| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Washing and Drying Alpaca Fleece | 5/24/2009 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Curious, after reading your instructions on using a washing machine to clean alpaca fleece. I have a ...
A: Mike I would not use the dryer to dry any kind of protein fiber. All of that tumbling even if in a ...
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| Washing and Drying Alpaca Fleece | 5/18/2009 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Curious, after reading your instructions on using a washing machine to clean alpaca fleece. I have a ...
A: I hope that you have not processed the alpaca yet! I just found out about this question today. I ...
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| antique Hungarian spinning wheel | 11/8/2008 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I don't think this is in your area of expertise, but you might be able to point me in the right ...
A: Wow! That is a beautiful wheel! There are several places you can get replacement parts made for your ...
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| dyeing cotton | 10/20/2008 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I am not sure if you can help me with this question or not but if you can I would be very grateful! ...
A: Tori, Forgive me for answering this so late, but I did not know this question was on the site. You ...
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| spindles | 5/4/2008 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I have a spinning wheel and wish to learn. I am buying my first spindle. I tried to make a CD ...
A: You can make CD spindles very easily. This is how I make them: I like to make mine with only one ...
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| Warp rep placemats | 1/31/2008 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Will mop cotton make a good filling for warp rep placemats? Does it shrink? I couldn't find the ...
A: I am not familiar with mop cotton. If you think it would shrink after weaving I would wash it first ...
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| spinning | 12/5/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I would like to learn how to spin and I dont know anyone who can teach me the technique. I would ...
A: Camille I suggest that you look for a shop or guild in your area. You did not say where you live, ...
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| cleaning alpaca wool | 11/28/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I recently received fleece from one of my alpacas that was sheared at the ranch I am boarding her ...
A: I had to ask my experts on this as I have not dealt with fleeces with this problem. Unfortunately it ...
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| softness and microns | 10/4/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Which animal fiber is the softest? Which animal fiber has the lowest micron measurement? How ...
A: According to a recent article in Wild Fibers magazine, the vicuņa averages 12 microns and is the ...
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| Spinning yarn | 9/2/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I washed and dyed and now I am spinning sheep wool on a traditional ashford wheel. I haven'e done ...
A: Ruth Pre-drafting is taking a rolag or a length of roving and thinning it out. This makes it easier ...
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| Spinning yarn | 8/28/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I washed and dyed and now I am spinning sheep wool on a traditional ashford wheel. I haven'e done ...
A: I apologize for taking so long in answering you, Ruth. School started this week and I was called in ...
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| Cleaning alpaca fleece | 6/22/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I have shorn my two alpacas for the third year. I have all raw fiber and have decided to try to ...
A: Terri, How lucky you are to have alpacas! I love spinning alpaca, in fact have some on one of my ...
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| Weaving rasta belts | 6/13/2007 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Do you know how jamaican rasta belts are woven? I thought possibly on an inkle loom. Thank you for ...
A: Well, have not been asked about these before! I think you are on the right track with the inkle ...
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| Plying | 9/22/2006 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I am plying fleece for the first time and things are going nicely, but the cord on the wheel keeps ...
A: I have had this problem when the knot used to tie the drive band is too big, or the drive band is ...
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| processing raw fleeces | 3/11/2006 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I do some spinning and have washed and carded some raw fleeces.I have a fleece i recently bought ...
A: Hey Jo (sorry I could not resist-Jimi Hendrix fan here-& you would have to be as old as me to get it ...
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| spinning quiviut | 2/20/2006 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I bought a little bag of unspun quiviut at my yarn shop, and I wonder if it is customary to card it ...
A: Oh Jan! I love spinning quivuit. I made a smoke ring out of some last year, but spun the yarn ...
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| Spinning | 4/19/2005 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I have recently started spinning on a top whorl drop spindle, and, as you stated, it is addictive. ...
A: Spinning in a vehicle can be problematic! I had my husband accuse me of trying to hit him in the ...
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| looms | 4/18/2005 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Do you know anything about inkle looms, thier contruction and setup. Thank you
A: Bill Inkle looms are a fun way to get introduced to weaving! You can find many places on the ...
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| spinning wheel | 1/3/2005 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Several years ago I admired a small spinning wheel in my elderly neighbors' garage, and offered to ...
A: What a lucky girl you are! I keep trying to get free spinning wheels, but it never seems to happen. ...
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| weaving machine | 12/20/2004 | BJ Heeke |
Q: where can yuou get a machine that weaves those WWJD cloth bracelets ?
A: I believe those wrist bands are mass produced in Asia somewhere. YOu could duplicate them on an ...
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| Navajo plying instructions | 2/5/2002 | BJ Heeke |
Q: 1) Do you know of any illustrated step-by step instructions for Navajo plying on a wheel in a book ...
A: Elisa, Funny, you are the second request that I have had for Navajo plying info in the past week! ...
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| How to hang a Navajo blanket on the wall | 11/19/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I have a really fine old Navajo wool blanket approximately 50"x78" and would like to use it as a ...
A: Gibson, Wow, you are really lucky to have one! I was in New Mexico in '93 and did not know where the ...
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| threading the spinning bobbin | 10/22/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I know how to spin. When I learned this , the spinning wheel was already to go, so I didn't take ...
A: Wow, what a lovely name! It is mine too :-) Ahem, back to the question at hand, how does the yarn ...
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| Yarn Fibers | 8/24/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: How do you do a "burn" test and how do you interpret the results? Thank you very much. Barbara Van ...
A: Barbara, Hey that is my first name too! Try using the information on this website ...
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| Spinning | 6/30/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I am very interested in learning how to spin. I have taken 1 class in the past (about 3 hrs.) I ...
A: Beth, You have just entered into a wonderful world full of great people that will be more than happy ...
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| meanings | 5/9/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I'm sorry, but I need to ask you a question. *What is the specific name for a horizantal and ...
A: Never apologize for asking a question! That is what we are here for. And to answer your question, ...
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| fabric dyeing | 4/23/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Can you recommend any commercial sources for natural dyeing materials? Thanks.
A: Randall, I hope I am understanding your question correctly that you would like to know where to get ...
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| initiation in weaving | 4/22/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: Hallo. I live in Israel, and recently was inspired by the idea of learning to weave. I'm ...
A: Debbie, So you want to be a weaver,huh? That is great! I would suggest finding books about weaving ...
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| Warp and Woof | 4/19/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I have a strange question - don't know anything about weaving but am doing a biology paper on ...
A: Anne, Hmm, I do not beleive I have heard of those terms referring to tree soil interactions! But ...
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| Weaving Schools/Workshops | 3/21/2001 | BJ Heeke |
Q: I am trying desparately to locate a school to learn loom weaving. I saw a program on WVIA (Public ...
A: Wow, you are my first question! I do believe you are referring the The Mannings Handweaving School ...
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