Episode 83: Spinning a (Deliberately) Thick and Thin Yarn

In this episode, Sasha explains how these yarns work, what fiber to use, and exactly how to make them, step by step.

Episode 82: Five Great Resources for Spinning Art Yarns

In this episode, Sasha talks about her five favorite resources for spinning textured or “art” yarns, and about why even the most traditional spinners can benefit from learning these techniques.

Episode 81: Bridget’s Spinning Journey

In this episode, Sasha talks with Sheepspotters’ Society member Bridget Flynn about her spinning journey.

Episode 80: Vicky's Spinning Journey

In this episode, Sasha chats with Sheepspotters’ Society member Vicky McKay about her spinning journey.

Episode 79: Nenette’s Spinning Journey

In this episode, Sasha chats with Sheepspotters’ Society member Nenette McNamara about her spinning journey.

Episode 78: Allyssa’s Spinning Journey

In this episode, Sasha chats with Sheepspotters’ Society member and biology graduate student Allyssa Kilanowski about her spinning journey.

Episode 77: Sandy’s Spinning Journey

In this episode, Sasha talks with student and Sheepspotters’ Society member Sandy Silver about her spinning journey. Mentioned in this episode: Stripes , by Andrea Mowry Carson Cooper’s beautiful spinning wheels . Carson’s studio was destroyed last year in the massive CZU Lightning Complex fires in the Santa Cruz mountains. Please click here if you can donate toward helping him rebuild. The Sheepspotters’ Society Swatch Mitts , by Clara Parkes...

Episode 76: Five Great Wools for New Spinners

In this episode, Sasha talks about five beginner-friendly wools that new spinners can use to build their spinning skills. Mentioned in the episode: The Sheepspot Podcast, Episodes 56 and 57 (My Spinning Story) The Sheepspot Podcast, Episode 44 (Meet the Down Breeds) Check out The Flock , our free online community for inquisitive handspinners!...

Episode 75: Three Tips for Self-Taught Spinners

The audio podcast is back! In this episode Sasha talks about three tips to help self-taught spinners find community, get their questions answered, and make more yarns they love. Plus: some catching up, a new freebie, and info about our free online community, The Flock. Mentioned in the episode: Sheepspot’s Journal of the Plague Year videos The Sheepspot Podcast, video version The Flock: Join us here ! Spinning classes on Craftsy Spin-Off Magazine on Long Thread Media...

Episode 74: I love you. How are you?

In this episode Sasha offers some resources for those of you wanting to make the most of this time to improve your spinning--as well as lots of love to those of you still working! Mentioned in the episode: I’m live on Instagram weekdays at 1 You can still #groomyourstash. Find all the resources here . You can access all the spinning and weaving resources at Long Thread Media (formerly Interweave) and get a subscription to Spin-Off for $99 USD. Here’s my (affiliate) link: https://bit.ly/2yJcDdM ....

Episode 73: Is your Knitting Style Changing your Ply Twist?

In this episode, Sasha talks about how your knitting style affects your ply twist when you’re knitting with your handspun yarns. Mentioned in the episode: The Crafting With Compassion Podcast Esther Rodgers, Expressive Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom Sheepspot’s #groomyourstash Challenge Follow Sasha on Instagram The Stitch Sampler Shawl Jillian Moreno, Picking and Grinning Jillian Moreno, Yarn Detective: Twist And Knitting Style, Part 2...

Episode 72: Handspun on a Simple Loom

In this episode, Sasha talks about a great way to use your handspun yarn stash and learn something new at the same time. Mentioned in the episode: Jane Patrick, The Weaver’s Idea Book Jane Patrick, Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom (video download) Liz Gipson, Weaving Made Easy: 17 Projects Using a Simple Loom Esther Rodgers, Expressive Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom (video download) Schacht Spindle Company’s Cricket Loom Schacht Spindle Company’s Flip Loom Sign up for the #groomyourstash challenge...

Episode 71: Fiber Has Two Jobs

In this episode, Sasha suggests a small shift in how you think about fiber that can really help your spinning. Mentioned in the episode: Episode 44: Meet the Down (And Down-like) Breeds Episode 9: Breed Spotlight: Rambouillet Episode 4: Woolen? Worsted? Episode 15: All About Sampling Episode 59: Sampling for a Project...

Episode 70: Breed Spotlight—North Ronaldsay

In this episode, Sasha tells the amazing story of North Ronaldsay sheep, a story encompassing everything from boom to bust (in the potash industry) and from war to wool. Mostly, though, it’s the story of some very resilient sheep and the similarly resilient people with whom they share a tiny island in the North Sea. Mentioned in the episode: The Rare Breeds Survival Trust A Yarn from North Ronaldsay The Orkney Sheep Foundation , dedicated to “securing the future of the native seaweed-eating shee...

