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Stitches and garden beds

I get out in the fresh morning air to dig my hands into the soil at our community garden allotment. In the evening I sit down with an embroidery. It occurs to me that these seemingly different creative outlets do have a common ground. Today I will guide you through stitches and garden beds.

Come what May

May is a hectic time in the garden beds – the window sill is filled to the brim with pregerminated plants looking towards the garden with longing in their buds, waiting to come out. To make room for them in the pallet collar greenhouses just outside the front door I need to find a spot in the garden beds for the plants already in the greenhouses. The plants need to go in the right quarter of the crop rotation and with the proper companion plants. It’s a giant puzzle with aesthetics, context and function to consider.

Baby kale plants accompanied by tiny Cosmos. Slugs have already started to nibble at the leaves. Imagine floral abundance and bombast in a month or two!

I plant, take a few steps back to imagine colours, height, shapes and space a couple of months from now, coming in closer to add another plant. Back and forth, trying to imagine all the parameters, worrying about plants that haven’t germinated yet or the absence of rain. Taking into account trees and shadows, garden paths and soil depth.

Flowers fit for a queen

I remove the lace curtain from atop the kale patch
and look at the plants I have just snuggled down in the soil.
The pointy and dark black kale leaves with almost burgundy undersides,
the light green rounded brussel sprout leaves with a matte finish.
All plants only three apples high at the moment,
but in a month or two considerably taller.

I imagine the bubbly black kale,
tall and mighty, looking out over the garden like a queen at her subjects.
Yes, she is the queen of all the lands.
I close my eyes and see the brussel sprouts holding on to the stem,
tightly, tightly,
top leaves sprouting out above like tufts of hair.

Flowers! The kale needs flowers, something fit for a queen.
Marigolds, certainly, brightly orange in the sun.
A nasturtium or two, winding their way between the stems.
And cosmos, sweet cosmos with their pink flowers
almost floating on top of the dill-like greenery,
moving softly, majestically in the breeze.
Fit for a queen indeed.

I open my eyes and tuck the plants back in under the lace curtain,
heart singing of gardening joy.

Afternoon bliss

At noon the sun becomes too strong. I wave the allotment goodbye and go inside. I tell myself it’s enough for today, but I still get back a few hours later when the garden is cooler, looking against my better judgement to see if any plants have grown or germinated while I have been gone. They usually haven’t.

I stay for a while, enjoying the stillness of the afternoon. Having my hands in the soil is a joy. I feel the earth in my hands, see the busy workers in the soil and smile at the sweet sprouts as I imagine them all grown up and ready to harvest in August.

Evening stitches

In the evening I work on a påsöm embroidery. I have the main shapes all finished and need to embellish with greenery, small flowers and extra sparkle, fill out the empty spaces and find harmony in colour, shape and distribution. I stitch for a while, put the project down, take a few steps back to imagine the finished result.

Stitch by stitch, petal by petal I grow my flower bed with yarn.

Just as I am ready to walk away I see something in the corner of my eye, a shape for an empty patch. I can’t help myself, draw the shape onto the fabric and start stitching again. Just one more leaf.

Plentifully green 

Flowers all set, in pinks, whites, ruby and deep purple.
now to add greens.
I want overwhelm, abundance,
stitches so plentiful there is no room for a single more.
Stitch by stitch I fill in the blanks,
add leaves to every naked stem,
sneak in a daisy or two.

I stitch to the very last piece of the wool.
I back away to see the entirety,
come back close to add another leaf.
Details and whole in a sweet dance,
choreographed by colour, texture and shape.
With needle in hand
I grow a flower bed with yarn.

Parallel creative processes

Creating an embroidery is not that different from creating a vegetable garden. As I work with these two processes at the same time, imagining a result I can’t really predict, I realize they are in some way part of the same process; of wholeness and details, context and creativity. I have gone through these processes before, just not at the same time.

It still needs lots of greenery, but it’s getting there!

I can feel the neural pathways from the two processes come closer to each other and suddenly wave; ”Hi! Fancy meeting you here, let’s flow together!”. And they do, side by side, diverging and converging, all at their own pleasure. The power of plants and stitches suddenly walk together in a new pathway, discovering new perspectives and aesthetic connections between beds and embroideries, plants and stitches, together.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
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Postcards

Earlier this week I shot, edited, transcibed and captioned what I call a video postcard – a simple and straightforward video greeting from me where I talk about a project I am working on. I create the postcards for my patrons.

If you want to get my video postcards you are welcome to become a patron on patreon.com.

