Friday 5 February 2016

Grow your own yarn!

Marshalls Unwins and Mr Fothergill seed catalogues

Grow your own yarn ... as an addict to all things crochet and knitting, I really like the sound of that! I've joined Ravelry group Project Apocalypse started by fellow blogger Sheila   I gather that we're all getting ready for the apocalypse with the idea that when it arrives, no-one will be making yarn, if we do it ourselves, we'll be the best dressed survivors.

The manifesto of Project Apolocalyse kicks off with "You have what you stand up in and what’s around you. You can use fibres that you can find, gather, grow, harvest, brush or shear yourself."

Sheila is a multi-talented lady, she came to my attention as a yarn spinner which is when I started following her blog, over at Stitchin' Bints, but she does lots of other things too, just take a look at her profile! Cartoonist, software engineer, knitter, cider drinker, plays in a band ... the list goes on. If I do manage to grow some usable fibres, in order to turn them into yarn I'm going to have to learn how to spin it ... (I've got a book...!) it's rather handy that the leader of the group is an expert.

Sheila has already tried some nettles and I gather she's planning to cultivate some cotton this year. I'm going to try to grow some flax to make my own linen yarn. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for Project Apocalypse ... I'm going to be ordering my seeds soon, what will you be growing, gathering, brushing or shearing to turn into yarn?

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for spreading the word Sue, my cotton seeds are indeed standing by. I've given a packet to my dad and another to my sister as added motivation (bit of a family contest) which should mean lots more cotton to spin for me!

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  2. As a child I used to pick flax & try to make my own linen thread to then crochet, and gather sheep's wool from the fences to 'spin' - I'd be OK come the apocalypse, although it might take a very, very long time to make anything of substance...

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