Blog Archives

Summer Fiber Fun: Solar Dyeing

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Otto

If you can’t beat the heat, use it to dye yarn and fiber! Solar dyeing is an easy way to add color to yarn and fiber by harnessing the power of the sun on a hot day. Just follow these simple steps to get … Continue reading →

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Dyed in the Wool: Tips & Tutorials for Adding Color to Your Fiber Projects

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Otto

There are plenty of tantalizing dyed fibers and batts available for today’s fiber artist, but the further you explore the world of breed-specific fibers, the more likely you are to find them in their natural, undyed state. While these natural … Continue reading →

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Spring Cleaning Your Strauch Drum Carder

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Otto

Have you been bitten by the spring cleaning bug? As you tidy up, don’t forget about your drum carder! While our machines are designed to require little to no maintenance or adjustments over a lifetime of use, there are a … Continue reading →

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Easy DIY Felted Ornaments from Felted Batts

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Otto

Last month, we showed you how to wet felt a batt to make felted coasters. This month, we’ll show you an easy DIY project for making festive holiday ornaments! Supplies:  1 felted batt (click here for a step-by-step photo tutorial) … Continue reading →

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How to Wet Felt Coasters from Carded Batts

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Otto

Wet felting is a technique that uses friction to blend together wool fibers into a solid sheet. Today, we’ll show you how to felt batts straight from your drum carder into a thick sheet of felt that you can cut … Continue reading →

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Staple Length: A Quick Guide for Fiber Artists

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Otto

The term staple length is frequently used when talking about fleece and fiber, but have you ever wondered why staple length matters and how it affects your choice of tools and techniques in a given project? In this post, we’ll … Continue reading →

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How To Card A Butterfly Batt

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Otto

April showers bring May flowers…and butterflies! With so many beautiful species found in the natural world, you’ll never run out of colorful inspiration! Here is the photo we chose to help us select this month’s color palette: There are many ways … Continue reading →

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Cleaning & Storing Fleece and Fiber

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Otto

The spring fiber festival season is just around the corner! For fiber artists who delight in sourcing fleece and fibers straight from the source, these events are the perfect opportunity to replenish your stash with unique fibers you may not … Continue reading →

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How to Card a Sweetheart Batt for Handspun Hearts

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Otto

Looking to add a handmade touch to your Valentine’s Day? There are lots of free knitting and crochet patterns for making hearts for your sweetheart, and today, we’ll not only show you a quick & easy batt project to whip … Continue reading →

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How to Make Rolags With a Drum Carder

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Otto

Have you ever wanted to spin from rolags? This type of fiber preparation is well suited for production-style handspinning, particularly the long-draw woolen method. Today, we’ll show you how to turn prepared fibers into beautiful rolags with a Strauch drum carder! Supplies A Strauch … Continue reading →

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