I made my first video postcard a couple of years ago when I was on holiday in Abisko with my family. I talked about the area and the vast landscape in the northernmost part of Sweden and the middle of Sápmi.

A compelling format

That first video postcard was just a spontaneous greeting. I did enjoy the format and decided I would do it as a regular thing, just saying hello to my patrons once a month. It gives me a more personal connection to a smaller group of readers than I can provide in my public videos.

In the March 2022 patron postcard I start weaving a rya Beach pad for my husband’s 50th birthday (video screen shot).

Since then I have made several video postcards, some from vacations, some from home and some from the weaving room. I have talked about spinning bulky yarns, weaving a rya rug, spinning a lopi style yarn, teaching at Sätergläntan, picking a fleece, spinning silk and lots more.

Patron perk

I create my video postcards as a perk for my patrons. They have chosen to support me financially because they enjoy what I do. By the monthly fee they support me with, they play an important role in helping me keep my free stuff free for those who can’t pay. This way a large part of what I publish is free and accessible for a larger audience; this blog, my youtube videos, webinars and a lot of the courses, challenges and lectures in my online spinning school.

Cutting down the rya warp in the Weaving room in the June 2022 patron postcard (video screen shot).

Relaxed

The video postcards are always very simple and unpretentious. To keep them as simple as possible I don’t use a script and I usually shoot the video in one take and with a minimum of editing. I allow these videos to be as natural and low tech as possible. I want to enjoy making them and not see them as a burden. It’s very liberating to make these videos totally unscripted for a group of people that is as nerdy as I am, very differently from how I would approach a public youtube video.

In the August 2022 patron postcard I am in Austria, pointing out Schafberg/Sheep Mountain (video screen shot).

Sneak peeks and deep dives

Sometimes I make the postcards as a sneak peek into something I blog about later, sometimes I dive deeper into something I write about. Other times it’s just a simple greeting from a place I am visiting. Every postcard is a sincere thank you for the support I get from my patrons.

An improvised camera setup for a weaving moment for the October 2022 patron postcard. Photo by Dan Waltin.

Fresh from the editing room

The video postcard I made this week was about a project I have been working on for several years now and that is almost finished. Two shots in different angles, a bit of editing, transcribing the narration (this takes time, though) and captioning.

In the May 2023 patron postcard I show some påsöm embroidery on my two-end knitted sleeves.

Just to give you a glimpse of what a video postcard can look like, I will share one of them with you. This one is from July 2022 at Sätergläntan where I talk about my course A spindle a day. Enjoy!

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
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New readers

Two weeks ago I published a reel on Instagram and for some reason it went viral. As I write this it has over 2 million views and nearly 90000 likes. It has also resulted in nearly 18000 new followers on Instagram. Some of you new readers may have found your way here to the blog and I thought I’d introduce myself to you.

First of all: Don’t forget to enroll in tonight’s live talk with me and Christiane Seufferlein!

Enroll here (replay)

While I’m happy my work has been so well received I’m also quite overwhelmed by the attention. I have the ambition to reply to every comment on Instagram, but the feed has gone through so fast and it has been impossible for me to keep up with the pace. Just know that I want to read all your comments, but it’s a bit hectic at the moment.

About me

So, I’m Josefin Waltin, a Swedish spinner, spinning teacher, course creator, blogger and youtuber. I have been spinning for the past 12 years.

Knitter

I have been a knitter since I learned to knit in school at the age of 10. I knit my first sweater at 12, in lilac mohair yarn, aboat neck and penguin sleeves. The sweater of my dreams back in 1985.

Josefin, agen 12, in my aunt’s summer house garden in Austria, knitting my very first sweater. Isn’t this the loveliest time document?

Spinner

12 years ago I talked about wool with a knitting friend, Anna. I was shocked when she told me she had heard that around 97 per cent of Swedish wool was burnt, dumped or otherwise wasted. Many sheep owners didn’t know what to do with the fleece. At the same time we imported tons and tons of New Zealand merino. Then and there Anna and I decided to learn how to spin, to be able to take care of a fraction of the wool that would otherwise be wasted.

The wool from Pia-Lotta the Swedish finull sheep was my very first fleece.

On our first spinning lesson we got a box of newly shorn wool in our laps, from sheep that were grazing outside the door of the barn we were sitting in. We got a suspended spindle in one hand and a pair of hand cards in the other. Little by little I learned how to prepare my wool from the shorn fleece.

I always work with hand tools to prepare my wool.

This is the foundation of how I spin and teach spinning today. I don’t buy yarn, I spin it. I don’t buy commercially prepared fiber, I prepare it myself. To feel the connection to the fleece that once grew on a sheep I want to have my hands in every part of the process. This way I get to know the wool. I allow it to tell me how it wants to be spun.

