Much To My Amazement....
I readily admit I had reached a point where I thought this day would never come.... but here I am ... finally done this batch of unruly fiber!! While I have been chipping away at the bags for nigh on a month now I kept reminding myself there was quite a lot of fiber here - 3 bags full (sorry - I couldn't resist the pun!) and the batts seemed to be rather compacted. Add to that the fact that the fiber itself was very crimpy and liked to cling to itself making it a slow battle to spin AND I seemed to be forever picking out bits of vegetable matter and annoying purple nebs (which I can't imagine why anyone would want in a green/tawny yellow blend) and you have a sure-fire recipe for a never-ending spinning project. To add to my chagrin, it took only 2 sessions to chain ply the whole lot (5 very full bobbins, in total).
I had planned to divide it into 3 skeins to make them each a manageable size. But as I wound the first batch onto the swift I began to wonder just WHAT kind of yardage there would really be, after ALL that time spent... I mean, my spinning time is rather limited and it's nice to have "something" to show for the hours spent at the wheel, you know? I'm not saying quantity over quality - but - time-wise it worked out to just about a week per bobbin (!!) of a fallen-short-of-ideal batch of fiber (of which I have quite a bit more in other colors *sigh*) and as I was tying the first skein all I could hear was a little voice in my head going, "Is that ALL??"....
Now I was thinking of calling this colorway "Lagoon", if thinking tropical is your bent... but after I did the math on the yardage I was thinking of something a little more farm related...
So these are the stats: 3 skeins of 3-ply wool (misc breed), about a worsted weight with slubs and unruly bits, about 440 gms (not quite a pound), a total of 675 yards between 3 skeins. My only consolation is that translates into about 2,000 yards of singles which helps me nurse my wounded sensibilities that just maybe it wasn't a total waste of precious spinning time! One thing I know for sure - if I had sat down to spin the same amount of say, Wild Geese Fiber's excellent Cotswold sliver I'd have finished the whole lot - from spinning to setting the twist - in about 10 days - seriously!
So this is one of those (all too) rare moments when I get to share a real purl of wisdom - fiber condition is everything in spinning! I won't say "fiber preparation" because I didn't prepare these batts nor do I have any intention on doing anything to them to try to improve them because I don't believe it's possible to change the fundamental nature of this stuff. More carding will likely only cause damage because it's SO crimpy and making the strips narrower won't improve on that either! So take note - some crimp is good but the crimpier the fiber, the slower the spinning. 'Nuf said! (I'll get off my little soap box now and go sniffle in the corner). I'm off to my cedar chest to pull out the next bag of this stuff... yes, really. Join me in a cooler or two? or four?
Cheers all!
I had planned to divide it into 3 skeins to make them each a manageable size. But as I wound the first batch onto the swift I began to wonder just WHAT kind of yardage there would really be, after ALL that time spent... I mean, my spinning time is rather limited and it's nice to have "something" to show for the hours spent at the wheel, you know? I'm not saying quantity over quality - but - time-wise it worked out to just about a week per bobbin (!!) of a fallen-short-of-ideal batch of fiber (of which I have quite a bit more in other colors *sigh*) and as I was tying the first skein all I could hear was a little voice in my head going, "Is that ALL??"....
Now I was thinking of calling this colorway "Lagoon", if thinking tropical is your bent... but after I did the math on the yardage I was thinking of something a little more farm related...
So these are the stats: 3 skeins of 3-ply wool (misc breed), about a worsted weight with slubs and unruly bits, about 440 gms (not quite a pound), a total of 675 yards between 3 skeins. My only consolation is that translates into about 2,000 yards of singles which helps me nurse my wounded sensibilities that just maybe it wasn't a total waste of precious spinning time! One thing I know for sure - if I had sat down to spin the same amount of say, Wild Geese Fiber's excellent Cotswold sliver I'd have finished the whole lot - from spinning to setting the twist - in about 10 days - seriously!
So this is one of those (all too) rare moments when I get to share a real purl of wisdom - fiber condition is everything in spinning! I won't say "fiber preparation" because I didn't prepare these batts nor do I have any intention on doing anything to them to try to improve them because I don't believe it's possible to change the fundamental nature of this stuff. More carding will likely only cause damage because it's SO crimpy and making the strips narrower won't improve on that either! So take note - some crimp is good but the crimpier the fiber, the slower the spinning. 'Nuf said! (I'll get off my little soap box now and go sniffle in the corner). I'm off to my cedar chest to pull out the next bag of this stuff... yes, really. Join me in a cooler or two? or four?
Cheers all!
Posted by Gloria Patre at 8/27/2009 12:51 PM 
Categories: Yarn, Spinning
Tags: novelty yarn spinning fiber
Categories: Yarn, Spinning
Tags: novelty yarn spinning fiber
It's lovely yarn though. But I know what you mean. I would not be able to start again with the same kind of fiber, I admire you for that. I would have to get out the loveliest stuff I have and do some fun spinning, before I could touch nasty stuff again. I DO have some of that in my fiber stash as well. :o)
Reply to this
It's a good thing you mentioned that it's this particular yarn, because I am intrigued by the idea of learning how to spin, and if it's this much trouble, I'd rather spend my time knitting. Still thinking about it though.
Reply to this
Oh gosh! Don't let me deter you! Just follow this simple rule - always buy fiber you've had a chance to feel before you buy it. I bought this online so didn't really get to handle or inspect it first. Spinning is very relaxing. Think about it this way - try it - even if you decide it's not for you, you'll never look at yarn the same way ever again! It's a beneficial experience!
Reply to this