Roots: Spinning. Spinning Wheels, and DIY...

Truth be told, I’m a HUGE fan of DIY and getting back to one’s own roots. I raise my own vegg in a large garden in the back yard. I reuse, upcycle, and am going to learn canning this fall with the aid of my good friend Bri. So naturally, Spinning my own yarn is somewhere in this mix of self sufficiency, right?

Actually, for many years now I have want to try my hand at spinning yarn. And it wasn’t until recently that I started looking into the process and learning how it is all done.

Did you know that there are over 1,000 breeds of sheep, only a few of which are any good for their wool? I know! Crazy, right?

Anyway! I started to look into the cost of getting a small spinning wheel, because I live in a small house. And I nearly cried at the price tag. $400-3,200!!! (swoon) Don’t get me wrong! The artisans making the truly handcrafted wheels deserve every penny for their work. But I couldn’t help but think that there had to be a more affordable option out there!

Ashford Traveller Spinning Wheel - $600+

And then I found it! First, I bought some GORGEOUS wool roving from The Joyful Sheep, and then a lovely handcrafted, poplar, top-whorl drop spindle from CBYarbyArt. Both arrived quickly and I was super pumped to get started. Overall I found the spindle to be a great starting point. Ease of use. Low Cost. And I was able to spin 31 yards of chunky weight wool off of that spindle in about 20 minutes times. Heck, even my 10 year old spun a small hank of Shetland wool with no trouble whatsoever!!! However, I wondered about fingering weight yarn, and double ply sport to medium/worsted weight yarn. Certainly this spindle would be far too heavy for the needed thinness of the wool roving.

So I struck back out to find another solution. And though I own an armada of power tools that I am entirely comfortable using, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to tackle a double treadle, scotch tension, fly and bobbin style spinning wheel like the ones I had previously viewed and coveted so much.

And then the answer came. I happened upon a website called PorterThreads.com, a place where you can buy the schematics for a “Porter Wheel”. This is a spindle style spinning wheel that you can build from scratch, at home, for SUPER cheap!!! No joke. The schematics cost $15, the wood and hardware were $25. That’s it!!!

It only took me two hours to cut and assemble. And, in the end I made a few modifications (wheel brackets, treadle string, and 2-4” hex bolts vs. 2- 3.5” hex bolts). But still, easy peasy pumpkin squeazy!!!

Now, I will say that there IS a learning curve here. And that is the case with every spinning wheel. However, that being said, I was quickly able to get the hang of this wheel and easily spin four different yarn weights (100+ yards total) in under 24 hours. HUZZAH!!!!

And to show you how easy this wheel is to use, here is a video of the maker/designer using it to spin wool yarn straight off of his Jacob’s sheep fleece. No carding, roving, or drafting. (swoon)

Needless to say, I am in love with my primitive little wheel. I think about spinning all day, and can’t wait to break away from my daily routine to get a little spinning in. And, I love spinning so much that I’ve just purchased an entire fleece off of a Jacob’s Lamb, as well as a bit of Lincoln sheep curls. Oh what an amazing summer I have ahead of me!!!

So, with this, I encourage you to stay tuned to this blog and my Etsy store for the first releases of my very own “house yarns”.

What is this Palette and Purl that you speak of??

For a long time I have gone back and forth, wibbling and wobbling with what I was going to do with this blog... with my work... HECK, WITH MY LIFE!!! It has been a series of ups and downs, certainties followed by uncertainties followed by "what was I thinking???" But, here we are.

Back in 2013 I got inspired to put myself to the task of knitting. Knitting whatever until my fingers burned. Knitting and selling items to raise money for the things that matter to me. What was I planning on knitting? I had no idea. There was no real plan. The "message" was to just knit and not worry about the details.

...And so I did.

By the end of 2013 I had raised enough money to provide 800 meals to orphans in DPRK, help provide educational opportunities to kids in rural Cambodia and Tanzania, and to help provide safe passage and freedom for North Korean refugees in hiding.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT???

And, through this amazing process, many things in my personal life have shifted and changed. I am realizing that I need to make more, to chip away some of my production costs, and to really step into my dream.

Introducing "Phase Two":

As of today I have officially entered into "Phase Two" of my business. I have begun securing retailing relationship with several major yarn manufacturers, am trying to secure an art materials retailing relationship, have begun to acquire the materials to manufacture my own "house yarns" (custom yarns exclusive to The Palette and Purl), and planning on participating in live shows at local fairs and markets, and am working to officially launch my very on click and mortar shop.

And with these new steps remains my ever constant dedication to do my part to fund the change I wish to see in this world. I will continue to donate to humanitarian aid organizations and to get deeply involved with teaching, sharing, and helping to open doors for my fellow beings.

So, stay tuned as I continue to roll out each new phase of my shop. I am so excited to be on this journey with you!