Youtuber

When I started spinning I was quite fascinated by the whole process from raw fleece to yarn and garment, and I still am. To document the process I made a YouTube video that spread far and wide. I called it Slow fashion – from sheep to sweater. I really loved showing my craft and the beauty of making in a video format. Since then I have made 70+ YouTube videos. They are mainly in a documentary style, focusing on the beauty of spinning rather than teaching the craft.

Slow fashion – from sheep to sweater.

All my videos are shot outdoors in nature. I want the setting to be peaceful and inspiring and I think the setting in nature helps express that.

Blogger

That first video made me want to express my craft in other media too, so I started this blog back in 2018. In the beginning it was somewhat disorganized, but after a couple of years I found my rhythm and way to express myself. Now I write every week, mainly about spinning and preparing wool for spinning. Sometimes in a more tutorial way, sometimes documentary. When I feel like it I write in a poetic style to honour the craft that is so deeply rooted in my heart.

There are over 300 posts in this blog. Browse around or use the search function if you are looking for something special. I’m sure you will find a post or content you like. If not, you are always welcome to suggest new topics.

Make sure to subscribe to the blog if you don’t want to miss anything. You can also check out my official Facebook page, I link to my blog posts there too. My private Facebook page will remain private though.

Webinars

Every now and then I host live breed study webinars. This is when I talk about the fleece from a Swedish or Scandinavian sheep breed from a spinner’s perspective. I walk the participants through the breed, the wool characteristics and show how I prepare, spin and use the yarn from the breed. It is a lovely time for me to spend some time with my readers and I keep these occasions close to my heart. I have done around ten so far, all of them paired with a blog post. about the breed, and hopefully I will be able to arrange another one before the summer.

Spinning teacher

In 2016 my family and I decided to stop flying. We took the train to Austria where I have family, a trip of around 25 hours and 6 changes. To have something to do on the train I learned how to spin on a supported spindle. I really fell in love with the technique and the mindful, rhythmic process. I made a couple of tutorial-style videos about spinning on a supported spindle.

One day a friend asked me to teach a class in the technique. And so I did. And I did it again. Ever since then I have loved teaching spinning. When I teach I grow as a person, as a spinner and as a spinning teacher. I strive to guide every student into becoming confident in their spinning. When the course is over I want them to leave with something more than just new skills, I want them to feel the spinning in their hearts.

I love teaching spinning and watching the students grow.

I teach mainly spindle spinning techniques and the process from raw fleece to finished yarn. One of my favourite courses is the five-day course A spindle a day, where the students learn four different spindle techniques in five days at Sätergläntan craft education center. There are still one or two seats left for this summer’s course!

Course creator

I also have an online spinning school You can find lots of both free and paid courses here. For the past three years I have published a five-day challenge just after the new year. I also offer courses in supported spindle spinning, in how to get to know your fleece, short lectures and much more.

Knitting designs

I won’t go so far as to call myself a knitting designer, but I have designed some knitting patterns. All of them are created for handspun yarn: The Heartwarming mitts, Selma Margau Sweater and Cecilia’s Bosom friend. You can find them in Spin-Off magazine.

Co-author

A few years ago I was contacted by Sara Wolf, an American who was writing a book at the time. She asked me if I wanted to contribute to it. We started a collaboration that ended in her putting me as a co-author of her book Knit (spin) Sweden! It is sort of a journey companion for knitters who travel to or just enjoy Sweden. She makes an excellent overview of the history of knitting in Sweden as well as a guide to where to find yarns from Swedish sheep breed. My contribution in the book is an overview of wool from Swedish sheep breeds and how I have experience them as a hand spinner. I have sent my handspun yarns to Sara in the U.S. who has shared her thoughts about the yarns from her knitting perspective.

Knit (Spin) Sweden!

Patreon

A lot of what I do and share is for free – blog posts, YouTube videos, webinars and some of the courses in my online spinning school. If you enjoy what I do, please consider becoming a patron at Patreon. That way I can keep offering things for free for those who can’t afford my paid courses. If you become a patron you will get access to patron-only goodies like previews of videos, course discounts and a monthly video postcard.

One of my favourite spinning tools is the supported spindle. This one by Björn Peck.

Once again: Welcome all new readers

and happy spinning!

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Raffle results

Last week I presented a spindle case raffle. The winner would get an embroidered spindle case made by me and the ticket money would go the Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, the CTTC, in Peru. Today we have the raffle results!

