I’ve just published a new magazine article in the Summer 2024 edition of PieceWork magazine. “Tartan Reflections and Repetitions” covers the history of one of Scotland’s most iconic textiles. I delve into how the fabric is defined, its history as a symbol with many meanings, and how it’s worn from the traditional fhéilidh-mór to the […]
wool
Moth Myths: Protecting Your Textile Treasures (PieceWork, Summer 2023)
Have you ever opened your yarn stash to see a moth fly out or noticed that your favorite sweater has small bites taken out of it? Read my latest article in PieceWork Summer 2023 to learn more about preventing moths. The internet and old wives’ tales are rife with advice on how to prevent a […]
How To Transform A Raw Fleece Into Clean Wool
I recently attended the Connecticut Sheep, Wool, and Fiber Fest. I went thinking I would only buy washed and prepped wool, but walked away with a six pounds (2.7 kg) Corriedale/Cormo/Romney cross raw fleece. A raw fleece is any fleece that has not been washed or otherwise prepared for crafting. Raw fleeces have only been […]
Fabulous Fibers: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral (and Synthetic too)
As I discussed in my last post, textiles are all made out of fibers. But what are fibers? Fibers are the small units that make up textiles. If you pull out a single strand from a clump of wool, you’ve got yourself a wool fiber. Animal Fibers Fibers are categorized by their origin. Animal (also […]
When Moths Attack Part II: Eradication and Prevention
Haven’t read When Moths Attack Part I: Introduction and Identification? Click here! Now that you know what types of moths cause damage and how to identify them, I’m going to cover how to eradicate them and prevent them from coming back. However, as always, please don’t use these methods with historic textiles! They are very […]
When Moths Attack Part I: Introduction and Identification
Introduction One of the scariest things for a textile crafter is seeing a moth fly out of your precious stash of fibers and yarns. But how do you know if you have a moth infestation, how do you get rid of it, and how do you stop it from happening again? The enemies are the […]