TdF Days 21 & 22 - spoke Too Soon

Ya know how I said last time that the yak/merino blend was a fairly easy spin and I'd have no problem getting the first bump done by Sunday? Well, I had to get cocky didn't I.

This is the first half of the bump, about two ounces, spun up. Took me over five hours!!!!



I did okay for the first quarter or so, and then kablam! Not enough twist disguised as just barely enough twist to wind on, or too much twist on too thin a single and snap! I would wind off enough to start up again and it would fall apart. I wound up having to take my lightest spindle and carefully respin a third of the cop while attached to the first part that was okay and then rewind back.

Normally, I spin my singles by look and feel - do I like the way it looks (guess that's the twist angle I'm visually judging), does the twist feel right between my fingertips (not too hard or wiry but definitely changing the fiber texture), does it hold together when I tug gently, and does it ply back on itself the way I like? I think I got too carried away with my fancy drafting and forgot to check my basics. Because when I went back to the basics and added in counting as if I was plying to make sure of sufficient twist in the long drafting zone, everything worked fine.

I'm a little more than half way through the second half of this bump now. I expect to finish it tonight and ply in the morning. Right on time...