Category: fiber arts/dyeing/spinning

Adventures in (Faux) Tailspinning

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Wearing The Locks
experimenting with variations of tailspinning locks handprocessed/hand dyed fleece
experimenting with variations of tailspinning locks handprocessed/hand dyed fleece

I’ve been experimenting with variations of tailspinning locks of fleece (in this instance mohair locks). This would actually be classified as a faux tailspun as I sandwiched each lock in between 2 plies of handspun via my spinning wheel and then re-plied it with metallic thread for added strength/definition. Typically tail spinning is characterized by spinning the locks around a core. I like to play around with different ways of doing things and this came about simply because I have a bunch of one plies done that I am bored with plying together to make traditional 2-ply or 3-ply yarn.

This sample skein would make a nice scarf all on its own.
This sample skein would make a nice scarf all on its own.

Once spun the sample skeins went into the dyepot. The orange sample had locks spaced approximately 3/4″ to 1″ apart, while the purple sample had locks sandwiched approximately 3 inches apart. Although I like the overall fullness of the orange sample the purple was fun to knit up as well, and honestly they don’t look that much different in the end. It’s all about the size of needles used.  The orange skein would make a fab scarf on its own, don’t you agree?

knitted sample of faux tailspun yarn
knitted sample of faux tailspun yarn

This is the orange knitted with a #17 needle. I had my macro lense on my camera so this may be a tad too much detail. I went with a larger needle size to let the locks spread out. You could easily use a smaller size as well if you want a tighter knit.

Purple faux locks adoring the studio wall
Purple faux locks adoring the studio wall

Here’s a quick shot of the purple sample. I used a #10.5 needle. The locks are more spaced out in this sample. I should also mention I knit every row in both samples.

So what to do with this? I could see it as a beautiful scarf, trim for a hat, or I was thinking the shoulders of a shrug. What about a stuffed animal friend? I really appreciate yarn hat resembles the animal it came from – it is probably why I am so drawn to artistic textured yarns. I’d say the experiment was a success. Definitely more of this on the horizon…

signature

Combing Fiber with St. Blaise Carding Combs

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Img 3323
St. Blaise combs and hand processed/dyed sheep fleece
St. Blaise combs and hand processed/dyed sheep fleece

I’ve been combing fiber like mad while we’ve been here in Nova Scotia. After watching Robin Russo’s DVD Combing Fiber I was convinced to give it a try, and purchased her St. Blaise combs the next time we were in Vermont.

combingfiber

Of the interesting tidbits I found out in this DVD, like St. Blaise was the patron saint of wool carders (who knew there was a patron saint of wool carders!!), I also gained a greater understanding of the difference between woolen & worsted yarn. It goes beyond how the wool is spun which I naively thought, and also about how the fiber is processed. In a worsted yarn, all the fibers are aligned in the same direction prior to spinning. Half of the fiber is discarded as waste product leaving only the smoothest best quality fibers (aka: top). This is what gives that smooth even texture many knitters and crocheters enjoy.

Robin reviews the different types of combs and their pitches and what fleece is combed with each. In the end I was convinced her own designed St. Blaise combs that are made in her studio in Vermont would be the best option for me as a well-rounded go to comb.

I definitely was not disappointed, and thanks to her instruction via the DVD, I was combing fleece like a pro in no time. Although I own a drum carder I wanted the combs for working with a fleece requiring a little extra TLC. The combs do a stellar job at removing VM (vegetable matter) and are a must-have for separating the longer/coarser strands found in fibers like icelandic sheep or llama. The other plus is that they are portable, so now I can continue processing fleece while we are in Nova Scotia and leave the drum carder behind in the studio.

signature

 

 

 

Maine Fiber Frolic 2014

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1020095

P1020095
Last week the fam & I had the privilege of attending the 2014 Maine Fiber Frolic. It’s been on our list of shows to check out for a few years now, but the timing has never lined up. We love Maine and love a chance to go visit, and this year we just so happened to be in Portland on the same weekend of the show. So we drove the hour and ten minutes out to the Windsor fairgrounds to check it out.
P1020101
The show was absolutely charming. Totally chill and laid back like I would expect in Maine. It wasn’t at all as big as I had imagined, and I say this in a good way. As much as we love to immerse ourselves in the thousands of folk at Rhinebeck, We’ve always enjoyed a slower paced laid back show where we are free to take our time and linger looking at animals, exhibitors & vendors without feeling like we’re in the way.
P1020091
Of course I enjoyed the fleece sale barn the most with the food vendors being a close second. 🙂
P1020102
The family was in agreement – Stone Fox Farm Creamery is the *best* ice cream we have ever tasted – and best of all no egg, which my children are allergic.

