Spinning, more spinning, and knitting
That vacation trip ended July 24, so I am still behind in my blogging. Knitting has mostly been confined to my bus commute back and forth to work, while spinning has occupied my evenings and weekends. I love my new wheel. I took it to our local Knit Out back at the beginning of August. Thanks to Aline for taking these pictures!
It was a great way to spend the afternoon. Yes, I spin lefty. I have no idea why. It just feels right. Odd though, since I don't spindle that way. In the last picture above you can see a bit of the top on my right thigh. It is the top that I bought at last year's Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival.
But I've gotten ahead of myself.
The natural yarn was the first one spun on my wheel. It is a two-ply; one single was BFL and the other was Coopworth. The burgundy yarn is merino, also 2-ply. They are both thick-and-thin, but nice to handle and totally usable.
Then I set about spinning the remaining 7 oz of the wool top mentioned previously. I had already spun about 1 oz on my spindles. This time the singles were much more consistent, due to the nicely prepped fibre, and more practice. Instead of thick-and-thin I produced a very fully bobbin (all 7 oz!) of thin-and-thinner.
While I contemplated the logistics of making a 3-ply from my one bobbin (a real 3-ply, not a chained single), I spun up 30 g of Wensleydale still in the stash box from a long ago swap. It has a lovely silky feel and is quite lustrous. It is the little 2-ply skein shown below, along with the natural and burgundy yarn (wound into balls).
To make a 3-ply yarn from the brown single I first wound it into 3 balls using my ball winder. Then I used the wheel to wind the three balls back onto 3 bobbins. I put the bobbins onto the kate that came with the wheel, and plied and plied and plied. Well, it wasn't that bad. It only took two evenings. I ended up with 200 g, about 310 m, of pretty decent 3-ply, at about 12 wraps/inch, which makes it roughly a worsted weight, I guess. Mittens for sure, maybe a hat. I don't think it is soft enough for a scarf, but swatching will tell.
There is considerably less knitting to show you, but here it is. One finished organic, naturally-coloured cotton wash cloth, about 10.5" x 12.0", to allow for shrinkage;
and one unfinished Japanese Waves scarf.
The Handmaiden yarn is a treat to work with and the pattern simple and soothing, I love the undulating side edges. I am making mine on 3.5 mm needles, and 47 stitches wide. It is 7 inches wide (unblocked) and at the halfway point yarn-wise, about 27 inches long. So it will be plenty long enough when it is finished and lightly blocked.
It was a great way to spend the afternoon. Yes, I spin lefty. I have no idea why. It just feels right. Odd though, since I don't spindle that way. In the last picture above you can see a bit of the top on my right thigh. It is the top that I bought at last year's Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival.
But I've gotten ahead of myself.
The natural yarn was the first one spun on my wheel. It is a two-ply; one single was BFL and the other was Coopworth. The burgundy yarn is merino, also 2-ply. They are both thick-and-thin, but nice to handle and totally usable.
Then I set about spinning the remaining 7 oz of the wool top mentioned previously. I had already spun about 1 oz on my spindles. This time the singles were much more consistent, due to the nicely prepped fibre, and more practice. Instead of thick-and-thin I produced a very fully bobbin (all 7 oz!) of thin-and-thinner.
While I contemplated the logistics of making a 3-ply from my one bobbin (a real 3-ply, not a chained single), I spun up 30 g of Wensleydale still in the stash box from a long ago swap. It has a lovely silky feel and is quite lustrous. It is the little 2-ply skein shown below, along with the natural and burgundy yarn (wound into balls).
To make a 3-ply yarn from the brown single I first wound it into 3 balls using my ball winder. Then I used the wheel to wind the three balls back onto 3 bobbins. I put the bobbins onto the kate that came with the wheel, and plied and plied and plied. Well, it wasn't that bad. It only took two evenings. I ended up with 200 g, about 310 m, of pretty decent 3-ply, at about 12 wraps/inch, which makes it roughly a worsted weight, I guess. Mittens for sure, maybe a hat. I don't think it is soft enough for a scarf, but swatching will tell.
There is considerably less knitting to show you, but here it is. One finished organic, naturally-coloured cotton wash cloth, about 10.5" x 12.0", to allow for shrinkage;
and one unfinished Japanese Waves scarf.
The Handmaiden yarn is a treat to work with and the pattern simple and soothing, I love the undulating side edges. I am making mine on 3.5 mm needles, and 47 stitches wide. It is 7 inches wide (unblocked) and at the halfway point yarn-wise, about 27 inches long. So it will be plenty long enough when it is finished and lightly blocked.
When I took my spinning classes at the Ottawa Weavers and spinners guild, we were recommended to spin 'lefty'. The reason given to me when I asked why was that women used to spin left handed so they had their right hand ready to stir a pot on the stove etc. Also, the great wheel is used by turning the wheel with your right hand and drafting from your left. I guess it is a natural thing to be lefty after all.
Besides that, lovely yarn indeed! Can't wait to see what knits up from it.
I spin lefty also, and for the same reason, it just feels right. I tried 'righty' and oh what a mess and it felt just SO wrong.
Your yarn is just wonderful. That 3 ply? FanTAStic, so very pretty.
Fab wash cloth and your Japanese Waves, what a Beauty. Looking forward to seeing it blocked.
There's a lot of yum in this post. That three ply is round and smooth and great! Your wheel is a honey.
I'm trying to do a Euroflax warshcloth with Jap waves. Tough decreases with tight knitting. Your Jap greens are beautiful. Can't wait to see it blocked.