Y&Y Extra: How I decide how to spin a braid of fibre 

Hello Angela,that is such a pretty braid of fibre,it will be so interesting to see the yarn you spin it into and then the socks you knit. You are,most definitely a fibre whisperer.

Thanks for the wonderful encouraging advice!!! Gonna go spin that lovely braid I’ve been “saving”. ❤❤❤😂🎉

I like your attitude! I am not entirely confident working with beautiful handled braids, but I will try to be fearless and follow your advice. I look forward to seeing your project unfold.

Very beautiful colours! Last week I had to rip out a shawl because it was to small and I had no more yarn. But I enjoyed making it and I was not sad because I didn’t finish it.

OOOhhh,, can't wait to see those socks!

You got this! Just be true to yourself and go for it!

Hi Ange, I hope you, James and Newt are all ok.❣ Thankyou so much for sharing this video podcast on your thought process of the type of yarn you want to achieve. I love your philosophy on Spinning of letting the Fibre decide what it wants to be. I learn something new from your video podcasts, whether its the first time I've watched it or not.🐏🐏🥰 Happy Spinningmy Fibre Friend Take care and stay safe Lots of love and Big Wooly Hugs Jen xxxx ❤ 🐏 🫂❤🐏🫂❣❣

Hi ang. I love the colours in your braid. You should end up with a fab pair of sox. I have made sox with my handspun and dyed them too. Great fun! Please show us when you have knitted them up.

Lovely video, thankyou for the mention. Looking forward to seeing the fibre turn to yarn then socks. The little nuggets at the end reminded me of aniseed curls. My own spinning journey is about to begin. A little nano e spinner arrived for my birthday. I'm hoping to succeed as no treddling involved. Not managing to get much twist on the fibre. Early days.💕🌈

I can’t wait to see the yarn you will spin with this beautiful fiber. Beautiful colors!! ❤️ thank you for explaining the process Angela! ❤️

I spin what makes me happy as well. However for me that means spinning for a knitting project. As I mostly tend to knit lace shawls, I figure out roughly how many yards/metres of yarn I need and over time I’ve learned how many grams of fibre I will need. I’ll buy a bit more fibre and start spinning. Once I’ve got a bit less than the yardage than the pattern calls for I’ll knit up a swatch. Usually patterns will state more than you actually need. I’ll start knitting and keep an eye on how much I actually do use up. If needed, I’ll spin some extra. So far, it works. No more yarn chicken for me! I have to admit it’s probably because lace weight yarn is my default spin. It’s what I’m comfortable with. The fun part is that I can also spin-as-I-knit. If I want to achieve a gradient over say, a semi-circular shawl as it grows from the initial tab outward towards the border, I can. I can separate out a braids into different parts per colour in the braid and make a gradient change as slowly as I please without being limited by the colours of commercially available yarn. Quite similarly to what you showed in this video. With some times a bit more careful blending here and there, and plying from a centre pull ball, the changes can be as gradual as I want them. Although I do like to more or less wing it. Any leftovers get combined into a new project. I’ve got a few go-to, almost thoughtless knitting patterns I often use for leftover yarns/fibre and that I like to use as gifts when finished. I’ve only recently discovered spinning so in no way am I a technical spinner. But I’m having loads of fun with it. How do I choose my fibre and my projects? Simple: I choose what makes me happy and throw myself into it with abandon. No use being afraid to use that gorgeous braid. It’ll just end up lying there, sad and unused. Taken out and fawned over occasionally, then returned to its dark box. No. It’s there to be spun, to be enjoyed. To be used and to make someone happy as a finished project. To make ME happy as I create something out of it, revelling in how the fibre feels between my fingers as I spin it and knit with it. To either make me, or someone else happy as it is being worn.

Hey Angela couldn't wait to get here and see this video been cleaning all day long and cooking. I can't wait even though I know in my mind life and never be like you used to be this is what I'm going to have for a long time to deal with

Angela the fiber yarn is so gorgeous I love the colors I can't wait until you see what you do with it. I know the socks once you finish will be totally gorgeous

Hi Ange, have you done a you tube tutorial on drop spinning or vlogs showing how to drop spindle. I'm kinda nervous yet excited and have no clue how to drop spin with my beautiful new kit. Thank you xx