Episode 69: Meet the Multi-coated Breeds

In this episode, Sasha talks about breeds of sheep that produce wonderfully useful and complex fleeces: the multi-coated breeds. Mentioned in the episode: Episode 18 , on washing fleece

Episode 68: A Review of Kate Larson's Finishing Up

In this episode, Sasha reviews Kate Larson’s video on finishing handspun yarns, Finishing Up. Mentioned in the episode: Kate Larson, Finishing Up (digital download) Diane Palme, “The Mystery of the Disappearing Twist,” Ply 5 (Summer, 2014) Stephenie Gausted, “Managing Twist,” Ply 5 (Summer, 2014) The Sheepspotters’ Society

Episode 67: Twist for the Measurement-Phobic

In this episode, Sasha explains how to find the best twist for your yarn without a magnifying glass and a protractor (!) and how to maintain consistent twist as you spin. Mentioned in the episode: Episode 22, on measuring your yarn The Sheepspot Community Group on Facebook The #1Fiber5Ways Spin-along Some Useful Resources: Judith MacKenzie, The Intentional Spinner Ply Magazine, the “twist” issue (Summer, 2014) Sarah Anderson, The Spinner’s Book of Yarn Design...

Episode 66: Twist is a choice

In this episode, Sasha talks about twist, the miraculous force that turns fluff into yarn, and explains the factors spinners should think about when determining how much twist a particular yarn should have. Mentioned in the episode: Episode 59: Sampling for a Project Anne Field, Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics (on spinning to the crimp) The #1Fiber5Ways Spin-along. Click here to sign up. The Sheepspot Community Facebook Group...

Episode 65: Creative Seasons

Winter has come to Ontario—a month early—prompting this episode's meditation on literal seasons, the seasons of a creative life, and a resolution. Plus, what I've been up to during the hiatus, and a fun thing coming in December! Mentioned in this episode: The #1Fiber5Ways Spin-Along The WriteLife Podcast with Kim Klassen, episode 31 Kim Klassen on Instagram The Sheepspot Community Facebook Group...

Episode 64: Become Besties with your Wheel

In this episode Sasha offers some tips on getting really comfortable with your spinning wheel. Mentioned in the episode: The Sheepspotters’ Society! Learn more here . Episode 63 , on The Spinner’s Journey. Episode 13 , on giving your wheel a spa day.

Episode 63: The Spinner’s Journey

This week’s episode of The Sheepspot Podcast, on The Spinner’s Journey, will help bring you clarity on where you are in your spinner’s journey, and what you might want to work on next to improve your spinning and make more yarns you love. Mentioned in the episode: A free video workshop from Sheepspot, The Spinner’s Journey . Episodes 56 and 57 , about Sasha’s spinning story....

Episode 62: Why a Membership?

In this episode, Sasha talks about how we teach and learn spinning right now, the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and exactly how a continuing membership like The Sheepspotter’s Society (coming later this month!) can help you become a better spinner. Mentioned in the episode: The Sheepspotters’ Society waitlist. Sign up here .

Episode 61: Five tips for big spinning projects

In this episode, Sasha shares her best tips for staying happy and healthy while spinning as consistently as possible for a big project. Mentioned in the episode: Abby Franquemont, Get More Spun, Part 1 Morro Fleece Works Ann Budd, Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns Episode 12: Be Kind, Rewind Episode 36: Bobbin Winder Review Hand Exercises for Spinners Ply Magazine Carson Demers, Knitting Comfortably: The Ergonomics of Handknitting...

Episode 60: Spinning Batts

In this episode, Sasha reviews Jillian Moreno’s 12 (Plus!) Ways to Spin a Batt, shares her favorite ways to spin a batt, and talks about how she’s spinning her Viajante batts. Mentioned in this episode: Jillian Moreno, 12 (Plus!) Ways to Spin a Batt...

Episode 59: Sampling for a Project

In this episode, Sasha talks about the two kinds of sampling spinners do and how they differ. The first kind is sampling to decide how to spin a fiber; Sasha talks about this in episode 15. Here she focuses on how to sample when you want to produce a particular fabric. Mentioned in the episode: Viajante , by Martina Behm The Sheepspot Podcast, episode 15 Sidekick Tyvek wristbands The Sheepspot Podcast, episode 22...

Episode 58: Preparing Fiber for Viajante

In this episode, Sasha tells all about a batt-making misadventure. Mentioned in this episode: Episode 53: Choosing Fiber for a Project Jillian Moreno, 12 (Plus!) Ways to Spin a Batt...

Episode 57: My Spinning Story, Part 2

In this episode, Sasha picks up where last episode left off, and offers some advice to new spinners. Mentioned in the episode: Abby Franquemont, Drafting: The Long and Short of It Judith MacKenzie, The Gentle Art of Plying The SpinDoctor Podcast: Reviews for Handspinners...

Episode 56: My Spinning Story

In this episode, Sasha tells the story of how she learned to spin. Mentioned in this episode: Abby Franquemont, Choosing Your First Spinning Wheel (blog post) Check out the show notes for pics of Sasha’s early yarns: sheepspot.com/podcast/episode56 .

Episode 55: Dyeing for a Project

Episode 54: Choosing a color palette for a project

In this episode of the podcast, Sasha talks about creating a color palette for a particular project. Mentioned in this episode: Viajante by Martina Behm Deb Menz, Color in Spinning Deb Menz, Colorworks: The Crafter’s Guide to Color Deb Menz, Color and Yarn Design for Spinners Deb Menz, Color Magic: Color Families Deb Menz, Color Magic: Value & Harmony Deb Menz, Color Works for Spinners Full disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that I will earn a small commission i...