Directory of Spinning Fibers Resources

Home > Arts > Crafts > Textiles > Handspinning > Spinning Fibers

Handspun yarn can be made from many different types of raw fiber. Animal (protein) fibers are those such as wool shorn from sheep, goats or camelids (such as alpaca and llama). Plant fiber (cellulose) examples are cotton, or bast fibers (from the stem of a plant) such as flax (linen) or ramie. Man-made fibers that handspinners use include rayon and lyocell (Tencel).

Resources in This Category

• Cotton: From Field to Fabric

  http://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/fieldtofabric/
  Educational overview from the National Cotton Council.

• Department of Textile Fabrics

  http://www.150.si.edu/siarch/handbook/textile.htm
  Article from the Smithsonian Institution covering the basic natural fibers.

• Fibercritters

  http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/fibercritters/
  An email discussion list for anyone having an interest in those animals who provide fiber for fiber artists. Information on how to join; message archives for members only.

• Libeco Lagae: From Fax to Linen

  http://www.libeco.be/en/about-linen/from-flax-to-linen.aspx
  Basic history, biology, growing, preparation, and end use. From The Linen House, an online store.

• Qiviut (or Qiviuk)

  http://www.fibergypsy.com/fibers/qiviut.shtml
  Luxurious down fiber from the Muskox. Hints on preparing and spinning the fiber; vendors.

• Soybean Protein Fiber

  http://www.swicofil.com/soybeanproteinfiber.html#Introduction
  Background on this fiber produced from soybeans, describing the process.

• Wool: Breeds of Sheep

  http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
  Maintained at Oklahoma State University. General information, photos, history of breed, bibliographies.

• Wool: Navajo-Churro Sheep

  http://navajo-churrosheep.com/
  Origin, history, characteristics and preservation of this rare breed. Breeder list. Published by Navajo-Churro Sheep Association.

• Wormspit.com

  http://www.wormspit.com/
  Silk work by hand: silkworms, reeling, spinning and weaving.

 

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