79 people entered the raffle, which would mean that you raised 395 USD. But 11 of you decided to donate more than the 5 USD ticket fee, so the total sum you raised is 443 USD! That is amazing and I can’t thank you enough. I emailed with Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, founder of the organization and she asked me to thank you all for your generous donations.

The spindle case was the perfect container for the raffle tickets.

Now, for the winner in the raffle: My daughter helped me draw the winning name. The winner is

Susan P.

Congratulations Susan! I have contacted Susan but she hasn’t replied yet. Please get back to me so I can send you your prize!

The spinning community is built by such generous and kind souls and I am so happy to be part of it. You all help me become a better spinner. So once again, thank you for your generosity.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
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Spindle case raffle

My 50th birthday is coming up at the end of next month. Just like Pippi Longstocking gives gifts to her best friends I have decided to give a gift to one of you in this spindle case raffle. In return, you will give a gift to someone else.

In last week’s blog post I wrote a poem about an embroidery. Some of you might have guessed that a giveaway of some sort was coming up, and you were right. The richly embroidered spindle case is the prize in a raffle. There is only the one spindle case and only one happy winner.

Påsöm embroidery on needle punch felt and a hand woven band from my handspun yarn.

How to take part in the spindle case raffle

The raffle is over and the winner will be announced in an upcoming post.

Deadline for entering is March 16th at 4 pm CET (World clock here).

I will donate all the ticket payments to the Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, the CTTC in Peru when the raffle is over. The CTTC is a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. You are more than welcome to donate more than the ticket cost to support their causes, but you will still only get one ticket to the raffle. If you win you may need to pay an import tax or something similar.

Påsöm extravaganza for a sweet spindle case.

The spindle case

A few years ago I designed a spindle case that I now make (without the embroidery) and sell to students on my in-person courses . I do not sell these online. I did have a giveaway of three cases back in 2019, where the lucky winners lived in Sweden, Canada ant the U.S. This time I have only one spindle case, but it’s a pretty one.

Påsöm embroidery looks very good on a spindle case, don’t you think? The lining is a vintage 1950’s linen fabric by designer Viola Gråsten (shown underneath the spindle case to the right).

Here are the details:

  • The design of the spindle case is my own.
  • You can put one or two spindles in the case, perhaps some wool. In the bottom of the case is a loose circular piece of needle punch felt. You can remove this, put a spinning bowl (for supported spindle spinning) in the bottom and place the circular piece on top of it to protect spindle tip and bowl from scratches.
  • The needle punch felt comes from Ullkontoret and is made of Swedish wool.
  • The seams to assemble the spindle case are hand sewn by me with my handspun yarn from outercoat Rya wool.
  • The lining is a 1950’s vintage hand printed linen fabric by Swedish/Finnish designer Viola Gråsten.
  • The button comes from a cardigan that one of my Austrian grandmothers knit for me back in the -70’s.
  • The button loop is my handspun yarn from a skein I won a silver medal for in the Swedish spinning championships back in 2017.
  • I have woven the strap and lid band on a backstrap loom with an Andean style pick-up technique. I have spun the band yarn from hand teased Norwegian NKS wool on a Peruvian Pushka spindle and dyed it.
  • I bought the påsöm embroidery yarn at Flodaros.
  • I planned and embroidered the spindle case, the lid and the lid brim, stitch by stitch.
A sweet dahlia at the base of the spindle case.

Please enter to support the CTTC in Peru and good luck in the spindle case raffle! Hopefully I will be able to announce the winner in next week’s blog post.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Posted on

Stitch by stitch

An embroidery is the theme of today’s blog poem. Enjoy!

