All posts by Tammi

Fibre, Knitting, Life, Spinning

Keeps on turning – some equipment restoration

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Along with the Shetland fleece I posted about the other day, a skein winder and a spinning wheel arrived at the house.  Both were in dire need of some attention.  Based on what I was told, the skein winder may be turn of the century.  I suspect it was made in someone’s garage or barn from found wood as it’s a mix of several different species but it’s well made and the mortise and tenons are well executed either way.

It does have a maker’s mark but it was barely visible when the winder arrived.   Click on the pic to see the full reason why.  Continue reading Keeps on turning – some equipment restoration →

Sewing Machines, Site News

Blame Canada? Shipping realities

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From time to time, I get an email from someone who wanted to purchase something from the shop but got sticker shock when they went to check out when they saw the shipping price.  Most times, people are understanding when I explain but there have been a couple of nasty ones lately complete with profanity and I mean, come ON.  Really?

The cost of shipping is an unfortunate “feature” of living in Canada and in fact a large part of what made me hesitate so long to even open the shop up in 2020.

We have a small population density for the huge landmass we live on.  For instance, our land mass is 1.6% larger than the US but we have about 1/10th the population.  We’re 40 times larger than the UK and we have just over half the population.

That means that packages are fewer for every kilometre (mile) travelled and so we pay more to ship.  What’s also really unfortunate is that through nearly every carrier, I can often ship for less to Florida than I can to Calgary which is less than 240miles (400kms) from me.

Compounding the issue is our postal system is terribly inefficiently run (Crown corp and no real accountability, very frequently mis-routing packages which costs a lot of money and time – i.e. my parcel that came through customs in Richmond BC had no business going to Quebec on the way to Alberta, then there was the pensions debacle that we’re still paying for… ) and fuel prices.

With fuel prices soaring, Canada Post for instance has started adjusting their fuel surcharges on a weekly basis.  Yes, weekly increases.  That means that a quote I give on Friday is out of date on Monday and not usually in my favour.  All of the parcel companies are doing similar things and recommending that shippers evaluate their shipping charges regularly because of this. Continue reading Blame Canada? Shipping realities →

Fibre, Spinning

Never Again, at least until next time

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It seems like every 2 to 2.5 years I have to remind myself why I don’t process spinning fibre from raw fleece anymore.  I gave this up in the summer of 2020 when I did some rough mental math and realized it was taking multiple chiropractor appointments to undo the damage I was doing to myself.

I thought I’d share my reasons that I can very easily justify paying someone else to prep my fibre these days.

In the middle of September, I found myself in possession of a new vintage or antique spinning wheel needing some rehab, an antique skein winder and Shetland fleece.  The fleece is potentially as old as me. Continue reading Never Again, at least until next time →

3D Printing, CSM, DIY, Knitting, Spinning, Weaving, Woodturning

Older and Better – antique sock machine and revisiting projects

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By far, the biggest thing to happen in August was this Circular Sock Machine.  I’d been looking casually for one for a year or so but finally put the word out that I was in the market. The goal being to use up some handspun because I spin much more and faster than I knit or weave.

Within hours, an acquaintance said she had been thinking of selling hers. We talked it over for a couple of weeks while she finished up one more project and then on Aug 13th, we went and picked it up.  I’d never laid hands on a CSM in my life but I have used a flatbed knitting machine that I had to refurbish before I used it and already hand knit.   I also enjoy a challenge – which most people warned me this would be.  Everyone kept saying “there’s a big learning curve!” and there is but it’s no more difficult than learning to service vintage sewing machines. In fact, a lot of the logic process transfers across especially when troubleshooting tension or dropped stitches. Continue reading Older and Better – antique sock machine and revisiting projects →

Home, Life, Spinning

My Own Way to Roll – spinning hacks and the 2022 TdF

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Part of July and sometimes August of most years in this house is dedicated to the Tour de Fleece.  It’s a 23 day annual event where we spinners sort of mirror the Tour de France.  We spin the same days, take the same rest days and have challenge days.  It’s a great chance to dedicate some time to spinning and other related crafting.  This year, there was the regular race and the women’s race so we spun from July 1 to the 31st. It’s a great opportunity to try to clear a few UFOs.

I also thought I’d post a few of my new “spinning hacks” and my new favourite tool off the lathe in this post.

A cotton sweater about half knitted. Some white, green and purple rolags and some silver and red cotton sliver and punis share a photo with some hand cards and a book charkha.
A cotton sweater about half knitted. Some white, green and purple rolags and some silver and red cotton sliver and punis share a photo with some hand cards and a book charkha.

