Novelty Yarn - Love these happy colors!!

I love the way this novelty yarn turned out. It's a great one for beginners to practice!!
First spin a thin singles yarn and then a thick singles yarn. Ply them together. Voila!

Spin Control by Amy King

Yep, it's true.

I just got a brand new wonderful book which I wish I had had in time to add to the resources section of my, "Spinning with PattyAnne" DVD.

"Spin Control" by Amy King is an excellent book! You should check it out! )

Weaving on a Potholder Loom

Someone posted these videos on Ravelry. I can't wait to try using the potholder loom with my handspun!!

OK, I'm excited.... DVDs in mail TODAY!

The first DVD sets of "Spinning with PattyAnne" are shipping TODAY (6/24) -- almost a week ahead of schedule! Oh, did you hear??? There are TWO dvds in each set! Soo much fibery goodness!!

Oh, hey, you first spinners to get the DVD set....please LMK if the roving I use as packing material is useful. I'm hoping y'all will be able to use it for some practice!

I hope everyone enjoys and learns a little something from the DVDs. I sure loved sharing what I know on them!

I would love your feedback on Ravelry and Etsy if you've got a minute!

Psssttt... do you listen to podcasts? Tune in to the barknknit podcast. Natalie is going to review "Spinning with PattyAnne". Thanks Natalie!!

Part Two of DVD (small sample)

I hope you find this useful! LMK.

You can read more about the video in my previous post OR go to www.pattyanne.etsy.com

Can't wait to hear your feedback!

xoxoxo
PattyAnne



PS. Remember, reserve your copy today. Shipping starts on July 1.

Some of my friends needed some help learning to spin... sooo...

I made a spinning DVD!!! CLICK HERE to go to my ETSY shop!


I've been having a blast recording the video - getting my teaching 'fix'. Hmmmm I guess you can take the teacher (me) outta the Middle School but you can't take the Middle School TEACHER outta me --- or something like that LOL. And, yes, I am a former middle school teacher!

Anyhooo, if you're new to spinning, this video could be just what you need to help you get started!! I know when I was new, I did searches all the time for YouTube spinning videos. I just couldn't get enough of them!! Well, this new DVD of mine has a bunch of really cool teachings all in one spot.

Here's what's on the SIX part Beginner Spinner DVD:

1. Let's Get This Party Started (Setting up)

2. C'mon Baby, Let's Do the Twist (We'll explore twist "S" and "Z". We'll also discuss too much and/or too little twist and simple adjustments you can make so that your twist is -- just right!)

3. Eenie Meenie Minee Moe - Fiber Prep (Combing locks, carding/rolling rolags, and using a diz to create rovings. Also blending colors with handcards and spinning from handcards!)

4. Spinning Wheel - Got to Go 'Round (Woolen and worsted preps.)

5. Plying Yarn and Finishing Yarn (Palm plying, plying from a center pull ball, plying from two bobbins in buckets and plying from a lazy kate.)

6. Novelty Yarns

Hope you like it! :)

Want the rest of the videos in the series? Click HERE!

PLEASE send me your feedback... as comments. If you don't want your comment posted just let me know!!

I got this comment on Ravelry:

PattyAnne, this is BRILLIANT!!! perfectly clear, lovely to watch, thank you so much for doing this. The new camera angle works just so well, and I learned several new things just in the space of that one brief video! thank you so much for doing this.

I love your reassuring tone, too – every time you say, oh that’s fine, that’s okay, it’s so good to hear! because as a beginner there’s that feeling that it’s important to get everything right,immediately, hah. As if that were possible without a lot of practice.


Thank you, thank you!!

Here's my "Crazy" Yarn!

I had fun making this yarn! I really used up a bunch of scrap fiber and actually LIKE the resulting yarn. :-)

Now, what in the world do I do with it?!? (Oh, I still have to set it and WHACK it!)

Crazy Yarn - Just havin' fun!!

Sooo I tried something fun tonight. :) I put LOTS of my odds-&-ends of fiber into a bowl and just grabbed and spun.

Here's what I started with:














Here's what I have so far. (I'll ply tomorrow after the twist has a bit of time to 'relax'.)

Square Foot Gardening

I read about SFG on a Rav post and decided to give it a try! You won't believe all the stuff I have planted in this four foot by four foot garden!!
Banana Peppers - hot and sweet
Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Zuchinni
Some other squash LOL
Watermelon
(I hear you laughing!! But honestly people say they DO plant watermelon in a garden like this. I noticed I did do something wrong though... I should have allocated two 12" squares for the watermelon. OH well, I can pull out the marigolds when the time comes.)

So anyhooooo, I put a picture of my garden up on Rav and someone in Maine (I'm in SC) SWEETLY said, "Ummm PattyAnne. I THINK your tomato cage is upside-down or did you do that for a reason?"

Well, I fibbed just a tad on Rav and said that it must have been because I was exhausted LOL. In reality... I thought it went that way although I was surprised there wasn't a nice way to keep that round hoop anchored in the ground at the base of the 'tom' plant.

Well, thanks to the Rav group, I now have 'proper' cages on my plants. The photo, however, still shows my lack of gardening 'know how'. Hey, what can I say? I'm a city-slicker gardening wannabe and this is my FIRST ever garden! LOLLOL.

Wish me luck! I hope I get some good eats outta this garden! :)

Darning a Sock

WOW! I never knew sock darning was so involved! I always thought you just pulled those first stitches TIGHT so they closed up the hole!

Holy Moly!! Not sure I could make myself do this!!!