A petal, a bud, a leaf, a stem.
Stitch by stitch an image reveals itself,
one right next to another.
Colour, shape, structure, texture –
I build the image
that wants to come alive
on the felted rectangle that is my canvas.
I build the image that wants to come alive on the felted rectangle that is my canvas.
Enraptured by the simple motion of the needle
like a breath floating in and out of my chest.
I loose myself in the flow.
I pull the yarn through gently
until the newborn stitch lands snugly onto the felt,
spooning itself next to its sisters, only seconds older.
I pull the yarn through gently until the newborn stitch lands snugly onto the felt, spooning itself next to its sisters, only seconds older.
Down into the depths of the soft felt,
up like a sprout of new yarn.
Indeed, I'm planting the flowers I stitch.
For every stitch I add another layer –
the outline,
the stems,
the positions of the flowers.
Filling in any negative space
with colour,
structure
and pure plant power.
Filling in any negative space with colour, structure and pure plant power.
My yarn is rich and airy, the motifs overwhelming.
Flowing, compact,
gushing forcefully across the surface,
painting it with cushiony flowers
like paw prints in the snow from the cat next door.
Painting the surface with cushiony flowers like paw prints in the snow from the cat next door.
My stitches are for the fiber artists before me, beside me and after me.
As I paint my wool with flowers
people of the past flutter by like a whispering sigh,
showcasing their richly embroidered 
cuffs, sleeves, suspenders and collars.
Something to flaunt on church Sundays –
a decorated mitten, a pompous skirt hem
flowing momentarily in a bench row.
Telling the story of who they were and where they came from.
All painted with the richness of the stitches.
Each execution a greeting from the artist and her skills.
My stitches are for the fiber artists before me, beside me and after me.
This embroidery is for someone I have never met.
Still I know them.
We may live close or far apart,
still I am connected to them,
stitch by stitch.
We are kindered spirits
through the love of wool.
The sisters next to each other, flowers that fill the space, leaves complementing and stalks holding together.
I want the receiver of my gift
to know the love in my stitches,
the sisters next to each other,
flowers that fill the space,
leaves complementing
and stalks holding together.
I want them to feel the vibrations in my hands
as I pull the needle through the felt,
the warmth in my soul
as I add the next stitch
and the next
in my gift.

You don’t want to miss next week’s blog post. That’s all I have to say about that.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Posted on

Parallel projects

I am not a monogamous crafter. I always keep parallel projects. If they are too many I get stressed, but usually I see parallel projects as something positive. It gives me the opportunity to work creatively from pure curiosity rather than the drive to finish the project.

Current projects

I almost never work on only one project. To me there is a time, a place and a company for everyone of them. Here are some of my current textile projects:

  • Two two-end knitting sleeves I have been working on off and on since 2019. I usually knit these at work. I just shove one of the sleeves into my bike pannier on days when I work at the office.
  • A woven band to said jacket sleeves. Perfect for train rides or office coffee breaks. I weave on a backstrap loom, so I can just put the back end around my foot and tense the warp by stepping on the gas so to speak.
  • A four meter weave in the weaving room. I usually spend an hour or two on Saturday and Sunday mornings with the weave.
  • Carding and spinning two-ply woolen yarn from Swedish finull wool.
  • Spinning a two-end knitting yarn on a supported spindle. Whenever I need that gentle flow.
  • A secret embroidery project. When I know what to add next.
  • Picking a fleece. When my hands want to dive into a fleece.
  • A shawl in my handspun linen yarn. It’s been a while since I worked on this, I have prioritized wool for warming my lap when knitting. But spring is in the air and I think it might be time soon!
Three parallel projects – a woven band, a twill weave in the weaving room and a pair of two-end knitted jacket sleeves.

They are all of different techniques, difficulty level, gadget intensity, concentration levels and sizes. I can pick one suitable project for any crafting friendly occasion. My mood, the situation or the company can also steer me to one project rather than another.

Notebooks for morning reflections (left) and for whatever wants to be written (right).

Just as I spin and/or create with textiles every day I write every day, crafting words and paragraphs. Of course I also have several ongoing writing projects, all with their own contexts. I write by hand in a notebook every morning, in the afternoon in another notebook, on my computer before work on home office days and in the evenings blogging on my laptop.

Curiosity

I never work on a project because I feel the need to finish it, or at least that is my goal. I work on a project because I’m curious about it. It needs and deserves my curiosity, I want to give the best of me to the projects I work with. They are too important to rush through. If I can’t find the curiosity right now I leave the project for a while, allowing it to simmer until I’m ready for it again.

Sometimes I procrastinate to actively avoid finishing something. A project that has been part of my life for so long can be hard to let go of. Once I have finished it it will turn into something else, something more static than the project that I created every day between my hands. This concept is not far from when I read a book. Who knows what the characters will be up to if I finish the last page and leave them unattended?

My two-end knitted jacket sleeves, shot in Visby, Gotland, in 2019 (left) and the same sleeves this week, at an equality breakfast lecture at work (right).

Sometimes a project lies unattended for a long time. That doesn’t mean I have forgotten about it. I just need some inspiration from elsewhere to find that curiosity again. Perhaps I learn something new that will bring a fresh persepective on the technique or to my approach to it.

The forever sleeves

My two-end knitted sleeves is one such project. I started spinning the dalapäls yarn on a supported spindle in 2019 and started knitting. As I reached above the elbow I realized I needed to rip a substantial part up to alter the size, which was moderately fun. For some reason I forgot about the sleeves for quite a while. When I reconnected with them again I needed to alter them back. Just recently I caught up to the clean and un-frogged yarn and I realized that I needed to spin some more yarn. In November I visited my friend Lena who has Dalapäls sheep and I got a bag of the perfect wool for the last skeins for the sleeves.