Here’s what I committed to working on for this year’s TdF.

From the top:

  • A cotton sweater with yarn I over-dyed last year.  The original colorway was “Desert” and I added a Jeans blue to get this much more comfortable for me colour.  It changes a lot in various lights.  This is outside and relatively true to colour here.  It was an unofficial goal but I’d had it on the needles for a year. It was time.
  • Some Merino/Tencel rolags in white/green/purple. I began calling this one “Grape Vines” somewhere along the way.  These are the only rolags I’ve ever bought – usually I make my own but this was a few years ago and a great experience in spinning other people’s preparations.
  • Then the last fibre is cotton. Continue reading My Own Way to Roll – spinning hacks and the 2022 TdF →
3D Printing, Spinning

Cross arm spindle care tips

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Back at the end of June, I was contacted by the Edmonton Fibre Frolic asking if I would like to provide 3D printed cross arm (AKA Turkish) spindles for their first Fibre Soiree. I contributed to the Curated Spinner’s box.  This is the colourway I had to work with.

It’s an event going on as this post publishes.  So hello to all of the Fibre Soiree’s new spindlers/spinners!

On the tags I attached to the spindles, I said the following:

In case the image is too hard to read, here it is: Continue reading Cross arm spindle care tips →

3D Printing, Life, Sewing Machines, Spinning

Pushing Forward Back – or something like that

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Some of you may have noticed I have updated Archaic Arcane’s banner at the top of the site. I’ve put it on a rotation with the old banner, so here it is again if you see the old one above.

This came about finally due to a project I’m working on right now but realistically, I’ve been wanting an actual logo for almost 10 years.

I let it marinate in my mind and would periodically think about it but nothing really spoke to me.  Then at the beginning of July, I began a collaboration project.  I can’t say much about it until later in the month but one of the things they asked for was a copy of my logo in PNG format and a transparent background.

Whoops! I guess I better make one? They’re going to want business cards too, aren’t they?  Oh boy. Nothing like a little pressure to spur some action! Continue reading Pushing Forward Back – or something like that →

Knitting, Spinning, Weaving

Known Unknowns – Learning what we can from unlabelled skeins of yarn with a little math

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A couple of months ago, I attended a Fibre Mart at the local weaver’s guild.  As always seems to happen, I came home with way more than I’d planned on but I also came home with a couple of unlabelled skeins of things.

A basket full of Spinning and weaving books, weaving cottons, linen, silk brick, quivit, cashgora and other fibres
A basket full of goodies! Spinning and weaving books, weaving cottons, linen yarn, silk brick, qiviut (Muskox down), cashmere, cashgora and other fibres. All of it – including the basket – cost me less than the price of 7 cones of 8/2 weaving cotton and I came home with way more than 7 cones worth!

Like these ones.

I can tell based on the feel, shininess,  drape, “squeakiness” and how it sticks to my dry hands that it’s likely a silk yarn but I can’t use it before I know how much yardage I have. In general, a wraps per inch (WPI) measurement and more specifically maybe even a grist would also be helpful.

A friend has started referring to me as a technical spinner and a technical knitter, so what the heck – let’s embrace this just for a moment.

No wait!  Come back! Continue reading Known Unknowns – Learning what we can from unlabelled skeins of yarn with a little math →

Spinning

Ember: wood and fi(b)re

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Late March already? How did that happen? Tonight, another spring storm is set to roll in. The forecast is for 10-20cm (4 – 8″) of snow. There are already snow piles in our yard that are taller than me. It’s been a long winter. As usual when the pressure is changing, I’m restless and achy at the same time – which is why I’m writing a post at 3:46am. Winters like this, it’s hard to feel guilty about spending your time inside on comfort projects.

Continue reading Ember: wood and fi(b)re →
3D Printing, Life, Pets, Spinning, Weaving

Just This Side of Sane – 2021 Wrap Up

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Happy 2022 everyone!

For the second year in a row, I think most of us were pretty happy to see the back end of the past year.  It was a challenging year here.

I do like these year in review posts – even if they don’t tend to be that popular.  They help me to see that I wasn’t idle after all.  It seems like the winter can be a hard time to change years.  It’s dark and cold (up here anyway!) and what the heck did I even accomplish anyway?

What indeed.

There were more blog posts than usual Continue reading Just This Side of Sane – 2021 Wrap Up →