P1020103
Making friends with the goats – oh how I wish I could have these little darlings!

Although I did not get a ton of fleece this show (The NH Show was just in May and I came home with 6 big bags of fleece and roving from that one) I did nab 2 bags of raw merino to play around with. I love a challenge especially when it means I can get my hands on Merino at bargain basement prices. 🙂 Takes a little more elbow grease on my part but I love to see the progress from a dirty fleece to a clean one. 🙂

If we happen to be in Maine same time next year, we will certainly be checking out the show again!

signature

 

2014 New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival: New Goodies

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1020043

Last weekend, my family & I attended the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Festival in Deerfield, New Hampshire. This is our 4th year in a row attending the festival, and has become a tradition that we spend Mother’s Day weekend at the show. We saw many furry friends, but my absolute fave was Praxis, a white alpaca who posed for pictures for me. If you look closely it looks like he is smiling. 🙂

P1020043
Praxis before haircut
P1020069
Praxis after haircut (love that they kept his mohawk :))

In all I came home with 6 bags of wool: 5 raw to be processed from the fleece sale & 1 bag of roving of various colors. I think this year I am most excited to find a supplier of some (new to me) acid dyes courtesy of the good folk at Contented Butterfly Farm.

P1020082

P1020083
I had to rearrange the dye cupboard to make these fit – 13 new colors I am “dying” (ha ha) to try… 🙂
P1020086
oh la la crimp… 🙂

Looking forward to next year!

signature

More Handspun Confetti Yarn: New Colors

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Dpp 2225

More handspun confetti yarn has been added to the website. I like to call this light & lofty yarn “confetti” because before I spin the roving, I card it with bits of leftover wool, silk & angelina fibers (for sparkle!). 🙂

DPP_2231

One of the first yarns I made & knitted projects from evolved into what is now confetti yarn. Currently it is mostly made up of roving from a small mill in Maine that I re-card adding my own bits of fiber throughout. The dyeing/overall color has to be credited to the mill. Now that I am dyeing my own fleece confetti yarn will most likely evolve into a product designed completely from raw, but that still remains to be seen. So long as I can obtain the base roving at a decent price I’ll continue to buy it. Plus I could never replicate the colors seen here (nor would I try!).

DPP_2237

If you enjoy a thick yet light feeling yarn like I do, you would most likely enjoy this series. I love to knit a winter hat or a scarf/cowl with this. It also makes a nice trim for projects. I normally us a US9 knitting needle.

DPP_2247

I love to process my fleece from raw but there is something so satisfying about drum carding roving and being able to spin virtually right away. I used to spin this particular roving straight out of the package but I like to spread out the fibers even more on the drum carder as well as add my own flair.

DPP_2242

As this is a wool mix and spins up quickly it is one of my least expensive yarns for sale. I can give a sizable discount if bought in person since I do not incur any shipping/packaging fees.

DPP_2225

I have spun more yarn than I can ever use so I’m happy to share it for those interested in purchasing it. That said, I’m also happy to squirrel it away & wait for the inspiration to hit for a new knitting project.  🙂

signature

New Alpaca Handspun Yarn Listed

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Dpp 2251

DPP_2251

I have several skeins of natural brown alpaca handspun yarn listed on the website. My first completed batch of alpaca yarn spun from raw. Unlike sheep wool, alpaca does not need to be prepared ahead of time to spin: shear and go! The fiber does not contain any oils and is relatively straight, so it can be easily spun without carding ahead of time. After this batch however, I have decided to give my alpaca a quick soak to remove excess dirt or mud as well as give it one quick round in the drum carder. I found it quite dusty, and find it a huge time savings if I can get most of the fiber going in the same direction. The batch I’m currently working on was pretty muddy underneath, to boot!

DPP_2255

This is a 3-ply probably best suited for a US#4 knitting needle. This batch of fiber was obtained from a small producer in Upstate New York. Being alpaca it is on the pricey side, but I can offer a sizable discount if you can buy in person, since I don’t have to incur shipping fees.

