A Little Spinning for My Felt
I managed this week to get one set of rolags spun and plyed. I decided to do wildflower sari silk first. It’s the mostly yellow one. Here’s the link to making the rolags if you missed it. https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2021/10/26/sari-silk-and-spinning/
I spun a single first, naturally. It took a little bit to get used to the silk. The silk is much harder to draft but mixed with the wool it wasn’t too bad. You have to accept you are not going to get a really smooth yarn. You are going to get a great texture.
Next, I did what is the most meditative part of spinning for me. I made a center-pull ball by hand. If you are in a hurry or you have lots to do then a ball winder is the way to go. But I really do enjoy this part. I use a little piece of painter’s tape to make sure I don’t lose the center yarn, while I am winding. Do you enjoy doing something that other people seem to dread doing?
Then the fastest part, plying.
It’s interesting that when it was a single I thought it was a bit dull and muddy but after plying it seems to be brighter and shinier. I really like it. It has lots of colour and so much texture. it will be great as an embellishment on my felt.
I haven’t decided if I will make it into a center-pull ball or a skein for storage.
12 thoughts on “A Little Spinning for My Felt”
Your centre-pull balls are amazingly neat and lovely to look at! The resulting yarn is very pretty with its yellow highlights and the odd bit of pink peeping through.
Thinks Lyn. I am really happy with the yarn too, definitely worth the effort.
I like your finished yarn, and I admire your neat spindle spinning – something I’ve never really mastered. I do a little from time to time when I want a particular yarn for stitching into one of my pictures but it’s rarely longer than a yard, if that.
I’d really like to know how you do a centre pull ball without a ball winder. As you say they are useful if you need to wind one quickly but I can see the benefits of destressing in doing it by hand (once you’ve overcome the stress or learning how to do it).
Ann
Thanks Ann, the spindle is often a mess. I try to make it neat but often it ends up uneven and not well tensioned. Another good reason to do it by hand. it doesn’t matter if its not perfect because you are going slow. I will try to get a video of making the centre pull ball. it takes a little practice but it’s not as hard as it looks.
Have to agree with the previous comments, the yarn is really lovely. I also like the little bits of yellow popping through with kisses of pink here and there. In answer to your question of my favourite tedious activity. I really enjoy teasing and flick carding long locks of wool, especially dyed yarn. I do it for hours.
Thanks Bernadette. Flick carding I might be enjoyable for me as a group activity. I suppose most tedious things are best done as a group. If it works for you, that’s great.
The yarn looks wonderful Ann and I’m sure it will be a great addition to some of your felting. Many people thought my slow stitching seemed tedious but when I hand stitch in short sessions, it’s very meditative.
Thanks Ruth, I like it too. I’m not sure what I will use it for but I am sure it will be perfect for something. I like slow stitch too. No hurry, just wandering along with some thread.
Ann, has anyone ever told you you have very neat balls? 😀
I really like the yarn, the silk makes it shiny and the textured bits are wonderful. If you plan to use it soon you can keep it in a ball, but if you’re planning on storing it, do skein it – wool is stretchy and if you keep it in a ball for long it will stretch a bit… meaning if you ever wash your finished item, the wool will shrink back to its original size.
No one has ever told me that before Leonor. LOL
The ball is pretty loose and squishy but usually it’s going on to something that will be felted so it gets it’s bath then. My skeins always seem to end up a mess if I am not careful. I am not usually careful.
I agree with Leonor Ann. Looking at the photo before I read your piece I thought you had used a winder the ball is so perfect. Your photos are excellent and really show off the sheen on the fibre – what a beautiful mix. Love the yellow pop.
Thank you It fun to try and get it just right. I am not fast but I do persevere…..sometimes.