How to Knit a Drop Stitch Scarf

In this video:
How to knit a drop stitch scarves. These have been one of my favorite projects for a long time! Quick and easy to knit, great for fast fall knitting or as gifts for the holidays.

Free drop stitch scarf pattern is available in the free pattern section on Midnightsky Fibers, as is handspun yarn suitable for this project- I ussually like to use 50 yards of bulky handspun yarn.

Bulky Yarn: What is Bulky Yarn

In this video:  Bulky yarn


Bulky yarn compared to dk and super bulky yarns. Examples of handspun naturally dyed bulky yarn in singles and multiple plies. Bulky yarn is great for a huge variety of projects- especially hats!

Single Ply Yarn: What are Singles/1 ply yarns

In this video:
What is a single ply yarn

Single ply versus multiple plies, choosing the best singles yarn, what projects to make from single ply yarn.

Hope you are enjoying the new video series about yarns!

Naturally Dyed Vegan Yarns

In this Video:

Natural dyes and vegan yarns


Natural dyes are an earth friendly way to make vegan craft projects- especially for knitting and crochet!

-Dyes that are vegan (madder, indigo, pomegranate, fustic, onion, etc)

-Dyes that are not vegan (cochineal, lac)

-Modants- usually vegan (alum is the best- some other mordants are quite toxic)



Natural dye benefits- many are harvested and raised by small communities and co ops, many are organic (like the dyes used at Midnightsky Fibers), and there are less or no chemicals involved in making natural dyes.

Downsides- time intensive and labor intensive, which makes the dyes and yarn more expensive

About natural dyes and vegan yarn:

Not all dyes are vegan, others are chemical based.

Watch your knitting supplies- buttons, crochet hooks, and knitting needles can be made from bone, horns, and ivory.

What is Super Bulky Yarn

In this video:
Super Bulky yarn


The best projects for super bulky yarn and handspun super bulky yarn examples

Choosing Vegan Yarn for Knitting and Crochet

What vegan yarns to choose for knitting and crochet:

Choose organic colored cottons, recycled fibers, hemp, aloo, handspun blends

(Hey everyone- as you can see, I am trying out some video blogigng- it is faster than trying to write and take pictures, and easier to show some different techniques. Please don't mind the cat if you can hear him in the background- he has ruined many a video attempt by meowing loudly and jumping in to the center of the screen- and geez, he is loud!  Hope you enjoy the videos!)

What Makes Yarn Vegan

What makes yarn vegan?

The difference between vegan yarn and no vegan yarn
Mostly in the naturally dyed yarns
Vegan versus vegetarian yarn for knitting and crochet

Downsides of vegan yarn
-tend to be overprocessed (soysilk, esp bleached fibers) or use lots of chemicals

Types of vegan yarn
Natural- hemp, aloo
Processed- bamboo, soy silk, nylon, corn
Vegan blends
Vegan novelty yarn- sparkle and eylash
Vegan handspun yarn

Yarns that aren’t vegan
-natural dyes made from insects like lac and cochineal
-watch out for processed yarns that are NOT vegan- ie milk fiber and sock yarns that contain an additive made from shrimp and crab shells (tofutsies contains Chitin)

Long days, longer nights

I think the colors in this yarn pretty much sum up how I have been feeling the last couple days. It went from blindingly disgustingly hot to miserable and rainy out, and my mood through both of them has been somewhat off. Doesn't help that my tolerance for coffee is through the roof. I am trying to cut down, less from my fear of addiction and more from missing what little effects I get from it- chiefly, some ability to focus and concentrate for any period of time. I had several essays and project proposals dues this week, so trying to cut down on the coffee was probably not such a good idea!


The week was made better by Birthday parties, strawberry-rhubarb pie baking, the new harry potter movie, and lots and lots of tea.


I finished. Ok, almost finished my current shop project. All that is left it to sew the buttons on- pretty but more masculine silver ones. I crocheted the arm steeks, but got tired of that and just chopped the front. Before you faint- it is Shetland, a wool that practically felts when you look at it! Think yarn like this