As usual with my yarn I am reluctant to let it go, however, I have spun so much of it I’m happy to offer it for sale if someone is interested in taking it. Otherwise this will turn into a wonderful project for me down the road. 😉

signature

The Dye Binder: Recording Fleece Dyeing

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Img 3011

IMG_3011

Last month when talking about the dyeing experiments I was conducting in the studio on raw fleece, I meant to post a photo of my dye binder. We went through 3.5 bags of sheep fleece: horned dorset, finnish landrace & half a bag of grey-white romney, to see how the dye would react on darker color saturations, as well as small batches of mohair I had on hand. I am so glad I took notes because thinking back now without them I would never remember how to duplicate them! Needless to say i am *dying* to card & spin all the 200g samples, but the holidays has me totally locked down jewelry making & I still have a 3lb. bag of brown alpaca to spin (not that I am complaining about either!). 🙂

signature

Some photos from our dyeing fleece experiments

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Img 2983

IMG_2966

We’ve been experimenting with dyeing fleece with Greener Shades acid dyes & I wanted to post some pictures of how it turned out. We’re doing mostly water immersion in a crock pot but I also did smaller batches in mason jars as well as a bit of low immersion dyeing.

IMG_2968

I honestly don’t know why I was so intimidated about dyeing fleece. Once I figured out the dye-to-fleece ratio, it is *super* easy. And ridiculously addictive! My 6 year old has volunteered to help me, and she asks every day if we are going to dye fleece.

IMG_2969

I really like using a crock pot, as I can literally set it and forget it. It’s nice & stable and contained which fits great in the studio, and I don’t have to worry about little fingers getting burned as opposed to using a pot on a burner. I like it so much I want to start scouring thrift shops for used ones so I can do several colors at once.

IMG_2975

I think the most important thing is to write everything down so I know how to replicate the color later. I’ve started a binder which has a sample of the fleece, the kind of fleece & the process used to obtain the color. We’re concentrating on doing 2 colors at once to see what shades and effect can be obtained.

IMG_2976

This is washed fleece but not yet carded. My mind would glaze over carding plain white fleece over & over! I find it easier to wash the fleece, then dye it. Carding takes place after. We (my oldest & I – her second favorite thing to do these days is to turn the crank on the carder) carded a sample of dyed fleece & I’m happy with the results. For now I see no advantage of carding to batts or roving first before dyeing. Especially since I plan to blend colors before spinning.

IMG_2977

I am going to keep a binder as well of what the fleece looks like carded, as well as “recipes” of the fleece types and colors blended so if I want more in the future it will be easier to replicate.

IMG_2978

Writing everything down is a big deal for me, because I am such an “on a whim” kind of spirit. But the binders will definitely keep my sanity! Let’s face it: art yarn is one of a kind so I will never be able to make a totally identical replica. But if I like something and want to spin it again this will be a good way to get at least a close second. 🙂

IMG_2983

If you want to watch a great video on getting started dyeing fiber, I recommend “Dyeing in the Kitchen“.

signature

 

 

The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: Invaluable

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Img 2940

IMG_2940

The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook has been absolutely invaluable in my studio. It is my fleece “bible”. I go to it every time I buy a new fleece before I even start to process it.

IMG_2937

 

I love the knitting examples that also are provided, & hats off to the authors, this must have been crazy to compile, not to mention fun! 🙂 Fiber geeks: you need this book!

signature

Knitting Handspun by the Fire…

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1010595

I’ve been going at a pretty steady pace lately.  Jewelry making/orders, pricing my handspun yarn, working on packaging for yarn & stitch markers…oh yeah and running my busy household on top of it all. It’s no surprise it all came to a slamming halt as soon as we arrived at our Nova Scotia residence.

P1010595

I’m trying to work. Reeeeeally I am. But there is just something about the atmosphere of the Annapolis Valley – I grew up here so I know it all too well. It’s not that I’m not motivated, it’s just the pace is slower, and I came to realize just how tired my brain really is. So I’m curled up by the fire, knitting my handspun. This is a mohair/wool blend, and I’m loving the feel/texture. Officially hooked! Must put mohair at the top of my shopping list for the Rhinebeck wool show next month…now if you’ll excuse me… 🙂

signature

Campfire Knitting

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1010323

P1010323

I don’t know what it is about fire that makes it so perfect for knitting. Campfire in the summer…fireplace in the winter.