Experience

I am a person of many ideas. Ideas are new in the world need some extra love and care. The projects will still be there, but the ideas need tending to to grow up and ripen. Not all ideas reach full maturation, though. But that doesn’t mean they are wasted. Quite the opposite, every blah idea can be the source of a brilliant idea that I do pursue. I need to kneed the blah and let it marinate to see where it can bring me. Sometimes I don’t see it right away, but sooner or later I understand the purpose of it and how it can help me move forwards.

Parallel inputs

Sometimes I work with parallel inputs – I knit while attending a conference to focus better on what is being said. I listen to music to enhance the experience of whatever craft I am working on at the moment. Sometimes I tease wool with my combing station while watching a series. Usually a costume drama from the early 19th century for some odd reason. They work very well together.

Parallel inputs. Teasing Swedish finull wool with Austen.

Sometimes a new idea comes during yoga asana practice, during my morning reflection journalling or during spinning. There are common denominators here – a creative activity usually gives birth to an idea involving another creative activity. The veins of creativity flow in mysterious ways. And I love it.

I write what wants to be written, spin what wants to be spun and turn to the project that I am the most curious about right now.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Posted on

One more beat

A little train poetry for you today. Just one more beat.

1.11 pm,
Track 10,
carriage 2,
seat 12,
window.
All aboard!
A drawstring bag filled with magic.
Essentials pulled out of my luggage –
water bottle,
books,
a drawstring bag filled with magic.
Taiko drums in my ears.

My body greets the familiar rocking,
the beat of the tracks.
Trees are rushing by.
I am in motion.
A sweet band in the colours of fruit drops.
As I open the magic bag
my fingers tingle,
giddy from anticipation.
I can weave at last.
A six hour train ride
captured in a sweet band
in the colours of fruit drops,
the kind your granny would keep
in a chrystal bowl
for special occasions only.
A stick dressed in linen heddles spread across the knife tracks like a ruffled skirt.
I tie a string around my waist,
band lock holding the band in place.
A whiff of juniper floats by.
Coat hook on the seat in front of me
secures the warp in the other end.

My loom is simple –
two hand carved sticks,
cherry I think,
control the shed.
A third stick, maple perhaps,
dressed in linen heddles
spread across the knife tracks
like a ruffled skirt.
Lean back to tense and plop the shed open, forward to slack and switch.
Lean back to tense and 
plop the shed open,
forward to slack
and switch.

If I listen I hear the song of the weave.
A frrt to open the shed
and welcome the pink butterflied weft,
a sound reminding me of
the first butterfly of spring,
fluttering its wings
to welcome the sun.
Tkk tkk
as the shed sticks keep track of the beat
in synch with the taiko drums.
If I listen I hear the song of the weave.
I lift the heddle stick
and pull the weft through.
Tighten the selvedge,
and tug
until I feel the warp threads
in place,
side by side,
covering the weft
with fruit drop stripes.

Leaning backwards
I make the beat.
Another row added to the fell
another beat toward a band.
The warp threads side by side, covering the weft with fruit drop stripes.
I keep the weaving dance
as the weave sings its weaving song,
trees moving south
as I go north 
to snow covered ground.
I beat the weft to the
beat of the drums,
the beat of the train.
The beat of my heart.

The motion of the train in my body,
my body as the loom
moving with the breath of the weave,
the up and down of the shed.
I don't know
where the motion begins
or ends.
A dance,
a song,
a journey 
and a beat.
Just one more beat.
One more beat.
Just one more beat.
7.27 pm
track 3.
I exit carriage 2
in a new town,
the echo of the beat
still rocking my body.
Drawstring bag closed,
ready to add some more magic
to the ride back home.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Posted on

Milk jug covers

Inspired by a series about the downstairs and upstairs of an early 20th century estate I have dived into the world of milk jug covers. I choose beaded bobbin lace before cling film any day.

Inspiration jumps at you from everywhere, you never know what will hit you next. This time it came from Yorkshire.

Bingeing Downton Abbey

A couple of years ago I was binge watching Downton Abbey, a British series about the upstairs and downstairs of a Yorkshire estate at the turn of the last century. I have always loved the sense of detail in the series – the textiles (of course), the interiors and the kitchen utensils. All in natural materials and exquisitely executed.

