Wool n' Spinning Radio

Rachel Smith, Rebecca Osborn

Rachel & Rebecca sit down to talk about all things handspinning, yarn, fibre, and community. Join them to deepen the conversation in the Wool n' Spinning community.

  1. Spinning for Summer Knits

    4d ago

    Spinning for Summer Knits

    Dear Spinning Circle, Today. On Wool n' Spinning Radio. Dionne, Rebecca and I sat down to chat about Summer Spinning and Knitting. We wanted to clarify terms and discuss what we mean when we talk about summer knits, particularly when we're talking about blends and add-ins. Depending on where in the world you are listening to this, it might not apply at this time! But for those of us who are looking for some lighter garments, whether from warm bodies or warm temperatures, this is the episode for you! Dionne talks specifically about a bin that she created to keep track of all her fibres she wants to spin into garments for lightweight wear and Rebecca, living in the North of Canada finds she is often reaching for the same thing day-after-day. Rachel is somewhere in between the two - finding the warmth of her current environment affecting her knitwear choices and looking for ways to use her yarns in weaving. Whether you are looking to learn to spin alternative-to-wool fibres or wanting some lighter knitwear, reach out if you are struggling and need a helping hand. We are here to help! Contribute to the Summer Knits to Spin For Bundle on our Ravelry group here. More shownotes with photos on Patreon here Links to help you navigate some of the topics discussed in the epsiode: Basque Spindle Etsy Shop here Walnut Farm Designs Etsy Shop here Rebecca's Shakerag Top here Melanie of @alookbehindtheseams here & specific video comparing different rayons here Previous Discussions about Blending & Porosity: Wool Porosity Intro here (skip to ~ 45 mins into the episode) Wool Porosity with MellyKnits here I hope you enjoyed our conversation. Be sure to like and subscribe and leaving a review really does help the show be found by others. Share it with your friends. Think about putting a plug for the Radio show into your Guild newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to do that. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! Rachel If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    46 min
  2. Shearing Life w/ Aaron Goulet {Part II}

    May 1

    Shearing Life w/ Aaron Goulet {Part II}

    Dear Spinning Circle, Today. On WnS Radio. This is Part II of Rebecca and my conversation with sat down to chat Aaron Goulet, discussing his experience to date with learning to shear. Aaron talked a lot in our conversation about working with the animals, empathy and visiting smaller farms where the animals are treated more like pets, rather than large farming operations that we often think of when agriculture conversations come up. He discussed visiting the farmers who are learning themselves, fielding questions about their animals and coming home with gems from his shearing jobs. Because we had a longer conversation with Aaron, we broke the interview into parts - last month, we heard about how Aaron came to shearing, his initial experience and wanting to quite. This month, hear all about injury prevention, ticks and more! Full shownotes & to learn more about the podcast, check here. Find Aaron on Instragram @agoulz For Aaron in action, in Vlogmas 2025, I included some videos that Melissa, Aaron's wife, had shared with me for Hands in the Wool, episode 2, here. I hope you enjoy our conversation and of course, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to the show - it really helps the Radio show be discovered! Thank you. *** I hope you enjoyed our conversation. Be sure to like and subscribe and leaving a review really does help the show be found by others. Share it with your friends. Think about putting a plug for the Radio show into your Guild newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to do that. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! Rachel If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    48 min
  3. Shearing Life w/ Aaron Goulet {Part I}

    Apr 6

    Shearing Life w/ Aaron Goulet {Part I}

    Dear Spinning Circle, Today. On WnS Radio. Rebecca and I sat down to chat with Aaron Goulet to discuss his experience to date with learning to shear. Aaron saw a demonstration of sheep shearing a couple of years ago, leading him to begin looking into learning the trade himself and enrolled in a shearing school in California. Following that experience, Aaron began working and gaining experience. He has since completed three more weeks of formal training, both at the school in California and in the prairie province of Saskatchewan, and continues to learn as he takes on jobs throughout British Columbia. Already in two short years, Aaron has learned a ton about the sheep, people and farms he visits. Because we had a longer conversation with Aaron, we broke the interview into parts - this month, enjoy the initial part of our conversation and next month, hear all about injury prevention, ticks and more! Full shownotes & to learn more about the podcast, check here. Find Aaron on Instragram @agoulz For Aaron in action, in Vlogmas 2025, I included some videos that Melissa, Aaron's wife, had shared with me for Hands in the Wool, episode 2, here. I hope you enjoy our conversation and of course, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to the show - it really helps the Radio show be discovered! Thank you. *** I hope you enjoyed our conversation. Be sure to like and subscribe and leaving a review really does help the show be found by others. Share it with your friends. Think about putting a plug for the Radio show into your Guild newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to do that. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! Rachel   If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    45 min
  4. Showcasing Technique & Ideas in Textured Yarns

    Mar 1

    Showcasing Technique & Ideas in Textured Yarns

    Today. On WnS Radio. Dionne, Rebecca and I had the opportunity to sit down with Crystal Hesser, @spin_up_girl on Instagram, once again. We always love having Crystal on the show! Today, we talked about her process and background in design, what she wants to create and say through her textured yarns, and finally, as Rebecca finishes up tail spinning through the month of February, some tips and tricks for tail spinning. Find Crystal on Instagram @spin_up_girl I hope you enjoy our conversation and of course, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to the show. *** I hope you enjoyed our conversation. Be sure to like and subscribe and leaving a review really does help the show be found by others. Share it with your friends. Think about putting a plug for the Radio show into your Guild newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to do that. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/c/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Episode shownotes & pictures available here. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! Rachel If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    1h 1m
  5. If Your Yarn Could Talk & More Silly Questions

