In this episode, I have an unpleasant spinning encounter with ramie. And I just can’t get that sucker to dye, even with my beloved dandelions.

In the vegan segment, what’s to eat if you don’t eat meat?

And, the time has come to talk about bugs, yes bugs, those tiny, much-hated creatures.

Show links:

Lotion bars – I used candelilla wax instead of beeswax.

Gathering and processing Scotch Broom to make into fibre, showing retting (in Italian).
Part one
Part two

The Dandelion Celebration: A Guide to Unexpected Cuisine by Peter Gail. This links to Amazon but they don’t carry it and the prices asked by outside sellers is ridiculous. See if your local library has it.

Quirks and Quarks: Oceans of Trouble on Vegan – Vegetarian Solutions for a Sustainable Environment podcast. Also available on iTunes. It’s the March 14, 2010 episode.

The Weight of the Nation on HBO

SPUD Sustainable Produce, Urban Delivery

The Voice of the Infinite in the Small: Re-Visioning the Insect-Human Connection by Joanne Elizabeth Lauck

Humane, Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Handspun ramie singles

Dandelion dye – cold soaked the flowers overnight and simmered for an hour

Ramie after 24 hours in the dandelion dyepot

Ramie, 24 hours after communing with yellow dock. Much ado about nothing

In this episode I continue my study of plant fibres with flax. I find out what it’s like to spin and dye.

In the eco segment: Are we really living better with chemistry? My continuing saga of dechemicalizing my life and the interesting effect it’s had on my sense of smell.

And in the vegan segment I look into the lives of dairy cows: Is there such a thing as cruelty-free milk?

Show links

Ravelry Garden Spinning group’s Flax SpinAlong

Great article about spinning flax in the Spring 2008 issue of Knitty

Rosemary Gladstar’s book, Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health 

Michael Moore’s herbal formulas, including a couple for tooth powder

Herb Mentor – brilliant site, mostly paid, but worth every penny. They have lots of recipes for personal care and cleaning products, especially via the Village Herbalist

Mercy for Animals –  Watch the videos in the Investigations section. If you can.

Vegetarian Food for Thought – by Colleen Patrick Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks – download through iTunes

LInda Runyon’s site about wild foods: Of the Field

Deconstructing Dinner: Deceivable Dairy 1

Deconstructing Dinner: Deceivable Dairy 2

Flax fibre and handspun

Flax handspun singles

Flax handspun 2-ply

Avocado dye after simmering for 1 hour and letting it sit overnight

Flax after 9 days soaking in avocado dye

Logwood after 1 hour simmering and letting sit overnight

Flax yarn after logwood dye

One-Skein Tapestry Scarf made from allhemp6LUX in the Aioli colourway. It's 10cm wide by 128 cm long.

Episode 3 – You say you want an evolution

Houndesign spindles 

Little Dragonflies Soap Sock 

One-Skein Tapestry Scarf 

Kayleen Knits for the Runes – in the sidebar on the right

Plants to Dye For on Ravelry 

Black beans as dye discussion on Ravelry

Natural Dyeing group on Ravelry 

The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes by Sasha Duerr

Vodka Lemonade sweater pattern 

CrafterNews Knitted Farm Animals

Vegan – Vegetarian Solutions for s Sustainable Environment  Scroll down to May 15, 2009 for Why Industrial Chicken Production is Wrong, Karen Davis interview. Also available on iTunes.

United Poultry Concerns

Houndesign spindle with spun hemp and fibre

Skein of first hemp handspun

Hemp handspun after tannin

Hemp soapsock with handmade soap

Left: cotton dyed with chamomile, calendula and overdyed with black beans; Centre: handspun hemp dyed with onion skins; Right: cotton dyed with black beans and overdyed with turmeric root

Also, I look into what happens to sheep who are raised for wool. Is it a totally benign process?

In the vegan segment I touch on what happens in slaughterhouses and how it affects the workers who do the killing.

Episode 2 – Dont bogart that yarn my friend

Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance

Flannelberry Fibre

Hemp for Knitting I used the Allhemp3 fingering weight for the dishcloths

Basket Rib Hand Towel by Traci Heiner (Ravelry link)

Maiwa

Veg*n Craft*n group’s Dietary Vegan poll on Ravelry

Walter Peak Sheep Shearing video

barkingrock.com Lots of info about raising sheep

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell

Diet for a New America by John Robbins

Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs and Wear Cows by Melanie Joy

Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect and Inhumane Treatment Inside the US. Meat Industry by Gail Eisnitz

I have given up on apostrophes for the moment. My apologies.

Episode 1: Whats it all about

Grannys a Square Afghan by Allison Haas – This links to the pattern on Ravelry

Newspaper yarn

Spanish moss spinning and weaving

World Peace Diet: Eating for Spriitual Health and Social Harmony by Will Tuttle

UPDATE (March 14, 2013): I finally found the source!! It’s by Ros Badger and Elspeth Thompson. See The Story of a Granny Square Blanket.

Inspiration afghan