I remember the very first episode, that starts on a train when Bates, the new butler, is on his way to the estate. The first scene shows the interior of the postal car where postal workers are sorting the mail in separate compartments of wooden shelves covering the walls of the whole car. Just for a few seconds, but the whole setup is there. Attention to detail like that gives me goosebumps.

One doily, one second

In one episode, it must have been in the last season, Daisy the kitchen maid tidies the last things in the kitchen late at night. She picks up what looks like a beaded doily, gently covers a jug with it and puts the jug in the pantry, the richly but sophisticatedly beaded edge weighing the doily down to keep it in place atop the jug opening.

Screen shots from Downton Abbey. Daisy the kitchen maid is placing a beaded doily over the milk jug to protect it from flies – a milk jug cover. Next to it what looks like a waxed cloth for another jug.

The scene lasts for less than a second. But I couldn’t take my eyes off that beaded doily. Where did it come from? Just as the postal car on the train this must have meant something at the time.

Word hunting

I needed to know more about these beaded covers. I turned to two trusted friends, both craft counselors with deep knowledge of crafting and old utility items. None of them had seen anything like it before. So I googled. It took me a while, but I did find what I was looking for – a milk jug cover. Quite common at the time to keep flies off milk and lemonade in the U.K. but also in Australia. When the car came and there was no need for horses for kitchen deliveries, the flies became less of an issue.

I haven’t seen a Swedish equivalent to the milk jug cover, so I don’t have a Swedish word for it.

20th century tinder treasure

I knew I needed to make me a milk jug cover or two or eight. Seriously, who wouldn’t want dangling beads instead of clingfilm to protect their food? I also knew there must be thousands of doilies out there that once were the pride of one generation and a now, a couple of generations later, a nuisance.

Something for a 1920 Tinder profile?

1920 Tinder profiles would be strewn with superlatives of ladies’ skills in doily making. But now? I haven’t really seen the point of them, even though I know they are results of many hours of women’s skills and investments on the marriage market.

Rescue operation

I assume the milk jug covers were made as just that, and that the maker could plan and design for the beading as they made the doilies. My lace crocheting skills aren’t up to date, much less my bobbin lace skills, so making it from scratch was never an option.

eBayed doilies and necklaces (and some seed beads I had at home) make up the foundation of my milk jug covers. I actually bought two of the necklaces broken, so I didn’t even have to pick them apart.

In my quest for milk jug cover material I decided to rescue some of those doilies from disastrous fates. I bought nine from a seller on Swedish eBay – round and square, bobbin laced and crocheted, linen and cotton. Beautifully crafted in yarn finer than sewing thread. I also bought three vintage necklaces with glass beads for the beaded fringe.

21st century jug covers

A few weeks ago I started adding the necklace beads to the doilies. I had quite fun, actually, planning the colours and the design of the beading. While stitching I thought of all those women who had dedicated their time and skills to the doilies, perhaps hoping for a better life. Their thoughts laced into the doilies, mine beaded onto the edge, united in a milk jug cover.

Two milk jug covers in late December. One square in bobbin laced linen, one round in crocheted cotton. Beads from three vintage necklaces. No flies yet, but I don’t need an excuse to use the covers.

I gifted the first two to my parents. They admired them but weren’t sure they’d really use them. Just wait until August with wasps flying around the elderflower lemonade on the garden table under the birch, then they will fetch the jug covers in a second!

Clingfilm or bobbin lace?

I have just finished the third jug cover. This was the largest doily and my favourite – a square bobbin laced doily in linen yarn. The pattern features a meandering band around the edge of a linen square. I chose the heaviest glass beads and used a combination of five beads for each point of the lace pattern. My heart tingles along with the beads against the jug as I touch them.

The meandering band in the bobbin lace edging is just to die for.

I still have six doilies and hundreds of beads to play with. I don’t know if the milk jug covers I make will be used, they are a pain to iron and I have no idea how to wash them. But still. I have milk jug covers in my life now. What would you choose for an afternoon in the garden with a glass of lemonade – bobbin lace or cling film?

Adding the beads to the doily edging takes time, but I’m in no hurry

I’m definitely not in the market for a tinder profile, but wouldn’t it be interesting to highlight milk jug cover making skills in a profile? Just to shift the discourse, see what happens?

Another design with seed beads only. I quite like how the simple beading turns into extravagant curves around the edging.

Oh, and I finished another one during a zoom meeting at the home office today. I used long rows of seed beads only, creating sweet curves around the edging. The vacuum cleaner will rattle from dropped seed beads the next time we clean the house.

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.
Posted on

Happy place

Last week I published a new five-day challenge. I call it flow. In one of the lessons I invite the spinners to find a space to spin in and make beautiful and inviting. A happy place.

