Tag Archives: handspun

A Fine Finn Skein

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The Finn singles are plied an folded into a neat tidy skein. I need to wash and whack this yet but I couldn’t help but show it off.

This skein weighs about 85 grams so I didn’t lose much fiber during the spinning process. There is still a TON of veg matter spun up into this skein. I’m hoping that some of that falls out during washing. Pre-washing I think I have about 80 to 82 yards of yarn so this is Aran weight.

I will lose some yardage during washing as the yarn plumps up. But that’s normal. It will be an interesting experiment to see how much I lose. I am happy with the tight ply and the overall yarn is pretty consistent. Not too shabby!!

Happy Spinning!!

Plying And Picking

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All three bobbins of my Finn fiber are complete and I moved on to the plying stage!

Even with the fiber having been carded and the singles gone through the wheel once, I am still getting a lot of veg matter out of the fiber. My pants and black shirt were a little messy after my spinning session.

I did end up with a nice plump bobbin of a finished 3-ply. I will let this rest on the bobbin for a day or two and then I will give it a wash and whack to finish the process. I am predicting a nice heavy worsted to bulky finished yarn.

Happy Spinning!!

Two Fine Bobbins

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The spinning has been slow and warm by the fire. I finished the second two ounces of Finn fiber. The bobbins look very similar and I hope this means the yardage is similar.

This fiber is really lovely to spin with. As long as it plies out nicely, I think I will be procuring more Finn from 14 Hands Ranch. Admittedly, I still have the third ball of two ounces to spin. Spinning has been my calm in the year end storm.

Short Days and Warm Fires

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We are past the winter solstice and the days can only get longer now. The holiday season brought some SUPER frigid temperatures and I pulled my wheel close to the fire. This is the Finn I started before Christmas.

I have the second ounce on the wheel and the first ounce resting on its bobbin. This fiber is carded very well and spins wonderfully. I started and stopped several times, but I got there eventually.

I’m still thinking I will put each ounce on its own bobbing and 3-ply the lot. I haven’t done 3-ply a ton so I’m intrigued on how it will turn out. I still have dreams of a stripped bulky handspun sweater in my handspun…..

Happy Spinning!!

FO Friday: Pink Merino Sparkly 2-ply

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My tiny 85 gram batt of shedding merino and sparkle is finally complete and done leaving a trail of fluff in my house! I have a finished Pink Merino Sparkle 2-ply to show for it!

I ended up with an 84 gram skein that made 88 yards. So I lost very little of the original batt despite the fluffy shedding. This skeins is a little inconsistant. Some parts were worsted at 9 wraps per inch and other sections were closer to 11 wraps per inch which is more DK weight.

Still, I’m happy with the skein. I don’t know what I will make with it as it sheds. But for now it will join the precious handspun stash. Now its time to make Christmas cookies!!! Bring on Christmas break 🙂

Happy Spinning!!

Spinning Finn

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I finished the incredibly sparkly and very messy Pink Merino Sparkle 2-ply. I’ll have FO pics to share tomorrow! So I decided to keep my wheel cozy and warm but starting the Finn roving I got at Fiber Flurry.

I have three little one ounce nests. I plan to spin each on its own bobbin and then make a 2-ply if the fibers spins thick or a 3-ply if they spin thin. This is my first time working with Finn so I am interested to see how it turns out with my technique level.

This color would fit nice with some of my first handspun in natural colors. I am still dreaming of a big thick cozy handspun sweater. But we shall see!! Christmas is almost here so I have many many things to do!

Happy Spinning!!

FO Friday: Cotton Candy Yarn

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Whelp, I have another finished skein! This is a VERY energetic 3-ply skein that my 4 year old has proclaimed BEAUTIFUL!

This calculated out to be an aran to bulky weight skein. I got 84 yards in a 78 gram skein. After plying and washing, the yarn is still twisting back on itself. Which means I overplied it. I can run this skein back through my wheel in the opposite direction to let some that relax. But for now, I’m done touching cotton candy and I need to spin something else.

This fiber is great and it was cool for a mystery grab bag, but it’s not my jam. So I feel grateful for the learning experience and I’m on to the next thing!

Happy Spinning!!

Finished Cotton Candy Singles

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My big floofy bat is all the way spun. I had a very interesting time with this fiber blend that looked like mixed up cotton candy.

The bat was three ounces in total and a blend of merino, rambioullet, mulberry silk, angelina, firestar and targhee. The bat was made by Melissa’s Yarn Barn and it didn’t come with composition percentages. I could feel the silk come up and be very slippery meanwhile the merino drafted very differently from the rambioullet and targhee.

All the fiber fit on one bobbin and I plan to chain play the whole thing. Which means I will end up smaller and thicker skein. But these colors aren’t my usual jam so this might be a donation skein or end up being a winter hat.

Happy Spinning!!

Spinning Cotton Candy Batt

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Next up on my wheel is some beyond bonkers cotton candy looking mixed fiber. I am calling this my Cotton Candy spinning because it looks like someone mashed together blue and pink cotton candy.

This fiber is a 3 ounce mystery batt. The note says it includes merino, rambioullet, mulberry silk, Angelina, Firestar and targhee. It’s not spinning the finest or the smoothest because of the fiber prep and the mix of wools. But I am just letting the fiber be what it wants to be!

I haven’t decided it I will spin this on to multiple bobbins or spin it all on one and ply from a cake. I’m leaning towards the second but I am fresh off my “learning” experiences from the last time I did that! Happy Spinning!!

A Finished Daffodil 2-ply

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My very barber poled Daffodil 2-ply is off the wheel and out of its bath. It’s not my normal color story but it came out very lovely.

This yarn is mostly a heavy DK weight with some thicker spots popping up now and then. It came out to 176 yards in a 122 gram skein. It just screams spring flowers with all those colors mixed together. The Romney is not next to skin soft, at least for me. But this would make great yarn for a hat or accessories.

I do plan to gift this yarn to a work fiber friend. Kinda worried I will freak her out as we have only met in the virtual world, lol. But I have come to value our collaboration and I enjoy sending joy to others.

Happy Spinning!!