Spinning on my front porch, means cool morning air, birdsong and the occasional cow mooing in the background.  But the topic of the yarnspinnerstale this month is very cool, as I tell all about my recent cruise to Alaska with Seasocks 08.

Before that though, I discuss two sheep breeds from my rare breed sampler:  Cormo and Montadale.  The photo is from some of the cormo spun from combed top pulled through a diz.

Music for this podcast is from the Podsafe Music Network.  New music artists include:

Janet Spahr  with Rosemary

Damh the Bard with Lady of the Silver Wheel

And special thanks to Wren Ross for letting me use Baa Baa Black sheep with the sheep fleece reviews, and to Clare Dowling for the opening Spinning song.

A few links I said I would include are:

Amy Singer   her webpage is here.  Amy taught a shawl Plug and Play class on the cruise.

Crissy Gardner, and Heather Ordover  each taught in the Heels, Heels, Heels classes.

And Brenda Dayne, talking all about her experiences podcasting, was the highlight of the trip, for this podcaster.

Finally, I issue an Olympic challenge.  I did this for the winter Olympics, and the blog entry is in the archives from my blog.  But I am in the mood to do something different this time, and talk about that in the podcast.  I hope you will join me in August as I watch the Olympics and take on your own Olympic spinning challenge. You have a bit of time, but don't dally, the challenge starts 08/08/08.

Happy summer solstice!

Part 2 of the cotton dyeing discusses how I dyed the roving using a natural dyestuff.  And a very unusual dyestuff too.

There are photos, and a detailed description of the process on my blog.

I've included two songs in today's podcast, both from the podsafe music network.  Be sure and check out the musicians webpages if you like the songs.

Copper Box  played Need a Little Squeezin   It's a great tune, and is featured on their website too.

Clare Dowling  of Moot Music opens every podcast for me with her spinning song, and for this podcast, closes with Go With the Flow.

Hope you have enjoyed these two podcasts of dyeing cotton. Comments are always welcomed here or on my blog.  And if you use Itunes, and could look me up there, searching under Yarnspinners Tales, leave a review.  It'll help more spinners find me.

Until next time, hope all you fiber colors are wonderul.

Dyeing Cotton Part one.

In today's podcast I am joined by my local spinners/knitters for a day of dyepots, fiber and fun.  Cotton fiber, specifically and the project was all for a fiber swap starting in the Ravelry group, Garden Spinning.

Please be sure to check out the blogs for each of the dyers, for lots of pictures.

Anita, Andrea, and Viki.   Yarnspinners blog is here.

Here's a few key points about what we learned:

Cotton needs to be soaked very thoroughly in soda ash water, to take up the dye well. 

Dyes created specifically for cotton need to be used.  These are the old formula Cushings union dyes or any dye specifically created for tie dyeing.

Solar heating or low tech variations with a heating pad work well to set the dyes.  Temperatures need to be around 100 degrees.

Cotton takes a very long time to dry, needs lots of dry heat or breeze to dry and looks pretty compacted until it does dry.

A good thumping on the cotton, once it is dry will fluff it up and make it ready to spin.

There's lots more on the podcast!  So much more, that I had to divide the podcasts into two parts.  So continue on with episode 13 to hear the rest of the story.

Music for the podcast is from the podsafe music network.  Clare Dowling provides my opening theme, and the interludes today are by Dan Tharp. 

A bit of change in the format this time, change is good, right?

In this episode I review three books that include spinning information, and I share with you about a real live outside spin-in that I joined. 

Since this is not a hands on, technical podcast this time, just think of this as time to catch up on your spinning projects.  The podcast will be back to its usual format in a couple weeks.  Meanwhile, enjoy the chat and music of this show.

All music is from the podsafe music network.

The interlude music, Blacksmiths Dance  is by Eastern Blok

The ending song is Coffee Man by Calvin Owens

Until later, happy spinning!

April is not only about spring, but many other things on this month's spin in podcast.  I talk about the fleece from two rare breeds of sheep, the Finn Sheep and the Perendale.   And as usual there is lots of music, and a Yarnspinner's Tale.

Today's music comes from the Podsafe Music Network.  I encourage you to check out this website as well as the websites for any of the artists used on today's podcast.

Special thank you's go to Clare Dowling and Wren Ross for use of their music to introduce segments in the podcasts.

The music behind the spring poem was provided by Monica Herzig.

The song Memory Lane was done by Elliott Smith.

Hardly Enough is from WAZ.

And the show closes with music from the group Parker Street Cinema.

Until the next podcast, hope all of your memories are well spun.

Just a note to say I had to set the comment function for this website to moderate, because the spammers finally found me.  So for all of you lovely listeners that take the time to leave me comments, be patient, your comment will show up soon as I OK it.  I know no one wants to see the spam in the comments either.

Yarnspinner

Spring Cleaning time, means fleece washing time.  

Join me as I talk through the process of converting this fleece straight off the shetland sheep into a beautifully clean fiber, ready to comb or card.

Pictures of everything I talk about are located on my blog, Yarnspinner Tales.

All music today can be found on the podsafe music network.

The Eggerton Boys are back in this show with the appropriate, Bath Time.

Jimmy Nicholas sings The House Cleaning Blues.  His records hang out with over Texas Bluesman at this label.

And the closing surprise piece, was done by these artists.

Hope the show helps you along with any of your spring cleaning chores this month, whether you are washing windows (you do, really?  Can you come to my house?) or fleece.

See you in a couple of weeks for a spin-in show.

It's the month of hearts and pink.  It's still wintery here, but spring is in my heart.  Join me as I sit by the fireplace and spin and talk about my history with the internet.   After all, without this vital interactive web, you would never be able to hear this month's Yarnspinners Tale.

There are other pictures on my blog Yarnspinners.

All music in the podcast came from the podsafe music network. Be sure to go to this and the musicians websites and support them for their generous sharing of music for this podcast.

My Heart by Norman Hedman Tropique provided the toes in the sand feeling.    http://normanhedman.com/

Wren Ross does a song that just made me laugh out loud and I hope you find it just as much fun. You'll recognize the song, but not the words! Her website is http://www.wrenross.com/

The podcast closes with just a modern lovesong in honor of Valentine's Day, The Love Song you Always Wanted.  http://www.deadheartbloom.com/html/news.htm

A big thank you to all that have left comments here, and on my blog.  It truly feels like a gift to read your comments.

Spring will be on it's way by the next podcast, and I think it will be time to open up the windows and get out the dyepots.  I hope you will join me then too.  Until then, happy spinning.

If skirting a fleece makes you think of running to your nearby clothing store, you really need to listen to this spinning podcast.  Find out just how you take a five pound raw fleece and get it ready for the wash.

Today's music found on the podsafe music network, is provided by:

MDL with Acoustic Heart

Tom Smith with Stupid Belated Valentine

The next podcast will be a spin-in, with lots of heart related music in honor of the month of February, as well as some yarnspinnerstales.  See you then, and thanks for listening.