Tamarac and Spruce - Done!
I felt well enough to crawl up to the Cowichan Spinner and do some plying! LOL! I remember when I ordered this top - I had really mixed feelings. I tend to like pinks and blues so something this earthy was a bit of a switch for me. It's called Tamarack and Spruce, 8 ounces of superwash Blue Faced Leicheshire from Susan's Spinning Bunny. I spun it fairly fine because I wanted to make a 3-ply yarn that wasn't super chunky. As often happens when spinning, something magical and unexpected occurred. I split the top into fairly thin pieces to make it easier to spin which also makes for short color transitions in the singles. So when I Navajo plied it the color transitions were not so abrupt and in each segment there is a mix. For example, a green section may include 3 or more shades of green and maybe even a strand of transition into brown, some of the rust segments have a strand of tan or pale green. I found this made a very rich-looking color palette in the yarn without it being a mushy color muddle.
Of course I wanted to share some pics but it didn't seem to matter what I did the shots were so washed out and I just couldn't get the color variations to show. Finally I turned up the pixelation on the camera to the highest setting and the colors came through much better. Unfortunately it also makes the picture files just huge so I had to try to compromise between detail and size. Hope these aren't taking too long to load!
8 ounces superwash BFL approx 257 yd. These pics aren't perfect color-wise (It's so much nicer in hand!) and it looks a bit wiggly because I haven't soaked it yet but I am ridiculously pleased with this yarn. I never expected it to turn out SO well! It's been quite a happy surprise. Good thing too - it's February - a month I tend to find myself in a blue funk. Nothing like a fiber fix to help me get through it! LOL! I already have a project in mind (don't I always??) but as usual it will have to wait until I have some others finished.
One more thing - sometimes I email my replies to your comments from the blog interface and I'm just wondering if they're getting through or not.... like I'd really love to hear Doris's Pinwheel Sweater design story! Ahem! Cheers all!
Of course I wanted to share some pics but it didn't seem to matter what I did the shots were so washed out and I just couldn't get the color variations to show. Finally I turned up the pixelation on the camera to the highest setting and the colors came through much better. Unfortunately it also makes the picture files just huge so I had to try to compromise between detail and size. Hope these aren't taking too long to load!
8 ounces superwash BFL approx 257 yd. These pics aren't perfect color-wise (It's so much nicer in hand!) and it looks a bit wiggly because I haven't soaked it yet but I am ridiculously pleased with this yarn. I never expected it to turn out SO well! It's been quite a happy surprise. Good thing too - it's February - a month I tend to find myself in a blue funk. Nothing like a fiber fix to help me get through it! LOL! I already have a project in mind (don't I always??) but as usual it will have to wait until I have some others finished.
One more thing - sometimes I email my replies to your comments from the blog interface and I'm just wondering if they're getting through or not.... like I'd really love to hear Doris's Pinwheel Sweater design story! Ahem! Cheers all!
Nice going and what does it want to be? My plying is the part I'm having trouble with. Consistency is not my forte.
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I'm thinking it will be a colored yoke on a sweater... now I just have to spin some superwash white for the sleeves etc. For 2-ply I use both hands to ply - the back hand runs the yarn between different fingers and the front hand pinches it together. For 3-ply I do chain-plying commonly known as Navajo plying. I am really liking 3 ply done this way as it's a rounder more consistent yarn. My biggest challenge is to keep the singles consistently fine so I don't have chunky 3-ply and worsted 3-ply in the same skein!
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I just LOVE this colorway. It's right up my alley! I've done the same thing, navajo plying with lovely results. I often know what my handspun will be some day, but it's hard to get to knit them actually. There's always something or other to do firts. I hope you are feeling better soon!
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Spinning IS such a pleasurable adventure! And as soon as my Pinwheel sweater is finished I have 2 handspun projects I'm casting on... that's my story & I'm sticking to it! LOL!
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