I’m ready for another #samplealong are you? This one will be fun, easy and colorful, and it may or may not include some shopping.
I will note two things here before I even start talking about this #samplealong
1) Into the Whirled is having a shop update filled with fiber, including their Odds and Ends (minnies) Friday night. That’s April 10, 8 pm EST.
2) You DO NOT need Into the Whirled fiber to do this #samplealong. I know you all have stash and money may be tiiiight right now.
If, however, you can and want to support a small business, Into the Whirled, has had many of their money-making shows canceled for the year, they would appreciate your orders.
We’ll be making four samples for this #sampleslong. The stars of this #samplealong are minnies, tiny bits of handpainted braids. Into the Whirled called them Odds and Ends, becasue they started out as left overs from dyeing braids, other dyers call them other things. I call them minnies and babies in my classes.
There is never a more exciting moment in one of my color spinning classes than when I pull out big bags of fiber babies for color combining. I have had to instigate a special way of handing them out (one at a time) because these glorious little puffs have actually caused my students to be crabby to each other.
The minimum amount of fiber you’ll need for this #samplealong is a 4-ounce painted braid and 4 ounces of minnies. If you want to make bigger samples, you’ll need more fiber.
I would recommend having more than 4 ounces of minnies because you’ll want to keep spinning them.
If you do not have minnies from any dyer, do not fret! I will teach you how to make your own. To make minnies you will have to sacrifice a few handpainted braids. This is a perfect thing to do with braids that you aren’t so in love with anymore, and any pieces of braids you have leftover from a project.
We will be making combo plied and combo drafted yarns (plied together, and drafted together then plied together). I’ll be posting the how-to for each yarn here on the blog, and posting photos on Instagram. I hope you will post your photos on Insta too, tagged #samplealong. I like to tag the dyers I use too.
Next week I will talk yarn specifics, and making minnies. That will give those of you who did order from Into the Whirled, or another dyer, time to get your fiber.
I am ready to get a little spinning done, I hope you are too!