Hand-spun yarn has texture and character you simply can’t get in a machine-spun yarn – it is truly art unto itself. Check out the work of pluckyfluff, drucilla, or the talented artisans of etsy for great examples of yarn as art.
Hand-spun yarn is a tactile delight to work with. You’re interacting with materials made by an artist rather than a machine, and the experience of working with them is enriched by the sensibility of the artist who made them.
Infinite Twist’s line of hand-spun yarn is spun at the Qinghai Spinner’s Cooperative. The Co-op provides much-needed income to 18 rural Tibetan women living in China’s Qinghai province.
The Qinghai Spinner’s Cooperative was founded in 2009 with equipment provided by Shokay and training resources provided by Cate Carter-Evans, founder of Infinite Twist.
The idea for the Co-op began with Carol Chyau of Shokay. In alignment with their mission, Shokay identified a need for increased community development in Hei Ma He. Shokay has been working with the herding community in Hei Ma He and buying their yak fiber for several years.
Carol approached Cate about creating a hand-spinning cooperative, and Cate jumped at the opportunity. Cate developed fiber blends, designed yarns, and developed a training program for the women of Hei Ma He.
The ladies in the training program were already accomplished spinners using spindles, and so the transition to using wheels was relatively easy.
Schacht Spindle Company graciously provided a deep discount on Ladybug spinning wheels, which the spinners love using.
Infinite Twist currently offers two lines of yarn (semi-solid and tweed) in four weights (fingering, worsted, bulky, and super bulky). Please visit our yarns page here and meet your creative match!