P1010322

This is a self striping yarn I spun – Navajo (chain) plied – really bulky. Wool/silk mix. It wasn’t my favorite spin, that is for sure. Yet, it worked up rather well, I’d say. The finished hat is rather thick, but hey – winter in Québec is just around the corner…

signature

Icelandic Handspun

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1010243

IMG_2728

Last year at Rhinebeck I bought a bag of raw Icelandic fleece, a wool I had only minimally worked with in the past. This was my first try at Icelandic handspun yarn. I absolutely adore the Icelandic Breed of sheep, they are small in stature and have both a long straight overcoat (tog) and a short curly undercoat (thel).  I washed, carded and spun/plied/set/fulled several 2-ply skeins, keeping some for my own personal use and setting some aside for sale in the near future.

P1010243

Yarn always looks a little sad to me when it is wet after being washed/ fulled. It’s amazing to see the yarn plump up again after it dries…I immediately get “the itch” and want to start knitting it.

Check back regularly to the Yarn/Fiber section of my website, I’ll be adding yarns as they become available. It’s all done by hand so it’s a labour of love, making this yarn. I spin for me first but will always have more than I could ever handle since I am officially addicted to spinning. 🙂

signature

 

 

Angora Rabbit Fiber

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1000955

P1000955

I still cannot believe that this is from a bunny rabbit…an angora rabbit to be precise. I can’t help but feel bad for this breed. Cute looking, but having this much fur must really suck!

P1000949

I’m starting to get a better handle on spinning angora (not to be confused with angora goat, whose fiber is known as mohair). I’m getting the hang of spinning this by itself…usually I blend it with wool. I have found it slippery and at times hard to draft, but like any fiber you get used to the feel and how it needs to be handled in order to get spun. It is very light and lofty. My Himalayan cat’s fur is similar. Many people like the feel of angora in hand but can’t wear it on their head/neck as it tends to tickle/feel itchy…and I can totally see that. I would like to ply an angora yarn on its own though just to see how it works up. I’ll share the finished product whatever I decide to do… 🙂

signature

Spinning Singles

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Img 2702

IMG_2702

I’ve gone back to spinning singles lately…the “traditional” idea of spinning where you spin thinner singles to ply together to make the finished yarn. I am hoping these are the start of yarn for sale…I again am at a loss at pricing because if I take into account the amount of time put into prepping fleece from raw to spinning/plying my price point would be simply too high for consideration. I’m liking the barter idea, so that may be the way to go. In any event I need to finish these into something before my mind gets away from me. I have angora rabbit, icelandic sheep fleece & my “wool soup” (taking odds & ends fleece/roving/batts – running it through the drum carder to make one of a kind batts for spinning) so far spun. Either way, I simply enjoy the process of creating the yarn – more so than knitting it into something! I get far more satisfaction in feeling the fluffy fleece between my hands become a wonderfully soft textured yarn. Not that I don’t enjoy knit/crochet, I simply enjoy carding/spinning more…so yes: when these are completed I must work on finding them new homes. 🙂

signature

Drum carding with the Brother Drum Carder

Posted on by — Leave a comment
031

013

Back in January, I started a thorough search for a drum carder…I had massed a decent amount of fleece and really was not looking forward to hand carding it all. If you have ever looked for a drum carder for equipment you know that they do not come cheap, and do I ever drool at all the different kinds out there on the market. I have spent a small fortune on jewelry making equipment over the years, I can`t really justify $900+ for something that is at the moment, solely a hobby. So I started my search for a used one on ebay…and was I shocked to find one in the $300 range…brand new.

020

Yep, Brother Drum Carders are a no-frills economic made in the USA drum carder. I ordered one straight away in January from their website (they also sell on Etsy & Ebay). I must say, I am impressed having zero expectation & zero experience with a drum carder. I’ve used it to blend roving/angelina fibers/silk, and also to process my own fleece that I have washed.

030

It is hard work cranking that thing by hand…I do dream of a motorized one if I ever get busy enough to warrant it. And the medium coarse carding cloth I chose doesn’t work very well with my alpaca or angora rabbit fibers…I will have to buy a cloth with teeth appropriate for fine fibers for this (that does make me wonder if a more expensive model could handle all/most types of fleeces) but can I really complain at the price point? I simply feel very lucky to have this tool at my disposal at such an affordable price!

031

signature

Washing Raw Fleece…

Posted on by — Leave a comment
028

026

In the beginning, I was really leery of washing sheep wool. It seemed like a really time consuming (& potentially icky) task. But spinning roving started to bore me, I wanted more control over my creativity & I started to gain much respect for this wool fiber, the animal who gave it & the process from start to finish.

