An unexpected, but very welcome addition to my 51 Yarns study! Come and join me as I figure out how to process raw qiviut, from washing through de-hairing and all the way through to spinning. We’ll talk about the different layers of fibre musk ox have and how to make them work for you. **I love helping people learn about fibre arts... I also have to pay the bills! A lot of work goes into these videos so if you found it helpful, please consider supporting the channel by: joining my Patreon: www.patreon.com/TinyFibreStudio or buying me a ‘virtual coffee’ via my Ko-Fi account : www.ko-fi.com/tinyfibrestudio Thank you!** This series of videos is inspired by PLY Magazine's book 51 Yarns to Spin Before You Cast Off. The videos are listed in the order in which they were designated for the 51 Yarns Spinalong which coincided with the book's launch. 00:00 Intro 00:30 The Backstory 01:35 What is Qiviut? 02:27 The cost of qiviut 04:01 Exploring qiviut 04:50 First look 05:08 Why multiple coats matter 07:14 Washing/Scouring 7:55 Dehairing Overview 08:22 Skirt Hairs 08:47 Guard Hairs 09:31 Intermediate Hairs 11:08 Skin Flakes and other flaws 11:40 Fibre comparison 12:04 Down fibres 12:47 Dehairing conclusions 13:39 Interlude 14:16 Spinning Qiviut - Cost 15:18 Spinning Qiviut - Lack of Memory 16:41 Spinning Qiviut - Warmth 17:35 Sample spinning *Links* ’51 Yarns To Spin Before You Cast Off’ Book: simplecirc.com/ply-magazine/item/1122/51-yarns-to-spin-before-you-cast-off Hey BrownBerry Podcast: ru-vid.com/show-UCA4KDVuFFd2juERyhAMwBxg Middlebrook Fiberworks: www.middlebrookfiberworks.com Qiviut Inc Mill Tour: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eHU8DPGX5Bc.html Qiviut Inc: qiviutinc.com Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers Co-Operative www.qiviut.com Musk Ox images from USFWS are used according to their Creative Commons License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ No changes made. *Tools in the video* Wheels • Hansencrafts miniSpinner Pro: hansencrafts.com • Electric Eel Nano 2: www.dreamingrobots.com/product/eew-nano/ Other Tools • Louet Cotton Carders (I'd call them fine carders since they have 110tpi, rather than 200-ish which is typical of cotton carders): www.louet.nl/product/hand-cards/?lang=en&v=79cba1185463
I was lucky enough to stumble into spinning (and knitting) around 8 ounces of quiviut a few years ago. It was the fiber that a nature photographer had picked up during "shedding season." I dehaired it by using the mini- combs from Louet (I think) and a teeny homemade diz. I put it thru the combs at least twice. I washed it after spinning. It was glorious! And i got to do it again the next year! Incredible stuff. Awesome videoo!
I have a bag of Qiviut as well as a bag of buffalo fiber to process, and I suspect the buffalo will be similar in structure. Thanks a megabilliokazillion for the information. You are priceless.
What good fortune! A Qiviut encounter:) You have done a great job sharing what you have done and learned here. Thank you. I am soooo glad you are posting again.
Thank you so much for this video, Becks. As always, your video was fascinating and comprehensive. I shall probably never obtain any of this amazing fibre here in the UK, but your in depth discussion on it was invaluable. Thank you for putting all the time and energy into making this for us. 😊🙏
Well you never know! Keep your eyes peeled at fibre festivals! 👀 I’m happy I was able to document the process for those who aren’t able to experience it for themselves.
I am so happy you made a video about qiviut! I purchased a small amount at a fibre festival a few years ago, but my spinning is nowhere near good enough to try anything with it...yet. I had been considering my hand spindles, but am now rethinking my plan and may end up blending it and spinning on my wheel. Thank you!
Absolutely beautiful!!!! Definitely so much work though!! Soo neat that you got all the layers!! I came across a sale of the down layer for 50.00 an ounce I grabbed at it!! Love your videos!!!!
You’re very welcome. The majority of my viewers are from the USA so either I do the maths for you or you all miss half the video doing the currency conversion yourselves! 😂 It’s in all of our interests for me to do it!
I am currently detaining English Sheepdog fiber to spin for a friend. I’m finding that i have best success pulling out the hair from the cut end. Crazy amount of work, but lovely soft white and grey fluff results.
Thank you for the shout-out! Hmm was your fibre perhaps sheared? Our raw qiviut (combed by hand from the hides) has nowhere NEAR that many guard hairs! Good on you for persevering with that particular sample...
You’re very welcome - I love what I’ve seen of your business and hope to be able to order some from you one day so I can see what the good stuff is like! I don’t think it was sheared - the guard hairs all had roots still attached. But as far as I know it came from a live muskox who lived in a wildlife park in Scotland so the people who harvested it were probably not experts in it from a fibre-gathering standpoint. I suppose it’s also possible that the different climates in Scotland led to it being shed differently.
Great question. Others might have a different experience but I tried it on my combs (Valkyrie Extra Fine) and it just blended it together more. I think it’s easier to separate while it’s still organised in a sheet.
