When it comes to fibre arts, there are so many to choose from! Here I have compiled a quick description and some must haves for each craft to help get your started. Many of these crafts can work well together and help use up that yarn stash that you may (or may not) have hiding in your closet. I have organized this blog in order of cost/material needs (in my opinion).
Needle Felting
Felting is a relatively inexpensive craft to start out in, and can be great if you are someone who does not like to be bound by patterns and processes. For felting, you need roving (wool that has been cleaned and processed but not spun into yarn yet), a foam block and felting needles. Using the barbed needles, you make rough shapes with the roving and then stab them into place to create 3D shapes that can be made into wooly little statues. The sky is your limit with what you can create.
Knitting and Crochet
Yes, I am grouping these two together, more because they use similar tools and materials, not because they are similar in practice.
Knitting and Crochet are both based in turning strands of yarn into items using needles. Crochet is the faster of the two and can make anything from clothing, to toys, to baskets thanks to its ability to "sculpt" yarn into different shapes. Crochet uses a single needle with a hook on the end.
Knitting, on the other hand, is best used for garments (think socks and sweaters), although I have seen some awesome stuffed toys as well. Knitting uses 2 needles at a time and can be simple or complicated depending on the pattern.
In both cases it is best to find a pattern to follow (I recommend a scarf or headband for either craft), and then buy the supplies and needles you need based on that. If you decide that you like knitting or crochet, sets of needles can be purchased so that you are always ready to start a new project. For knitting, I would recommend investing in an interchangeable needle set, which offers much more flexibility than straight and double pointed needle sets (more about tools in a future blog entry!).
Punch Needle
Punch Needle is a great craft for using up a yarn stash. It involves a needle that threads yarn through a loose weave material (Monks cloth), which creates loops of yarn, similar to rug hooking). For punch needle you need punch needles (Oxford size 10 and 14 are a great place to start), Monks cloth, a frame and staple gun to stretch your cloth over. The designs result in a squishy piece of art that can be hung on the wall, or used as material for jackets, pouches and pillows. With strong enough yarn, rugs can be made as well.
For punch needle you need punch needles (Oxford size 10 and 14 are a great place to start), monks cloth, a frame and staple gun to stretch your cloth over.
Weaving
Weaving is a huge world to jump into, and covers everything from little frame looms to make wall hangings (see image), up to floor looms that may take up a whole room in your home. To dip your toes into the world of weaving, I would recommend starting with a frame loom. It is a great way to make pretty wall hangings and use up yarn scraps that you may have lying around. Frame looms can be bought at craft stores, as well as Ikea has a surprisingly good one in their children toy section.
If you want to take the next step and start creating dish towels and scarves, then a rigid heddle loom may be an excellent option. They are much easier to get started on then table and floor looms, and are also easy to store due to their small frame. You can do many beautiful, and even complex, weave designs and it is an excellent jumping-off point. (We have a series on weaving coming soon!)
Spinning
Maybe you have tried many of the crafts listed here today (or maybe you own sheep), and you want to try your hand at making your own yarn for projects. Spinning gives you the power to make your own yarns that suit your needs, as well as an educational tool into how yarns and fibres are made. Spinning involves using a spinning wheel (think Sleeping Beauty) to twist the fibres, typically wool, from a large cloud of roving, into beautiful yarns to use. If you are fibre obsessed, like myself, it can be a fun way to learn more about yarn and provide an opportunity to play with colour, breed and ply.
Where to Find Supplies
Check out your local craft, yarn/fibre and fabric stores to get started. Here at Adventure Fibre Works we are supporters of local, small businesses! A few places to get started if you have exhausted your local shops (or don't have any nearby):
Fern's School of Craft (Edmonton, AB) for punch needle and weaving supplies. If you are in the area, Fern offers amazing workshops as well: https://www.fernsschoolofcraft.com/
Jo's Yarn Garden (Stony Plain, AB) for weaving and spinning supplies, as well as an amazing selection of yarn for crochet and knitting: https://jos-yarn-garden.myshopify.com/
Ewe Knit (Toronto, ON) for basically everything! They carry yarn, quilting cotton, garment fabric and patterns, embroidery kits, as well as felting and weaving supplies (it is a dream and if you are in the area please go visit): https://eweknit.co/
Yarn Canada, the Amazon of the fibre arts in Canada (based out of Calgary, AB). You can literally get anything here (except quilting supplies) for all yarn-based activities (looms, wheels, roving, embroidery floss, etc.): https://www.yarncanada.ca/
Final Thoughts
This of course is just the tip of the ice berg, but a great place to start! What crafts are you wanting to try? What has become a favourite already?