Almost home...
Yay! DH is coming home tomorrow!
I've been concentrating on spinning for the last two weeks, hoping to make some progress on the stash and learn a new technique - woolen long draw spinning on the spindle. It can be done! Carol Huebscher Rhoades wrote an article for Spin-Off (download it here) showing how. So, I set out to try using the natural color merino I picked up at the Great Lakes Fiber Show.
I did a search on making rolags, since I haven't had much luck with from-the-fold. Look what I found! Psuedo-rolags - the art of making rolags without carding brushes. A million thanks, Rosemary! Here's a few I made
I divided the 4 ounces of merino in half, with the intention of spinning half woolen from rolags, the other have worsted with a short forward draw, 2-plying both sets, and comparing.
The woolen:
The worsten:
The woolen is quite thick and thin, but after a week of trial and error, and a helpful email conversation with Ms. Rhoades, I got it! Not expert spinning be any means, but I think the technical aspects of it are correct. I can't really tell any difference in softness or fluffiness - they both came out squishibly soft and fluffy.
Next up: color. I've never bought handpainted roving before but that doesn't mean I haven't drooled over the options. First up: Big Bang from FLUFFfibers, a 4+ ounce braid of superwash BFL.
And that's not all - it came with a little sibling, a 1 ounce sampler of 80%merino/20%silk:
These fibers are so yummy! I tore off a little of the BFL to do a little sampling and OMG it is so easy to draft. Just tear off a chunk and draft from the fold. I've never been able to do that! I want to make a fluffy yarn to make a hat and mittens or something for Audrey. (You didn't think I bought those colors for myself, did you?)
Fiber heaven!
I've been concentrating on spinning for the last two weeks, hoping to make some progress on the stash and learn a new technique - woolen long draw spinning on the spindle. It can be done! Carol Huebscher Rhoades wrote an article for Spin-Off (download it here) showing how. So, I set out to try using the natural color merino I picked up at the Great Lakes Fiber Show.
I did a search on making rolags, since I haven't had much luck with from-the-fold. Look what I found! Psuedo-rolags - the art of making rolags without carding brushes. A million thanks, Rosemary! Here's a few I made
I divided the 4 ounces of merino in half, with the intention of spinning half woolen from rolags, the other have worsted with a short forward draw, 2-plying both sets, and comparing.
The woolen:
The worsten:
The woolen is quite thick and thin, but after a week of trial and error, and a helpful email conversation with Ms. Rhoades, I got it! Not expert spinning be any means, but I think the technical aspects of it are correct. I can't really tell any difference in softness or fluffiness - they both came out squishibly soft and fluffy.
Next up: color. I've never bought handpainted roving before but that doesn't mean I haven't drooled over the options. First up: Big Bang from FLUFFfibers, a 4+ ounce braid of superwash BFL.
And that's not all - it came with a little sibling, a 1 ounce sampler of 80%merino/20%silk:
These fibers are so yummy! I tore off a little of the BFL to do a little sampling and OMG it is so easy to draft. Just tear off a chunk and draft from the fold. I've never been able to do that! I want to make a fluffy yarn to make a hat and mittens or something for Audrey. (You didn't think I bought those colors for myself, did you?)
Fiber heaven!
