Spinning mostly

Spinning mostly

Comments 22 comments

I haven’t been felting much lately, other than teaching, but I have been doing some spinning. I borrowed a friends blending board to try making some fancy rolags to spin from. I used 2 shades of orange, a purple wool, some silk and a tiny amount of  trylobal nylon on the board. It was my first time using the blending board so I was getting instructions and pointers from Judy.

I spun it on my new top whorl spindle. I don’t usually use a top whole spindle but I couldn’t resist this one from The Clay Sheep

Here I am spinning on it.

The yarn came out quite nice. I could have added more sparkle but I am always cautious of adding to much sparkle.  I wound it into a center pull ball the other night so now it is ready to be plied.

The other cool thing I got with my spindle was a hair stick. I asked her to make it as a special order.

Thanks To Jan Scott for the great pictures of me with the blending board and spinning. I think you took the hair stick pictures too even if it was on my phone.

 

 

22 thoughts on “Spinning mostly”

  1. The Clay Sheep’s spindle and hair pin are lovely!
    The blending board seems ideal for making colourful rolags – will you show a photo of the plyed yarn next time?

    Reply

    1. Thanks Lyn. the blending board is interesting. You have to be careful not to get rolags that are to tight. I hope to have it plied by then, but no promises.

  2. I agree with Lyn about the spindle and hair stick! I like that table you’re using too! Your yarn turned out nice 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thanks Zed. the table is a weaving bench I stole from one of the looms. they are great to have you can store things in them and they are a good height for many tasks while you are sitting.

  3. The hair pin is lovely, easy to manage your hair. , The yarn is so nice and even. I am still waiting for someone to show me how to use this spindle. I’ve been watching videos on You Tube, evrything seems so simple, but my experiments always fail.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, I love hair sticks. We will see how even if is when it’s plied. An in person lesson does help. try going to a historical re-enactment or renascence fair to find someone that could help you, if you don’t have a spinners guild near by. I like to use the park and draft method for people to learn.

  4. Loving the hair pin! That spindle is beautiful, too. Do you have more pictures of the rolags? I’ve been meaning to buy a blending board for ages but can’t really justify it because I already have a drum carder… *sigh*

    Reply

    1. Thanks, it’s my favourite way to put my hair up. Sorry no more pictures. you can use your drum carder for a blending board. just put the fiber right onto the big drum. you can pick up some dowel at the hardware store. You kind of stretch it up as you take it off. you have to be careful not to make them to tight.

    2. I know, but since I’ve no experience doing that I fear I might mess up. I’ll give it a go some day! 🙂

  5. Your hairpin is lovely, you can also use it as pin to close your scarf. Ans Leonor, when you have a drumcarder, you don’t need a blending board, you can make your rolags from the board, as i do.

    Reply

  6. The hairpin and spindle are lovely. How did you like using the blending board? Please share your plied yarn with us.

    I’m with Nada on the drop spindle I just can’t seem to get it either. It always looks so easy.

    Reply

  7. Love the spindle and the hairstick. The single looks very nice too – love the colour combo.
    I use chopsticks to roll.

    Blending boards are quite expensive for what they are and can be easily made with a piece of board and a length of carding cloth costing about £30 to £40, (depending on size) rather than the £130 for a ready made one .

    Reply

    1. I don’t think chopsticks would be wide enough for this board, But yes they are expensive. I wanted to try one and if I decide I like it I will wait a while until everyone is board with them and selling them off. i am cheap. LOL

  8. Really unique spindle and hair stick! What is the top of the spindle made of, it looks enameled. Will you post a pic of the plied yarn? To answer your question re using handspun in felting, I do it all the time (as you know!), especially chunky uneven yarns, or spiral and boucle yarns, they really can jazz up the look of the fabric.

    Reply

  9. Great spindle and hair stick. It is definitely you 🙂 The yarn is great. I have done a little spinning but don’t spend enough time to get good at it for sure.

    Reply

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