The Whorling Weaver

09/22/2026

I stepped away from my own Sheep-to-Blanket project for a day and went back in time at the Stahlstown Flax Scutching Festival. 🌾

I was able to see some of the traditional steps that turn flax into usable fiber—from breaking and heckling to dressing a distaff and spinning. The tools and machinery used to make this process happen.

And because I apparently can’t go anywhere without bringing home something fiber-related…I came home with a beautiful crafted hand-woven willow basket for foraging my dye materials. 🧺❤️

There was much to see that I couldn’t fit it all into one post, so I’m going to share some of the things that caught my eye over a few posts.

I love seeing these traditional skills still being practiced and passed along. There’s something pretty special about knowing where our fiber traditions came from and then getting to work with those same types of natural materials ourselves. 🌾🧵🪡🧶

09/20/2026

09/20/2026

Sometimes you just need to take a little walk around the backyard and see what you can find. 🍄🌿
Yesterday’s little adventure turned into quite the mushroom hunt! I found several boletes, a chestnut bolete, an oyster mushroom, Chicken of the Woods, and even a couple of mushrooms I couldn’t identify.
Of course, being a fiber person, I couldn’t help but wonder… what colors might be hiding in those mushrooms? 👀🧶
So I brought one type of bolete inside and decided to try a small dye experiment with a little skein of yarn.
The rest were cut up and frozen for future experiments—and hopefully I can add more to my collection as I find them. 🍄❄️
This is only a small experiment, but I absolutely love discovering new ways to find natural color in the world around me.
Who knew a little walk in the backyard could lead to a dye pot? 😂🍄🧶
HandDyedYarn FiberArtist FiberArts SpinningYarn WoolYarn NaturallyDyed TheWhorlingWeaver

09/08/2026

Look at that combed top! 🐑✨

Those raw locks have come a long way—from dirty fleece, through scouring and sorting, and now into beautiful, smooth combed top.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing all those fibers lined up and ready for the next step. ❤️
I’m learning, experimenting, and enjoying every part of this Sheep to Blanket journey.
Next stop… the spinning wheel! 🧶🐑

Handspinning FiberArts WoolJourney NaturalFibers SlowCraft

08/25/2026

Celebration Time🥳🎉🥳🧶🐑

08/25/2026

A Milestone Worth Celebrating! 🎉🐑
My first fleece is officially scoured!
It might seem like a small step, but for my Sheep to Blanket project, this feels like a BIG one. ❤️
This fleece started out dirty, full of lanolin, and straight from the sheep. After sorting, soaking, washing, rinsing, and a whole lot of patience… I now have clean wool ready for the next stage.
And honestly? There’s something pretty special about seeing that transformation happen right in front of me.
One fleece down.
A whole lot more work ahead.
And one step closer to turning sheep fleece into a blanket. 🐑➡️🧶➡️🧺
Next up: combing!
I think this milestone deserves a little celebration. 🎉
Handspun Handspinning WoolCraft FiberArtist FiberArts NaturalFibers SlowCraft SheepWool WoolLove TheWhorlingWeaver

08/19/2026

The tools l can’t do without 🐑🧶

Scouring fleece may look pretty simple, but having the right tools makes the process so much easier.

These are some of the things I reach for every time I’m scouring my wool. Nothing fancy—just tools that have proven themselves useful along the way.

I’m working through three fleeces for my Sheep-to-Blanket project, and there’s a LOT of wool to process! 😅

And because I’m also working a full-time, nightshift position, this project is definitely happening a little at a time, whenever I can fit it in.

Slow progress is still progress. ❤️

What’s one tool you wouldn’t want to be without when working with wool? ⬇️

08/12/2026

Scouring wool! 🐑❤️

08/12/2026

From raw fleece to clean locks!🐑🧶

Another step in my “Sheep to Blanket” journey is underway!

Before I can to this wool into yarn, the fleece needs a good scour. But honestly, one of my favorite parts happens before the washing even begins.

I love sorting through the fleece. There’s something about the feel of the lanolin on my hands and the unmistakable smell of raw wool that I really, absolute enjoy. It’s a reminder that this project is starting with a real fleece—not a ball of commercially prepared yarn from the store. 🐑❤️

Of course, along with the lanolin, raw fleece also has dirt, dust and vegetable matter, and sometimes poo 💩, so it needs a good scour before I can move on to combing.

Watching those locks go from dirty and greasy to clean, soft and fluffy is so satisfying!

Now that I have some dry locks, it’s time for the next step…..

Combing!

Three fleeces. Many steps. One blanket.
Follow along as I continue turning raw wool into something made completely by hand. 🐑➡️🧶➡️🧺