014

I obtain my fleece from scouring fleece sales at various wool shows in the North-East. Although I get taken in by the wonderful alpaca fiber from time to time (which doesn’t need washing before spinning – which is a nice perk), I generally stick to the piles of passed over inexpensive bags of sheep fleece…the extra-dirty or not-so-well-known breeds. I don’t even entertain merino…it’s a lovely wool, but highly over-rated for experimentation purposes. 🙂

I add the fleece by the handfuls in my basket here in the laundry sink, that I had installed in my studio specifically for this purpose. I pick out as much VM (vegetable matter) or poo/manure tags  that I can from this stage…I can’t say that I have ever skirted any wool in the traditional fashion, maybe I *should* but I have never found I needed to at this point (or perhaps I am blissfully ignorant).

015

After reading and trying out slightly different variations of washing fleece here is the method that I use:

Soak in hot, hot water with a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of dish detergent for at least 3 hours – sometimes I even leave it to soak overnight if there is a lot of lanolin or dirt. I generally find this soak 3 times gets the majority of the dirt off. It is a really pleasant surprise to find a yellowish fleece is indeed a lovely white color after a couple good soaks in hot water & dish detergent!

I then soak it in the hottest water possible 3 times for about 30 min. each time. The last time I add 1/4 cup of vinegar to remove any remaining soap residue. I am careful to keep the temperature consistent while washing as, hot/cold water plus agitation will felt wool. I also do not manipulate the wool much, just gently push down into the water with rubber gloves.

The basket is fantastic as you need to drain the water several times – and I found when not using some sort of basket the fleece would just clog up the drain. These are old fixtures from a Zellers store that closed locally last summer. Bonus is that the square baskets have a lip for hanging on a display rack – and they fit perfectly onto the edge of my laundry tub when I want to lift it out to drain the water.

028

The Zellers fixtures also make wonderful drying racks…in the summer, these move outdoors to dry naturally n the sun shine. 🙂

 

Latest Textured (Art) Yarns…

Posted on by — Leave a comment
P1000933

I am terribly behind on posts, and doubt I will bother to catch up. Earlier this year my hard drive failed and we have not yet had luck recovering the data…there is ways but very time consuming and for the self-employed parent time is limited. So I guess you can say I lost interest in blogging.  I’ve also lost faith in WordPress & will be switching most likely to Drupal hopefully this fall. It’s just been one thing after another, and I apologize for any inconsistencies or problems viewing this site.

P1000930

But to begin anew here are the latest yarns I have made. These were a total experiment but I love the end results. I took the first two art batts I made earlier this year & turned them into these two skeins of yarn. Here you see them freshly fulled and hanging outside to dry (I love this time of year!). I’m also washing my newest fleeces obtained at this year’s New Hampshire Wool show (below you see a bit of it peeking out, also drying in the fresh open air).

P1000933

Both skeins are bulky one plies with beads spun in. I love how fast bulky one ply yarn spins up, but am always afraid of an unbalanced yarn. These are not bad, as you can see they hang fairly straight. The one on the right was from an art batt I made & named “The Fog of War”. I don’t always name my projects, but if a name pops in my head right away I figure there is purpose there. I’ve had these wood beads kicking around forever – probably a closeout I bought from a wholesaler. They never made it into the “for jewelry” making pile, and I am so pleased to have them integrated into this yarn.

The second skein, “Pink Candy Crush” has tiny 4mm pale pink crackle (glass) beads spun within. I loved the effect of the smaller beads just as the large ones. Far more cute & subtle but it works for such a happy colored yarn.

“Fog of War” is a blend of many different wool leftovers…I call these kinds of batts/rovings wool confetti as it is very light, fluffy & airy with tiny pops of color within. “Pink candy crush” has merino, tunis & a purple wool of unknown breed (odds and ends again) along with banana fibers . Both also have angelina fibers for added sparkle. The beads are attached with a Habu stainless steel thread.

These were really fun to make & I’m already on my 3rd. Spinning is my zen. Jewelry making is exciting; new designs make my heart race, while spinning keeps me calm & happy no matter how sore my back may get. 😉

I know people have asked if I will be selling my yarns…I hope to add fiber product of some kind to the website by the end of the summer. I am having a hard time deciding how to price my yarns. I’m thinking of selling my yarns by barter exclusively rather than by exchange of money. I think that feels more fair to me…

Fantastic Handcrafted Yarn Swift

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Img 1851

IMG_1851

That’s a horrible picture of a fantastic product. I have wanted a yarn swift for quite some time, even before I was spinning my own yarn, but really cringed at the thought of buying those made in China umbrella ones for $50+…I also thought they’d take up quite a bit of space. So I was happy to find this table top yarn swift handcrafted in the USA by Knitting Notions in Nashville. I also could not believe it was only $55 and love that it comes apart for storage in its own bag. You can move the pegs up/down to get the right tension (so don’t go by my sloppy photo ;)).

