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Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a valuable and thorough comment! ❤ You are absolutely right, e-spinners are an option as well. I don't have any experience with e-spinners (yet), that's why I didn't include them in the video. Thank you for sharing your expertise! I've heard about Tour De Fleece but haven't participated yet. Where did you find your online spinning group? The tip about looking for local sheep owners is also very helpful! I do have some llama fiber that I got from someone local but it is just a small amount. Experimenting with different breeds is somehthing that I enjoy doing quite a lot at the moment. It is so interesting to see how fibers from different sheep breeds behaves.

@@AnnikaScheer - I found the online spinning group through CZcams and Facebook. Jente from the Mijn Wolden CZcams channel mentioned it in one of her videos, it’s a group specifically geared towards people from The Netherlands and Belgium who want to participate. I simply looked it up, applied and got in. Since the Tour started, several members have recommended two other groups as this one goes mostly quiet once the Tour has ended, except for the occasional post on what members made from the yarn they’ve produced during the Tour. The groups I joined are (1) a group focusing on local wool/fleece, where people who have sheep and fibre artists get together. If someone has (a) fleece(s) to offer, they post it there. Fibre artists post what the wool turns into. Another group is mostly hobby spinners sharing their work, both the yarns and what is made with those yarns. My daughter will often quip that Facebook is for dinosaurs, but it’s pretty handy for me to get ideas and to exchange quite directly with other spinners. More: these past few weeks they’ve ever so gently and encouragingly pushed me to try new things. The fibre arts community in Belgium and The Netherlands is quite small and apparently more focused on weaving. So it’s nice to connect with like minded people without having to travel for hours. About the fleeces: I do have to point out that in other countries, it might be harder to find people who have sheep or alpacas as pets… or as lawnmowers with a heartbeat. But it’s always worth a try. I know that depending where you live, sheep are some times used to keep steep inclines and roadsides tidy, and I know a lot of farmers keep sheep for their meat. Depending on the breed the fleece is very nice to spin and is simply thrown away. I that case, I’d advise to ask for the first shearing (yearlings?) as the younger the animal, the finer and softer the fibre. If you happen to know someone who lives in the countryside or who has family who does, it’s worth simply asking if they have sheep and what they do with the fleece. Even if they ask for the shearer’s fee in return it’s bound to cost less than a fleece at a fibre festival or even raw fleece bought through a specialised website. Example: in early Spring my daughter showed me a picture a university classmate shared in their chatgroup: newborn lambs. I asked if she could inquire what they did with the fleeces, because I’d be interested. Answer: the shearer takes them with him for a removal fee. Mind blown. “Tell him I might be interested in a yearling’s fleece!” Well, they didn’t have a yearling’s fleece, but I did get the fleece from a 2-year-old yew. It’s a little coarser than I’d like, but still suitable for hats, scarves, socks etc. The staple is quite long (almost double that of Merino) and spins very nicely. AND IT WAS FREE! I’ve already got dibs on the fleece of a yearling (or two!) next year as they’re keeping two of the lambs… and were hoping I’d take more. Through the Tour De Fleece spinning group I’ve already been offered Walliser Schwarznase and Blue Texelaar. Some times, a whole lot of spinning happiness can be found in a small message in a chat group. And if I don’t watch out, I’ll be sitting on more fibre than I can spin or knit up. Sorry for the looooooong reply. But I thought this might be useful to you or to another spinner. Fibre arts can be an expensive hobby to have. But if you know where to look, turns out it doesn’t have to… Oh, and to anyone scared of scouring their own fleece: don’t be. It’s easier than you think. Just don’t pour the souring water down your sink as the lanolin might clog your pipes. And yes, sheep’s fleece is smelly. It smells like the zoo, like the circus, like a barn. But as soon as you dunk that fibre in a tub of soapy water the smell is pretty much gone and dissipates quickly. I don’t have the physical condition to do an entire fleece in one go but in stages it’s very manageable. Or… find a fellow fibre friend or two willing to share a fleece. Greetings from Belgium! Edit: I saw on your page that you’re from Germany, where there might be similar options as in Belgium. The bit I added regarding sourcing fibre was mostly geared towards outside of Europe where the options for sourcing fleece might be very different.

