Author: Joanne Littler

I'm a hand spinner and weaver - and I've been working with fiber for over 30 years. My specialty is weaving with handspun yarn

Why Handspun?

Handspun Handwoven Cashmere Silk Shawl
Cashmere and Silk Shawl, 84" x 13", Handspun and Handwoven by Joanne Littler

Handwoven cloth is pretty special all on its own.

Sometimes pretty.  Often remarkable.  Possibly spectacular.

But always, always special.

Using yarn you’ve spun yourself in your weaving, can change your fabric from special to downright unbelievable.

Really.  Tell someone (provided it’s true) that you used a spinning wheel to make the yarn for your handwoven  fabric.

Chances are, unless you’re surrounded by spinners and weavers at a fiber arts gathering,-  that person will gaze at you in disbelief.  They may not immediately understand, and they may appear puzzled.

Which gives you the perfect opportunity to share.

Whip out a picture of your spinning wheel, let them feel a bit of the fiber, hand them a skein of the yarn you made.  Use your words to explain how it works.

You can change the impossible, fairy tale thing they’ve only seen in a museum into something that seems a little more real, maybe even … possible!

I’m willing to bet they’ll be impressed.

Why does that matter?

Why would you bother?

I’d love to hear what you think.

The Great (Silk) Scarf Adventure

First steps with Silk

They were supposed to be a stepping stone.   A way to learn more about dyes and color.  Practice before attempting to dye my hand-woven fabrics.

Little did I know.  (Now there’s an expression to ponder!).  As it turns out –very little.

When I first decided to try to teach myself about color, I chose to work with small pieces of cotton fabric.  I was able to document the colors of the dyes, see the results of combining certain colors, and to practice a  simple ‘resist’ technique.

Like tie-dye without the ties.

But those were just samples.   And I have a very limited tolerance for spending time making something that isn’t ever going to be anything.

Silk scarves, on the other hand,  actually are something – with an added bonus.  Practice pieces have the potential of becoming either marketable ‘products’ or (in my default mode) really fabulous gifts.

So, slowly (no surprise) and methodically (that, actually was a surprise) I began trying out different techniques: comparing results; modifying color formulas; and having a lot more fun than I ever expected.

Tray Pleated & Hand Dyed Silk Scarf, 57"x10", by Joanne Littler

I’d imagined a fairly short period of trial and error, but my entire view of hand-dyeing has changed because of these wispy, light bits of fabric, and what they’ve ‘unveiled’.

Choosing this material to work with allowed me to carry out a whole series of  exercises relating to color, and made it relatively easy to practice a variety of methods for imparting color to cloth.

I’m definitely making progress.  And I’m very grateful for the experience.

My plan was to move on (and away) from silk as soon I’d learned enough.

So now the question is: “How much is enough?”

I intend to write more about hand-dyeing.  But it may take a while.  In the meantime, I’ve put more photos on the page: hand dyed scarves. Let me know what you think.