I've been kind of eeking by spinning lately with more of my eye and heart in fiber prep and disassembling fleeces, but it's because it leads me to the time in front of the wheel and wondering about fibers and finished objects. I've had it in my head that I want to spin a quantity of yarn sufficient for a sweater (A FINE FLEECE! A FINE FLEECE! :)), but know that I've got a while to go to get consistent and just need more practice practice practice... inching thru the fiber stash is helping a bit :)
Handspun 2-ply merino/tussah silk, fiber from Ashland Bay "pewter"
approx 4.5 oz, 240 yd
I bought this fiber (from Susan's Spinning Bunny, great service) to try and spin a companion length to match some yarn I spun last year... I wanted enough to end up with a good sized scarf, and though I do now-- the color's a tiny bit off :)
older skeins flanking new skein
No matter, even alternating a few rows won't kill me and the silk gives the finished yarn a lovely drape and sheen. The color too-- it's right on the money as far as unisex goes, even though I tend to feel shiny yarns are more in the realm of the feminine.
I also thought this yarn would be feminine, on the bobbins at least...
Handspun 2-ply wool/viscose/silk noil, fiber from Crosspatch Creations, Triple Play "Edgar Allen"
approx 240 yd, 4 oz
I love this. It is wooly and squishy, and I never thought noil could look unisex but really now, this looks like a ultramodern tweed more than anything. I also thought it would look more purple, as much as the purple stood out in the singles, but I'm thrilled with the outcome.
It is also the first yarn that I have truly shocked in finishing... I'll often be a little rough when setting the twist in superwash yarns, since I won't felt them, but I went all out and dunked it from hothot to coldcold and back again and then thwacked it around, and while it lost some length and drew up when drying, the resulting wooliness and softness is fanf*ingtastic. Reminds me of a heavyweight felted tweed... deserves to be made into something awesome, but I think I'll need more yardage. (Maybe?)
I planned on socks for this skein...
Handspun 2-ply Wensleydale, naturally dyed by Black Bunny Fibers
Maia, in the Rare Breeds fiber tasting at Color, mentioned that she likes Wensleydale for socks as it's super durable. I immediately thought of this last month's fiber club offering from Carol, eight ounces of naturally-dyed (cutch and madder) W, I started spinning a dk-weight straight away. Finished though, I'm not sure. it's really hairy...
...not necessarily a bad thing ;) but felt to me more like euroflax linen than a sock yarn when in the hand. I think it'll end up made into a super durable string bag for summer... still have another 4 oz to decide about :)
The funny thing is though, all of these skeins? All weigh about the same, and all have the same yardage, but look so different, feel so different.
long light at the end of the day
The merino/silk and the wool/noil one don't look that different til you look closely... you can see how much the wool/noil skein drew up and shrank after shocking and whacking (both skeins started as the same circumference). And the Wensleydale...? I have no idea how such a small skein and thin yarn can be so dense (again, started at the same circumference), but there you go.
Til then :)
Handspun 2-ply merino/tussah silk, fiber from Ashland Bay "pewter"
approx 4.5 oz, 240 yd
I bought this fiber (from Susan's Spinning Bunny, great service) to try and spin a companion length to match some yarn I spun last year... I wanted enough to end up with a good sized scarf, and though I do now-- the color's a tiny bit off :)
older skeins flanking new skein
No matter, even alternating a few rows won't kill me and the silk gives the finished yarn a lovely drape and sheen. The color too-- it's right on the money as far as unisex goes, even though I tend to feel shiny yarns are more in the realm of the feminine.
I also thought this yarn would be feminine, on the bobbins at least...
Handspun 2-ply wool/viscose/silk noil, fiber from Crosspatch Creations, Triple Play "Edgar Allen"
approx 240 yd, 4 oz
I love this. It is wooly and squishy, and I never thought noil could look unisex but really now, this looks like a ultramodern tweed more than anything. I also thought it would look more purple, as much as the purple stood out in the singles, but I'm thrilled with the outcome.
It is also the first yarn that I have truly shocked in finishing... I'll often be a little rough when setting the twist in superwash yarns, since I won't felt them, but I went all out and dunked it from hothot to coldcold and back again and then thwacked it around, and while it lost some length and drew up when drying, the resulting wooliness and softness is fanf*ingtastic. Reminds me of a heavyweight felted tweed... deserves to be made into something awesome, but I think I'll need more yardage. (Maybe?)
I planned on socks for this skein...
Handspun 2-ply Wensleydale, naturally dyed by Black Bunny Fibers
Maia, in the Rare Breeds fiber tasting at Color, mentioned that she likes Wensleydale for socks as it's super durable. I immediately thought of this last month's fiber club offering from Carol, eight ounces of naturally-dyed (cutch and madder) W, I started spinning a dk-weight straight away. Finished though, I'm not sure. it's really hairy...
...not necessarily a bad thing ;) but felt to me more like euroflax linen than a sock yarn when in the hand. I think it'll end up made into a super durable string bag for summer... still have another 4 oz to decide about :)
The funny thing is though, all of these skeins? All weigh about the same, and all have the same yardage, but look so different, feel so different.
long light at the end of the day
The merino/silk and the wool/noil one don't look that different til you look closely... you can see how much the wool/noil skein drew up and shrank after shocking and whacking (both skeins started as the same circumference). And the Wensleydale...? I have no idea how such a small skein and thin yarn can be so dense (again, started at the same circumference), but there you go.
Til then :)
5 comments:
I have to say, I love your spinning!
I love the 'pewter' color. A touch of lavender woven in to an overcast day.
Your spinning is so gorgeous! I love that orange. (Of course, you'd know that!)
I'm really sucked into the whole fleece thing right now too. Of course, it might be because I just sheared my 6 sheepies...and the possibilities...endless!
I just finished spinning a very similarly colored Crosspatch Creations kit. I loved the squishy feel of the two ply I spun up. The heavier weight yarn looks great!
Post a Comment