Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Spinning While the Baby Naps

Spinning Log Started December 12, 2013.  Today I signed up for a fiber of the month club as part of a birthday present to myself.  (At the time I write this it is my last day in the 20's!)  Of course, it is hard to find spinning time with a newborn, so I have to take advantage of nap time.

Since I have new fiber coming, it is time to work through my stash a bit.  I selected some fiber from 365 days on a farm that I picked up at a fiber festival.  Merino with silk noil, color "gimme green".  4 oz $16.


This yarn drafts like a DREAM.  It is super pleasant for my first project post baby.   I'm working really hard to treadle slowly so I don't over twist this soft fiber. 


I think it is time for  me to watch some videos/read some book to teach myself  how to improve.  Or better yet... maybe I'll take a class!   (Comment from the present: I got the BEST BOOK as a gift from my husband.  I think it will help me try some new things!)



Spinning Log Jan  2014.  We're home from the holiday travels and my wheel is calling me.  The baby has had a rough day of naps, and I have never wanted to do some spinning more!  I changed do something for me to help me relax, and some time with the wheel is just the ticket.  

How I stored Sandry, my wheel, while I was away for three weeks in the middle of a spinning project! 
I hope that my tension had not changed dramatically since I last spun in December.  I am still working really hard to treadle slowly. I should make a goal.  If I don't spin at least one skein a month then I need to drop out of the club.  

Unfortunately I did not weigh the fiber before I started spinning.  i wish that I had weighed it so I could split it onto two spindles to make a 2 ply yarn.  Oh well, I'll N ply it and have it be a bit thicker.  I like N-plyed yarn anyway.  But this is a serious note to self, WEIGH FIBER BEFORE STARTING!!


How much can I do while the baby is awake?  Well I did some predrafting while nursing.  Do I rock or what?  (It helps that I'm SO CLOSE to being finished, just one small section of wool left.)
 
Thank you, Lucky, for letting me get some spinning done!
The N-plying went smoothly with no splitting.  It is wonderful when this happens, it really makes me feel like I'm improving.  (Comment from the present: I think it has a lot to do with the fiber type and less with my skill.  I have had some crazy issues with 100% merino I tried to spin recently.  I really like silk blends, it helps keep things together.)
  

Winding the yarn onto the niddy noddy i realized that I did a really good even job overall.  I love how plying evens out all of the uneven bits.  This yarn is SO soft I cannot wait to knit with it!  I'm getting much better at reducing the amount of over twisting in the yarn.  (I have no idea if an expert spinner would still consider my yarn to have too much twist, but at least it is better than it used to be!)


I set the twist by saturating the yarn with warm water and then letting it dry on the niddy noddy. 


75 wraps =  300 ft = 100 yards.  ~10 wpi - worsted weight.  107 g.    This should be enough for a fun project.  What do you think I should make out of it? 


Thank you, Lucky, for napping so Mama can get some spinning done! 


Yarn completed 1/7/2014