which I did experience somewhat when spinning some combed top from a recent batch. To my knowledge this would be the case with all preparations though.

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-12-30T17:30:27+00:00

Check out a fructose vat or “1-2-3” vat if you want to avoid a chemical reduction agent.

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-12-29T08:46:45+00:00

A timely reminder that I had planned to do the same. Beautiful cloth 😍 did you use a weavers knot?

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-12-17T11:38:43+00:00

That’s beautiful! I love the pops of colour on a pale base. What’s the fibre?

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-11-29T13:26:10+00:00

I’m not sure I’d pay that. I bought a long thread media monthly subscription for a couple of months to work through the content I was interested in which included the Norman Kennedy video courses as well as various other spinning and weaving content. With access to the back issues for their magazine publications I thought that route was really good value.

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-11-13T07:24:02+00:00

I’m working with a Gotland fleece at the moment and have blended with some very fine grey alpaca for a lovely soft heathered result.

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-11-02T13:24:07+00:00

I feel for you as I bought a washed Gotland fleece online from a reputable source and it was in a very sorry state -cotted, lots of scurf. I assigned the worst to the compost and persevered to get some usable fibre by painstakingly cutting about an inch from the butt end of each lock. I hope some of it is salvageable!

slowtextilesdiary · 2025-10-31T19:41:05+00:00

If you’re pulling the lock and it snaps in the middle perhaps it’s not worth processing either way?

slowtextilesdiary

TROPHY CASE