Tag Archives: merino

Spinning For Socks

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In some of my belated Christmas present, I had 4 ounces of fiber that was meant for socks. It was a nice blend of merino and tencel and I think I can make a 3-ply for some sock yarn. Really focusing on spinning as thin as I can so that my finished yarn is close to sock weight and I have enough for my big feet.

I have very carefully weighed out three matching lots of fiber. I kind of grouped the colors into similar families so each ply will be cohesive (ish) and I’ll get a nice marl in the finished yarn. My back has been acting up so spinning hasn’t been as comfortable as knitting. But slow and steady will win the race!

Happy Spinning!!

Fiber to Warm Up Winter

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My dad surprised me this last week. He caught me after a weekend visit with a shipping bag. He admitted that some of my Christmas didn’t ship in time and it had arrived in February. He was a little embarrassed but I was excited!

This was 4 ounces of Rambouillet in the “Shiver” colorway and 4 ounces of a 70%/30% merino/nylon sock blend. The sock blend are little bits and bobs of mixed colors. I think I would break each nest into half or thirds and try to make matching singles.

I have a finished skein to show you tomorrow and now fiber already on the wheel that I will show next week. So for now, this fiber will need to wait its turn. But I am always happy for surprise fiber and adorable dads.

Happy Stashing!!

Finished Pink Thick and Thin

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She’s lumpy and nubbly and she’s all mine, lol. I am now calling this my Rustic 2-ply as it’s full of “character”!

After washing and drying I measured this skein out. The wraps per inch are ALL over the place but they mostly averaged out to worsted weight. The finished skein is 148 grams and 173 yards. It’s VERY pink and there are some spots where the fiber is not spun at all.

This is the kind of skein where it would be perfect for weaving with to show off that texture. Weaving is a fiber craft I had not dipped into. I may tuck this skein of yarn into the stash to wait for that day.

Happy Spinning!!

Balanced But Lumpy

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My spinning that I am now calling my “Rustic 2-ply” is plied and coming off the bobbin this week.

As predicted, this is VERY thick and thin in spots. In fact there are some places where the roving is not spun at all. It can be very lumpy in many spots. But one silver lining, it was a very balanced skein after plying. There is almost no twisting back on itself. And it’s hanging straight down

This skein is off to is bath time so I can measure and count this skein. I think this will work out to be worsted on average across all the spots. And with 8 ounces of fiber used I am expecting a decent amount of yardage.

Happy Spinning!

Spinning Something New

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I am still feeling the urge to spin and my Shiny Alpaca was off the wheel. So I pulled out a spinning kit I got in a mystery bag a few Christmas’s ago. It was 8.5 ounces of pink merino and a handful of intact wool locks in bright pink and bright blue.

I was so engrossed in the spin that I didn’t even grab any photos before the singles were done. I split the braid into 4 ounce chunks. I spun the first half with working the locks in intermittently. I HATED it from the start. But I persevered and worked them all in the first 4 ounces.

I then HAPPILY spun the second 4 ounces as plain merino. Those were lovely to spin. I plan to ply the two together. My first bobbin is very inconsistent and thick/thin. So I am predicting an “art” yarn from this skein. It will be beautiful in its own way, lol.

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 From The Flurry

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It’s been about one month since I touched my wheel. I decided to get back into the flow over the weekend. I grabbed the small 2 oz custom batt I bought at Fiber Flurry 2022.

This bat is VERY fluffy and VERY sparkly. It sheds more than my daycare providers German Shepherd in the spring. There are only 2 ounces of this fiber so I will just spin the whole thing onto one bobbin and then 2-ply back on itself.

I am a little out of practice so I reasoned that going back to my “default” spin would be a nice warm up to get my fingers back into the groove. Happy Spinning!!

Gratuitous Handspun – Deep Regret 2-ply

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Another skein of handspun has joined the stash! This merino tencel blend absolutely flew off my wheel. I had prepared this roving into little nestlets and managed fairly thin singles. All in all I think this was managed across four or five days.

I spun two bobbins and with my “go-to” 2ply approach which resulted in a sport weight with some light worsted spots. Super super super happy with this one! The 2-ply was 150 yards of yarn over 113 grams with really lovely barber poling.

My bobbins weren’t quite even and I had a little leftover so I chain plied the remainder into a teeny tiny 3-ply skein. Its 8 yards over 10 gram so a little heftier skein but gorgeous nonetheless.

Now I just need to plot my next spin! Happy spinning!!

Let’s Barber-pole!

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I managed to squeak in some plying this past weekend in between laundry and dishes. Still trying to get my sea legs back after getting a cold. Darn boogers anyway!

I 2-plied the extra fine merino singles onto one super cute bobbin. I just let this fiber be what it wanted to be and didn’t try for anything in particular. I haven’t measured yet but I am guessing I have another worsted skein. I am going to let this sit on the bobbin and get it washed/whacked later this week.

But now….what to spin next??

Ultra Fine Merino

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Turns out that my practice at spinning is making me faster and more confident. I had a work colleague over for a patio chat one evening and I managed to get all four ounces onto bobbins.

This fiber is just so super soft. I am glad I don’t plan to wind these off into cakes. They would tangle like beast. Looking at these bobbins, I for sure will get barber-poled finished yarn. For now, I am going to rest these singles and try to get my mo-jo working back in the knitting direction.

Happy Spinning!!