When I create a five-day challenge I have an idea of what I want to give to the spinners who accept the challenge, what I wish for them to experience. But as soon as I publish the challenge I have no control anymore. The challenge takes people where it wants to take them and I just enjoy the sneak peak I get from reading people’s comments.

Challenge accepted

Through all the challenges I have created I have been amazed at your experiences, reflections and generosity in sharing. I learn so much from your stories. I get to see glimpse of your learning processes, your challenges and progress.

The new Flow challenge is no exception. There are so many insightful and wise comments and you share experiences that I would never have thought of myself. The glimpse I get into your spinning from the comments is very helpful to me as I explore and plan my blog posts.

Happy place

Spinning itself is my happy place. This is where I relax, find balance and presence. When I spin the outside world fades into a murmur in the distance and I am in my hands, in my process, in my spinning bubble.

Spinning is my happy place.

Still, making the place where I spin a place of harmony is important too. When I bought my first spinning wheel I instantly knew where to put it – In the living room with large windows in two directions, overlooking tree tops, the lake and the city on the other shore. I haven’t thought about creating a happy place, it has just evolved organically – the wheel, a wooden chair, two wool baskets and a hook made from the tip of a spruce to hang finished skeins on. Now, as I started creating the challenge I didn’t have any plans of mentioning the spinning space at all. But as I did it all fell into place. A happy place.

My comfort zone

When I sit in my spinning space a sense of security washes over me. The things around me protect me from the world outside the spinning bubble. When I enter my spinning space and close my eyes I feel safe. I have the protection of baskets on one side and my spinning wheel in front of me. They are the walls of my spinning fort and my comfort zone. I inhale the light air of my spinning bubble. In this space I create. Other thoughts are left outside. Whenever an itch to make emerges, I come here. This is where I can let creativity loose and go wild. Or, if I feel some sort of creative block, I come here. I know my creative juices start flowing as soon as I come to my spinning space.

One of my spinning spaces is by the couch, right beside the fireplace.

When I’m not in my spinning space and want to spin I need to find the right spot, I don’t just sit down anywhere to spin. It needs to give me that sense of safety, preferably free from clutter and noise, both visual and auditive. Natural materials, natural light. It needs to be scrumptious. If it’s not I do what I can to shield myself from disturbances, perhaps with noise cancelling earphones, with or without music.

A door ajar

When I read the comments in the challenge about the spinning space I see many common denominators. Some students light a candle or sit close to the fireplace. Some surround themselves with objects that have some meaning to them, perhaps reminding them of a loved one or a journey. Many arrange their spinning space with natural light and a view into surrounding nature.

Natural light and a view of nature are high on the wish list for a spinning space.

Some spinners realized that their spinning space was not initially a happy one, something was itching. They moved things around and suddenly found the bubble, sometimes just by moving a piece of furniture a short distance. Some realized that they didn’t have a dedicated spinning space at all, and created one.

Spinning outdoors. A happy place indeed.

The space means something, I sense a feeling of a special time and place, even a sacred space as I read the comments. One student writes that their spinning space is where “my mind is still and my thoughts are free”. Wherever I lay my hat.

A new space

Reading about the spinning spaces of the students in the challenge has made me curious about creating an additional spinning space. Another inspiration comes from the Japanese Netflix series The Makanai, where most of the sitting is done on the floor. If 80 year Japanese ladies can sit comfortably on the floor, why shouldn’t I? Thinking about this makes me realize that when I pick a fleece I usually do it on the floor, sitting on a yoga block or two to elevate my hips. I realize that the wool picking spot is a happy place too, quite close to my spinning wheel and the baskets.

I found me a new spinning space on the floor. I’m sitting on my Ukranian handspun blanket, rolled up in the back to support my hips. The bowl is placed on top of two yoga blocks for comfortable spinning.

I placed my Ukranian handspun and handwoven blanket on the floor, folded and rolled at the back end to elevate my hips. A stack of two yoga blocks in front of me for the spinning bowl, wool baskets surrounding me. It was a beautiful spot for spinning, another happy place.

Thank you for so generously inviting me to your spinning spaces.

Where is your happy place?

Happy spinning!

You can find me in several social media:

  • This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
  • My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to missanything!
  • I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
  • I run an online spinning school, welcome to join a course! You can also check out my course page for courses in Sweden.
  • On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. Shooting and editing a 3 minute video takes about 5 hours. Writing a blog post around 3. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
  • You are also welcome to make one-off donations on my Ko-fi page.
  • Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
  • Read the new book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
  • In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better content. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
  • I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.