That makes me very happy to hear, thank you so much for your sweet comment! ☺️

Hi Anita, Thank you so much for your lovely comment, I appreciate it! 🙂

Sorry Annika, that i make a mistake with your name 😊😊 🙋🏻‍♀️

Never mind, that actually happens quite often, I am used to it. 😂

Thank you! To be honest, I thought about just leaving it at the beginning but it looked so messy. I am glad I was able to come up with a better solution.

Thank you so much for your kind words, your comment made my day! ❤

I agree with everything Catherine said. I love your gentle spirit, and am learning so much as well. Am going to try making socks with unspun yarn. 😊

That is so sweet of you, thank you so much! 😊 I was contemplating today whether I should continue with the knitting podcasts or focus on different video topics. I am glad to hear that you find them valuable!

Das freut mich sehr zu hören, vielen lieben Dank für den Kommentar! Es ist definitiv eine Herausforderung, wieder ein Baby im Haus zu haben... 😅 Aber auch so, so schön! Zeit zum Stricken nehme ich mir aber eigentlich immer - und wenn es nur ein paar Minuten zwischendurch sind. 😉

Yes, you're right! She is indeed a rough collie/ long-haired collie. ☺

Thanks so much for your kind words (I had to translate it first since I don't speak Russian)! ☺

Thank you so much! I agree, it would have been even nicer in the normal length. But nevertheless, I still really like to wear it.

Vielen Dank für die lieben Worte! ☺ Grundsätzlich muss man natürlich seine Kleidung nicht selber machen und kann Kinderarbeit in der Textilindustrie vermeiden, in dem man sehr stark darauf achtet, von welchen Marken man seine Kleidung kauft. Aber das Gefühl, das entsteht, wenn man ein selbst gemachtes Kleidungsstück in den Händen hält, ist einfach unvergleichlich, oder?

So true, thank you so much for your comment! What is your main value when it comes to clothing?

@@AnnikaScheer one main value would be difficult to name. Natural fibres are a must, colours that fit my capsule choices, and shape and style that suit me and my lifestyle would be a few of the main ones.

@@kaytiej8311 Thank you for sharing! It seems like our values are very similar. 😉

Thank you so much! ☺️

You‘re very welcome!

Hi Anita, Thank you so much for your sweet comment! ☺ Are you a spinner as well?

@@AnnikaScheer No i’am not but i find it verry interesting 🙋🏻‍♀️

You should definitely give it a try! It is such a meditative and wonderful craft.

You‘re very welcome!

Thank you so much for your lovely comment! ☺️

Hi Alessia, This makes me so happy to hear, thank you so much for your kind words! ❤️

Don't worry, it was the same for me when I started. Lots of unimpressive shades of beiges and tans. Proper mordanting is indeed key, so you are definitly on the right track. Here are a couple of resources for you to check out: Mordants for Natural Dyes: czcams.com/video/xj80xMJuBdQ/video.html&list=UULF-Ve2ZWz5wZ9WFlzm57wOMw How to Mordant with Alum & Aluminium Triformate: czcams.com/video/RWew5l3dnzQ/video.html And here is a blog post about some of my favorite natural dyeing books: www.rosemaryandpinesfiberarts.de/natural-dyeing-books/ Let me know if you have any other questions! And best of luck with your walnut dyeing!

Roses are wonderful, aren't they? I have lots of different roses in my garden and am constantly trying to find spots to plant more. 😊

@@AnnikaScheer me too....

Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so happy to hear that you enjoy the video! What do you have growing in your garden that you can use for natural dyeing?

