On/Off My Spindles

On/Off My Spindles:

While I was spinning for the Tour de Fleece, I also continued spinning on projects already in progress.  In some cases that may've been a mistake.

For instance, I spun and plied braid #4 of the Wensleydale in the Rasputin colorway (spun worsted/chain ply).  I did it in one day.  A Mistake.  I rushed, and this little skein came in at half the yardage of the first three.  It's a sport to DK weight yarn instead of fingering.  Grrr  I could smack myself sometimes!


On the bright side, I finished spinning (woolen) and plying (3ply) all of the first half of the Finn/Dorset/Targhee fleece called "Mo".  For this I managed to keep the yarn weight consistent.  I ended up with nine skeins totalling 625 yards of 3ply DK/light worsted weight yarn.  Now I just have to tackle washing the other half of the fleece...



I also plied up the first little skein of the "Promise" soy silk/wool blend yarn.  It's a tiny little thing because I, frankly, got tired of it.  I'm not exactly happy with the feel of the fiber as I'm spinning. Not enough wool content I guess.  Love the colors though so I will finish it.  Eventually.




I'm really looking forward to starting on this tomorrow:



It's Shetland in the "Forecast" colorway from Spunky Eclectic and is my only scheduled Ravellenic's spinning.



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Mid-January On & Offs

On/Off My Needles

Cast on another pr of socks - this time trying Magic Loop - vanilla sock for me in  Cables & Lace Lizard Toes  "Gluttony" colorway, a really nice rich blue.



Still working on the Shetland Pi shawl, BBS for SFS, and socks for mom and me.

No finished knitting, possibly because...




On My Spindle

Spinning another bump of the Merino/Bamboo/Silk blend from Crown Mtn Farms, this time for Queenknit.  I'm spinning semi-worsted from the fold (it's really slippery and that gives me better control) at about 40wpi which with a two-ply should give me a fingering weight yarn.

Cheviot sample for the Spindoctors Wool Breed Challenge. Spinning woolen, 3ply.

Chain plying the Purple Rain colorway of Falkland also from CMF, as well as finishing spinning the final third of the 8oz bump.  This is also for the Wool Breeds Challenge.

Spinning cotton on drop spindle, or rather learning to spin cotton on spindle.  I tried the tahkli but we didn't get along very well, so I switched to my 1oz Golding (ok, technically it's .95oz, but really).  I can get really good spin speed on that spindle which is why it's currently in use on the Cheviot sample (woolen spinning).  I'm planning on using the cotton I spin to tie skeins, until I get good enough to use as yarn.

Romney - continuing to comb the fleece and spin.   First sample skein for the Challenge is done.  Settled on spinning semi-woolen (woolen spun from combed prep), three-ply.  The comb waste isn't too bad so I'm carding that, picking out the bad bits, and also spinning that woolen. 



And yes, that's Miss Ginger to the right, giving me her 'why you taking picture of dat ting, take picture of me, I'm cuter' pose.  And when I didn't, she snagged the skein and tried to pull it out of my hand, or maybe just bring it closer so she's in frame - dumb she ain't.    ; )


Off My Spindle
Dorset Horn sample for the Challenge (see previous post) - 72 yards of two ply, semi-woolen spun.  I saved a sample of unset singles as well as a piece of the original roving.   I have a two ounce sample of raw Dorset Horn fleece to wash and prep, and I wanted something to compare it to.  I don't think I'm going to touch the raw fleece samples I have (10 of them) until the Spring, though.

Corriedale from Fleece.  I know I started carding this before the Wool Breeds Challenge started and I think I started spinning before too, so I'm withdrawing this from the Challenge.  But anyway, it's done.  From six ounces of pre-washed fleece I got about 268 yards of three-ply with wpi in the 10-13wpi range.  It came out much nicer than I expected given how bumpy and neppy the carded prep was. 

Wool Breeds Challenge - Dorset Horn

Comments from my spinning journal:
Dorset Horn


According to The Knitters Book of Wool and In Sheep's Clothing, Dorset Horn is one of the Down/Down-type breeds, has a fineness count of 27-33 microns and an average staple length of 2.5 to 4 inches. And it can be spun either woolen or worsted.

This sample is about one ounce of processed top or roving.   I think there some lanolin still in this particular sample, not a lot, just enough to make my hands feel nice. Feels spongy, not soft as compared to the Corriedale I just finished, but not really coarse as compared to the Romney I'm currently working on, and a bit heavy or dense. This is screaming woolen spun to me.

Will try spinning woolen for a two-ply sample (try because I've never actually spun true woolen before - semi-woolen maybe but not woolen). Using the walnut spindle (1.5oz). Not sure how this sample was prepped. I think it's top but I'm not sure. Short staple 2.5".

This is proving easier to spin woolen when I spin from the fold. And I think I'm actually doing a real honest to goodness long draw. Woot, Woot!!   It takes a lot of concentration to keep myself from smoothing the yarn though. Must remember to trust the twist. It's just magic when the slubs smooth out. So cool!

I think this might be good for mittens. I don't think it's soft enough on it's own to wear as a scarf, I.e. next to the neck, but should be nice and warm for mittens or a hat. Will see what it's like after washing. Might be good for a sweater or vest worn over a shirt or blouse.

I would definitely like to spin this again.



Edited to add more pics:

On the plying spindle:





Finished and Dried: