Let’s Spin Some Targhee

My spinning mojo continues unabated! After finishing a bunch of smaller 4 ounce bats, I decided to try spinning from a braid again. I pulled some Targhee top from Fiber Love Diary from my stash to spin. I even took my wheel outside to take advantage of the cooler spring temperatures.

I undid the braid and split in half by length so I could spin on to two bobbins again for plying. This fiber is soft to the hand but not slippery. I don’t think this spinning will take very long I can feel the sirens call of this project.

Happy Spinning!!

Surprised By The Sparkle

My white merino yarn came out of its bath beautifully. I was actually surprised to see a pronounced sparkle! I did not notice ANY sparkle as I was spinning and plying. I am wondering if it was dulled by spinning oil? Nevertheless, it was a welcome surprise!

The dyer called this color “Righteousness” so that is what I named this skein. I ended up with a 113 gram skein measuring about 182 yards. So mostly a heavy worsted to aran weight. I can tell my spinning is getting more refined as I am making a more consistent worsted yarn instead of a bulky weight.

I just need to label this skein up and get it into the special handspun stash! Happy Spinning!!

That Was Quick

I had some merino blend fiber jump on and off my wheel very quickly last week. I had four ounces a merino, bamboo and sparkle blend that I bought from The Shepherds Mill when I took spinning lessons.

I weighed and split the fiber in half so that I could work from two bobbins. This fiber just spun so smooth and quickly. I think the singles rested longer than it took for me to actually spin them. I did my go-to 2-ply and ended up with this skein.

It it is a little overspun and is twisting back on itself. But I think a good bath and a solid thwack should set this just fine. I think this will turn out to be a thick and thin worsted? I’ll do a final weight and measure after its dry.

Happy Spinning!!

Deliciously Chocolate

My beautiful natural chocolate Romney yarn is complete! This….I’m SUPER proud of!

I ended with two worsted to slightly heavy worsted skeins of 2-ply. After washing it plumped up to be 396 total yards and 213 grams. Roughly half in each skein so not a bad job on my part for the dividing!

After seeing this finished and putting it next to my other natural color Hand-spun…..I might be close to a sweaters lot of heavy worsted if I work stripes. And that excites me! They only caveat is that it’s not all the same fiber content. It’s all non-super wash but many different breeds of sheep. I might have to research my idea before I go to far down the rabbit hole…

Happy Knitting!!

Washed And Thwacked

I am OBSESSED with this handspun. I gave it a wash and thwack yesterday and set near my dehumidifier to dry. And this morning, these are two gloriously dry skeins.

It is a very well balanced yarn that hangs fairly straight. I have just under 200 grams total in yarn. I need run it through my yardage counter to see what I ended up with. The yarn did plump up quite a bit with washing so this might be a heavy worsted. And I’m still super proud of that! Stay tuned for finished yarn photos 🙂

Happy Spinning!!

I Think I Accidentally Made Worsted Weight Yarn

It took me a minute to get all my plying done. Had a few fits and starts, but I now have two pretty bobbins!

I did a quick wraps per inch gauge on these….and y’all this might be a true worsted with spots of a heavy worsted. This is the finest I have spun and plied thus far! I need to give this yarn a bath and see if it plumps up any. I am kinda excited to see what this turns out to be!

Happy Spinning!!

Plying All The Romney

My spinning mojo has really caught fire. After starting some singles out of 100% Romney last week, I spent all day Saturday playing outside with the kids and finishing the singles. I let them rest overnight and played the “mother’s day card” so I could drink wine and ply my yarn.

I really enjoy using my tensioned Kate. It helps prevent overspinning and having the singles fold back on themselves. The wine doesn’t hurt either!

Happy Spinning!!

Outdoor Time

After finishing my unknown 3-ply, I felt the urge to pull out my wheel again. It’s been a hot minute since I felt the urge to spin. So I took PB outside to swing and I sat on the patio with my wheel to spin a little.

I have roughly 200 grams of 100% romney wool in this lovely natural chocolate color. It is spinning really well and smoothly. It took me a minute to get back in a rhythm and make semi consistent singles.

PB played and told stories and I filled 3/4 of a bobbin! I think I have enough fiber to fill two bobbins and make a two ply? Who knows, I will go where the spinning leads me. It is freeing not to have a specific plan or destination. Just make something pretty!

Happy Spinning!!

Mystery Handspun, But It’s Finished!

I have had some singles finished and just waiting on bobbins. I got a wild hair to ignore my adult responsibilities and stay up past 11 to ply everything the other night.

The singles were really inconsistent and prone to breaking. So I decided to chain ply/3-ply them back on themselves. It made a really thick and thin yarn but I think it came out really pretty!

I ended up 242 yards out of 182 grams of wool. So this is probably a bulky skein with a few worsted spots on it. The wool was some unknown wool I was donated so I don’t know the fiber content is. It’s a little crunchy/wooly so I think not merino. But also not alpaca as there was no drape.

Whatever it is, I will make something fun with it! Happy Spinning!!

Fiber Clubs

For Christmas the hubs got me a three month fiber club with WoolFiend. I have gotten two of three shipments. The first was a super fine micron merino in the Euphoria colorway (left)

The next month was a very appropriate spring colorway called “Waiting for Daffodils” in a 100% Romney blend.

I haven’t broken open either fiber packet and don’t have any designated spinning plans. For now I am loving watching what this dyer is doing with color. I may wait until the third installment shows up before I make plans.

Happy Spinning!!!