IMG_1848

signature

 

Racing Stripe

Posted on by — Leave a comment
022

Snapped this quick (read: terrible) picture of a single ply racing stripe textured yarn, still on the wheel. Inspired by Jacey Bogg’s technique in her book & DVD Spin Art, this is bluefaced leicester with a racing stripe of both handspun one ply wool and metallic thread. The picture does not do it justice of course. I wonder what to make with it. Spun on my jumbo flyer so I have a decent sized skein. Hmmmm…. 😉

Thick & Thin…

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Thick Thin

Sorry for the terrible picture…this is my first attempt doing a single ply thick/thin yarn using Jacey Bogg’s wrist flick/turn-key-in-lock  method as she describes in her book/dvd Spin Art. I absolutely adore this book & accompanying dvd, and although my yarn is not perfect, I was encouraged at just how nice it actually *did* turn out. I think the biggest testament is that it drapes nicely. Single plies can never be balanced as it does not contain any counter twist like a plied yarn, so the goal is to achieve as even a drape as possible. If your yarn hangs fairly straight after washing/fulling, then that is a good “balanced” single ply yarn. I don’t tension my yarns either, simply let them hang dry after a good thwack or two. 😉

This yarn is a superwash merino which is a first for me. First time spinning a thick/thin, and using superwash. Not a fan of the smell of superwash wool (chemically treated so that it will not shrink/felt). I like the fresh barn smell of sheep fleece (unlike an unclean barn smell har har! ;)). We live in a virtually chemically free home so smells and odors particularly of a chemical nature seem very strong to me. I think I will stick to untreated fleeces and care instructions if I ever gift any yarn or knitted/crocheted pieces. Merino itself is a very good choice for thick/thin yarn since it is short stapled; therefore the short movements created to make the fibers “catch” in the thin section are easily achieved unlike in a long stapled yarn you wouldn’t get as much variation in the thick/thin.

I’ll be sure to post what this looks like knitted up, however it may be awhile – I don’t see me stepping away from the spinning wheel anytime soon… 😉

Rhinebeck 2012

Posted on by — Leave a comment
9 Rhinebeck

So excited to announce I finally got to go to Rhinebeck this year! I have been wanting to go to this show for several years now, and the gorgeous weather was one of the deciding factors to take off and go last minute (we even got the chance to spend the night in Manhattan making this the perfect trip for me. I love the country, but adore that city – the creative energy!). I picked up some great raw fleece at the fleece sale (the most organized I have ever been to I might add) as well as a few other goodies – check out my bounty!! I will be posting all about the show on my family’s blog; once it is completed I will post a link to it here! Can’t wait ’till next year! 🙂

Fiber Experimentation

Posted on by — Leave a comment
Yarn Experiment

From left to right: mohair, mohair/wool mix, colorfully dyed llama, brown yak down & angora/wool mix.

 

I’ve been going through my fleece bins ans spinning/plying yarns from different fiber sources. I want to get a feel for the different fibers so to determine what I would like to continue to spin on a larger scale in the future. So far I have enjoyed every type and learning the pros and cons of spinning each. It is going to be hard to narrow down. 🙂

Spinning Yak Down

Posted on by — Leave a comment
7 Yak

This summer I purchased a small bag of yak down to try spinning. It is amazingly soft/fluffy/airy and short stapled, so a light touch is definitely needed as well as a very short, inch-worm type draft. I put my pulley on medium with a soft uptake (my Lendrum is a scotch tensioning wheel). I found the large pulley didn’t give the enough twist so the fibers drifted apart easily which would be annoying during plying. I really wanted to keep that light airy feel in the finished yarn. The finished project in another post…

Spun Recycled Silk

Posted on by — Leave a comment
6 Silk

Frabjous Fibers has these awesome bags of recycled silk bits…some long, some just tiny chunks of many different colors. It spins up in this wonderful bumpy texture – kind of like when you tail spin wool locks only much finer. Spinning takes a bit of skill because you do have to inch worm draft quite carefully. Once you find your groove however, it is so much fun to spin and the texture is so rad! I have plied this with wool and it adds a wonderful softness and fun color texture. I’d like to card this together with some wool…another reason why I so need a drum carder! 😉