    Feb 1

    If Your Yarn Could Talk & More Silly Questions

    Today. On WnS Radio. Dionne, Rebecca and I were feeling very punchy after the holiday season in Early January. We brainstormed some silly questions to ask each other, and they didn’t disappoint in this packed episode! This episode is all about celebrating our absurd, relatable and delightfully nerdy questions that hand spinners (and any fibre people listening along) will instantly recognize. For the list of questions we were working from, please use the link in the down bar to access the show notes on Patreon. Be sure to like and subscribe and leaving a review really does help the show be found by others. Share it with your friends. Think about putting a plug for the Radio show into your Guild newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to do that. Patreon Show Notes here I hope you enjoy our conversation and of course, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to the show.  *** I hope you enjoyed our conversation. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/c/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning. *** Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out to Rachel [at] welfordpurls [dot] com. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    53 min
  6. Year in Review & Looking Forward

    Jan 1

    Year in Review & Looking Forward

    Today. On Wool n’ Spinning Radio. Rebecca, Dionne and Rachel sat down to discuss how the year went. We reflected on some end-of-the-year maker questions, spending some time looking back on the year. Because I didn’t want to get too mired down in only looking backward, we included some discussions about what we want more of in our making in the coming year and what we are each consciously wanting to let go of. It was a fun conversation and I hope you enjoy it.  Show notes are available here. *** Buy Migraineur softcover book on Amazon.ca (also available in other Amazon marketplaces) If you want a complimentaryebook with your purchase of a physical book, forward your receipt to osbornfiber@gmail.com with your ravelry name. Offer good untill December 31. Buy Migraineur ebook on Ravelry If buying ebook only, use code WOOLNSPINNING to receive 30% off until December 31st.  If you want the ebook but do not use ravelry, contact me at osbornfiber@gmail.com for more information. For more details, photos, and inspiration for each pattern, visit my blog: osbornfiber.com *** I hope you enjoyed our conversation. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/c/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning. *** Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out to Rachel [at] welfordpurls [dot] com. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    1h 2m
  7. The Continued Mystery of Textured Yarns

    12/01/2025

    The Continued Mystery of Textured Yarns

    Today. On WnS Radio. Dionne, Rebecca and I got together with Crystal hesser of @spin_up_girl to discuss all things art and textured yarns. Crystal spins a myriad of art yarns that she often sells in her booths at various fibre events around her area. A prolific spinner, Crystal has written for PLY magazine, as well as other publications, and she teaches how to make these yarns to eager students.  Some of the topics we got into today around art and textured yarns are nuanced, multi factorial and affect so much of our creative lives. We discussed why textured yarns are still so mysterious, even with all the information about them out there. Crystal shares with us some tricks and tips to dealing with excess twist, as well as, who comes into her booths looking specifically for these yarns. And lastly, we got into a conversation about swatching. Unlike our conventional yarns, which we talk a lot about using in this community, often textured and art yarns are the end product. When we want to showcase them, it can sometimes feel a bit intimidating, so we started to delve into what this process might look like.  Video of Crystal using a Spindle to manage twist in textured yarns here We will have Crystal back on the show in the new year to continue this conversation because we clearly ran out of time today! I hope you enjoy our conversation and of course, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to the show. *** I hope you enjoyed our conversation. If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/c/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning. *** Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    1h 16m
  8. Wool Porosity w/ Melissa Goulet (MellyKnits)

    11/01/2025

    Wool Porosity w/ Melissa Goulet (MellyKnits)

    Dear Spinning Circle, Today. On Wool n’ Spinning Radio. Dionne, Rebecca and Rachel were joined by Melissa Goulet of MellyKnits to discuss the nuances of wool processing and blending. There is an idea out there that if we blend and blend and blend, that fibres will just go together and combine. It’s not widely discussed that some fibres just won’t blend together, no matter what we do with them and no matter how many times we put them through a carder or comb on combs. Often fibres like silk and alpaca blend well with wool of any kind – it’s some of the fibres that are less common that we have trouble with.   Porosity of Human Hair hereThank you for joining us in another episode! *** Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com. Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer! If this is your first time tuning into Wool n’ Spinning Radio, welcome. This audio podcast is a spin-off from the original podcast available on YouTube at youtube.com/RachelSmith. Rachel has been podcasting since 2014, talking about handspinning and making yarn. Her passion is working with her handspun yarns in projects, both knit and woven. Links to the website, Instagram and more are available in the show notes and at Patreon.com/woolnspinning.   ***   Thank you for listening! If you would like to be a guest on Wool n' Spinning Radio, please reach out below, in the comments, or send an email to rachel@welfordpurls.com.   Until next month, keep wool close and your spindles closer!

    1h 16m
4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Rachel & Rebecca sit down to talk about all things handspinning, yarn, fibre, and community. Join them to deepen the conversation in the Wool n' Spinning community.

You Might Also Like