@@AnnikaScheer I'm in Australia so eucalyptus is not hard to find! I do have Rosemary and access to lots of rose petals in season. I have wondered what other native Australian plants/flowers might offer regarding dyes.

@@kaytiej8311 A good indicator for what might be a potential dye plant is often the scent. So if a plant has a strong scent, chances are that it can be used for natural dyeing. In addition, you could have a look at your native herbs as well as consider using tree barks. 🙂

@@AnnikaScheer that's excellent to know, thank you!

Hi Kirsten, that sounds very interesting, thank you for mentioning it! I haven‘t used dried goldenrod yet, but I do have some dried rose petals. But to be honest, I feel like freezing dye stuff might be an even better way to keep dye materials potent over a longer period of time. I am currently running a little experiment with frozen avocado pits and skins.

How did your sulphur cosmos dye turn out, Kirsten?

@@AnnikaScheer seem like they’re just about as bright orange as when fresh. 🧡

@@kirstengabrielsen3087 That's good to know, thank you so much for sharing!

Muito obrigado para seu comentário! I spent a month in Rio during a student exchange when I was a teenager and fell in love with your beautiful country! Do you know that I also have a website? If you are looking how to create different colors with natural dyes, you can find lots of information there: www.rosemaryandpinesfiberarts.de/ Let me know if you have any questions!

Hi Cristina, thanks so much for your comment! I find it very interesting what you say about the stability of the different Mondim colorways. So far, I have only made mitts with Mondim but I am looking forward to seeing how the yarn will hold up in socks. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Wow, you are so lucky to live in such a beautiful city! 🥰 And to have Retrosaria as your local yarn store. I don't think I noticed the Vovo yarn when I was in the store, so thank you so much for sharing!

Thank you for the recommendation, I actually hadn't seen the Mamba dress before. It looks indeed very beautiful!

Thanks for sharing! Cotton/silk seems like such an interesting blend!

You can find different yarn bases for natural dyeing in these online stores: kollektion-der-vielfalt.de/shop/kategorien.php das-wollschaf.de/osshop/catalog/index.php?cPath=81

Thank you so much for your kind words!

I agree!

Thank you for your comment! 🙃

Thank you so much for your lovely words of advice! I was leaning towards the vintage dress pattern anyway, so I think I will go with this pattern now. 😊

@@AnnikaScheer Can’t wait to see it. :)

Thank you so much for your advice, I appreciate it! 😊

Hi Anita, You're very welcome! 😊

Thank you for sharing! 😊

I completely agree, the Hermione's Everyday Socks pattern is just awesome! 😊

Thank you so much for your lovely comment! Making the video has inspired me to start working on the blanket again. I love to add a couple more squares here and there and to watch it grow.

Thank you so much for your kind words! I am actually often annoyed of my English when I edit the videos and notice mistakes, so this makes me very happy to hear! ❤

Thank you so much! That is so interesting, thanks for sharing - so do you just like to keep your scraps in a box? To use them for possible mending in the future or simply to keep them?

@@AnnikaScheer Suppose I'm a yarn hoarder, but I knit and crochet very much - and I love to go through my yarns and simply see and enjoy them and 'play' with them - that's how I get ideas what to make. They are all commercial yarns though, because I buy them in a kind of outlet or from people who get them in outlets, on the weekly market. I try to get cones whenever I can, because they last longer and become 'friends' as they are used in several different projects. There are also lots of yarn balls without tags - but often I don't know which yarn it is, so I search all the websites and it's like a win when I find it. So schöne handgefärbte Garne wie du sie machst ✨habe ich allerdings nicht 😌Liebe Grüsse

Thanks for sharing! Well, I think the most important thing is that you enjoy your yarns! And the idea of yarns becoming friends when they are used together in a project is just so sweet 😊, I really like it!

Und vielen Dank für die lieben Worte zu meinen Garnen! 🙃