So I’ve Made a New Pact To Myself: Only Blog about one thing at a time. That is, if i have an update about my personal life, I’ll separate it into a different post from all my knitting related content, and so forth. There is no precedent at TealArt, for only posting once a day, so I don’t think it would break up our format to break things up. Frankly there isn’t a precedent for posting once a day, but that’s another issue entirely.
So having finished the endless white merino spinning project, I decided to add some color to my spinning project. Most of my spinning, like my knitting, is geared towards larger projects, I tend to look for wool in 1.5-2 pound lots, and spin enough for a sweater. None the less, the shinny fibers have attracted my attention and found their way into my spinning basket. (doesn’t that sound quaint? “my spinning basket” well itis_ a basket, just one of those ever handy collapsable laundry hampers._). So I use some of these nifty fibers as interim projects, while I take a breather from looking at the same old white merino roving, or whatever I’ve been spinning for the past month.
So my interim project this time around was a 2 or 4 oz (I forget) lot of this amazing blue and green silk/merino 50/50 blend. In my effort to be able to get a whole project out of it (a whole project that isn’t a pair of hand warmers) I spun really rather fine singles. I wanted to get lace weight, and I think I got there more or less. It’s singles, and I’m setting the twist a lot. It’s almost dry, and we’ll see how it holds up. I’m totally giving this away, because there isn’t that much of it I would want to do with it, and someone will enjoy it more than I.
Once I finished that, I had two options. I have 2 pounds of alpaca, and 24 or 28 oz of this awesome grey corriedale. I decided on the corriedale, because I wanted more practice before I dove into the alpaca. I’ve been calling this gansey yarn. Probably because Stephanie is spinning the same basic stuff (except she’s washing and carding the wool herself. Brave woman!) for a gansey.
I’m trying to spin a bulkier yarn. In part because my efforts until now have all been for slimmer yarns. Also, the corriedale is more harsh than merino (I wouldn’t say significantly, but it has gaud hairs, and I can’t see a reason for an outer garment to be so finely knitted.
Another thing I’m doing, is two ply (this is what the title references.) I’ve until now been navajo plying everything. it’s easy, it keeps color order in the singles together, and you don’t have to worry about spinning two equal amounts on two bobbins, or needing to have a ball winder (to make a center pul ball). But I figure, if I don’t get equal amounts on two bobbins, I’ll have enough chance to even it out eventually, I might not be so willing to go about it this way with smaller lots, but with this huge lot, I’m not worried. I’m really pleased with the process and the result is pretty good. I’m not good enough for this to be really even… I fear that it’d make a lousy gansey, but it’d be nice for some sort of overcoat, if I have enough, But I suppose I can get more.
Anyway, worries for another day. It’s nifty. Two ply is sweet. I’m going to move on and end this post before it gets any more disjointed.