Tag Archive: corridale

Northern Lights All Day

While I was up to my ears in carded Corridale and the wonder of a wheel, my wonderful aunt—the same aunt who showed me the SpinOff magazine—sent me a package of fiber. And not just any fiber. Four lovely ounces of Northern Lights in the “Violets” colorway. I was supposed to spin them up for her to use in a knitting project. The fiber drafted beautifully! It was so nice to have the thin strip to work from instead of the big chunks that I would pull off from the sliver or top. And the colors! Excuse me while I go gaze at them again. The camera did not do them justice.

Spun Northern Lights

Spun Northern Lights

Carded versus Not

I had to go without fiber for a few days. You can imagine my irritation. There I was, just beginning on the drop spindle, just getting to where I could actually do things with it, and I had to wait. Then one wonderful afternoon we came home from a day out and about (which included seeing a walking wheel! Also known as a great wheel) and found a box sitting on the front porch. Wha-hoo!

Natural Corridale, Carded

Natural Corridale, Carded


Here is the carded Corridale I got. At the time I didn’t realize it was carded, so when I started spinning it I was really suprised by how different it felt from the stuff I got at Hobby Lobby. It was much more . . . crinkled, and there were these little tiny knots or tangles that would come out of nowhere and put a big bump in my yarn. However, I figured it was the difference between wool breeds and kept spinning, despite the annoyance. (Top whorl.) I have come to the conclusion that I prefer the non-carded fiber because it drafts easier for me. Not that I wouldn’t like to try my hand at carding and blending fibers . . . (Carders are so expensive.)

Vacation and The Beginning

It all started in my aunt’s living room. My family and I were on vacation, and we were coming up with different ideas for cottage industries that I might be able to do. My dad thought of weaving, since I liked yarn, and in the process of researching looms and whatnot, my wonderful aunt brought out a copy of SpinOff magazine. I was hooked.