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I’ve been sampling
Posted on | January 4, 2008 | 17 Comments
From this to this:
to this:
It became apparent to me early on that this Shetland fleece wants to be spun fine, fine, fine. And since I’m not planning to knit a wedding ring shawl from this, the final yarn has to be much thicker. I decided to see what a cabled yarn would be like.
I wanted to spin a cabled yarn for several reasons. First, to produce a heavier, more knittable yarn. Second, this fleece has parts that are pure black, deep chestnut brown, and gray and sun-lightened tips. The more plies, the more these colors would be evenly distributed throughout the yarn. Third - I thought it’d be fun! I’ve never made a cabled yarn before and I’ve read that cabled yarns produce a slightly more textured look in the final yarn and I am ALL about texture! Loveitloveitloveit.
I *think* this is a winner. I knit this swatch on US 5s but I think I’ll try 6s and wash the swatch to see the difference, if any. I see cables, definitely.
Now the technical jargon, for my future reference more than anything else:
Singles spun with 8.4 ratio, plied at 15.6 and then re-plied at 8.4
Finished yarn is 15 WPI, between sport and fingering weight
96 yards per 40 grams
This is going to take me a long, long time to finish! That’s alright though, it’s a lovely fleece and it’s a joy to spin. As much as I love color, I can feel myself getting all old school about spinning when I work with a fleece like this. It’s rustic, yet delicate and beautiful throughout. Some parts have quite a bit of VM, but what doesn’t come out with flicking falls out with all the spinning and plying. It is going to be a lovely sweater – if I have enough fiber - but whatever it ultimately becomes, I know I’ll enjoy every step of the process of making it.
This is what I’ll be working on during our Distaff Day gathering, which we’re having a day early, on Sunday. At my house! Woot! I don’t have to lug my wheel anywhere!
All you spinners out there – what are you going to be working on this weekend? Are you spinning anything special to celebrate the end of the season and new beginnings?
Comments
17 Responses to “I’ve been sampling”
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January 4th, 2008 @ 10:26 am
I dyed some roving a while ago, and I plan to predraft it to within an inch of its life, like Dave Daniels, and see if I can’t spin me some sock yarn. (My fleece still isn’t here.)
January 4th, 2008 @ 10:27 am
Wow. Very nice! I’m very impressed. I’ve been spinning, but it’s all been a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I’m going to have to either buckle down and finish something or buy more bobbins.
Do you have a sweater in mind yet for this yarn?
January 4th, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Mighty pretty! I have a bag of alpaca awaiting my attentions. It’s shot through with a bunch of different colors like that and I’m really looking forward to it. I think I’m going to card it with silk before spinning (and I say that as if I know what I’m talking about). My wheel’s still in the shop so I shouldn’t have anything distracting me from the carding….
My gawd but Carrie must get up early! I can’t beat her anywhere!
;-)
January 4th, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
I actually gasped out at that first photo. No spinner, me, but I read enough blogs to know that yarn that fine doesn’t just spring unbidden from the spinner’s forehead. Beautiful stuff.
January 4th, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
It’s beautiful. *Swoon*
I’ll be at my guild’s Distaff Day tomorrow. I’m going to work on spinning up the soy silk for the moment, but then I must work on the BFL and then the baby alpaca and then the grey wool for hubby’s sweater and the superwash someone gave me….
HELP?
January 4th, 2008 @ 1:34 pm
Beautiful! Having only spun a few times, the technical jargon does not mean much to me (yet) other than the WPI. I will have to do more reading on articles like the knitty spinning article you referenced.
I think i’ll be working on the spinning I started during the holidays on St Distaff’s Day… although, I might bring other roving to spin :)
January 4th, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
I don’t spin, but I think the cabling is the way to go. It is making sure a wonderful unique yarn. I love the way it looks knit up.
January 4th, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Very nice – -I like the idea of the cabled yarn. Hopefully I eventuall spin some thin enough singles to give this a try.
January 4th, 2008 @ 7:09 pm
Lovely, Lovely, Lovely. Can’t wait to see what it becomes.
I have just finished the 1st ply in a 2 ply BFL yarn that will go into my shop. It is sitting on the bobbin waiting to be plyed together. I also have a merino/tencel on a bobbin waiting to be plyed as well headed for the same place.
January 4th, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
That looks wonderful!! I’m looking forward to actually sitting at my neglected wheel for a bit this weekend, poor thing ;)
January 5th, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
That Shetland is just glorious! I love the way the natural black, browns and greys mingle together. You know you can send that up to Huntsville if you ever decide you’re bored with it ;-)
January 5th, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
LOVE the cabled yarn!!! I haven’t tried this yet but can see why with all the variations of color it will spin up GORGEOUS!!!
I know it must be so satisfying to spin what you have processed as opposed to buying roving (which is good too of course)!! I can’t wait to see what you knit with this!!!!
Looking forward to tomorrow!!
January 5th, 2008 @ 6:47 pm
Can’t wait for tomorrow to see how you spin cabled yarn………..it looks fantastic!!! You must spin & knit in your sleep!!! LOL Boy, you produce a lot.
January 6th, 2008 @ 10:54 am
I love the color of your experiment! I hope you had a great spin weekend~
January 6th, 2008 @ 10:41 pm
I had a great time today!!! Thanks for letting us all invade your house and play in fiber! (Are the little stray bits still floating around? LOL) Thanks again and it was great to meet you!
January 7th, 2008 @ 7:01 am
Your yarn is beautiful! You did such a good job spinning, plying and cabeling. It’s knitting up beautifully. I bought my first fleece (Cormo) last Memorial weekend that I’ve been slowly scouring, flicking and spinning it. It’s been such a wonderful, tactile experience. I love everything from the smell of the unwashed wool (kind of a warm, animal smell and not at all like sheep poo) to the final 3-ply yarn. It’s an experience I recommend to any spinner.
January 9th, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
Love love LOVE that cabled yarn! It’s gorgeous :)
I really have to *work* to spin anything thicker than fingering when plied, and I don’t knit lace! I understand your feelings about knit-ability. I’ve got my fingers crossed that you have enough for a sweater because that’d definitely rock the house!