Long Wool Fiber Study, part 1

The following yarns are the first group of finished samples from the long wool fiber study that I am doing with Saturday Spinners (blog post 5/19/12). I spun, plied and wet finished these samples. What follows are my notes as I wrote them on an index card while spinning.

CVM - California Variegated Mutant - pin-drafted roving from Mt. SAC - 1 yard of roving - spun 4/21/12

• very springy
• used semi-worsted forward draft
• short fibers look fuzzy on bobbin
• wanted to spin thin/fine
• 2 ply - 36 yards - 24 wpi (wraps per inch) - lace weight

I really liked spinning the CVM. The fiber was soft and super bouncy. It should lend itself to a really lofty woolen yarn. I think I will try that next time.

Cotswold - combed roving - 1 oz. - spun 4/26/12

• very slick - easy to draft
• kind of wiry
• when yarn was too thin, felt too slippery
• lots of little ends sticking out on singles
• spun worsted forward draw
• can’t hold fiber too far apart with hands - no control
• singles kept popping off flyer hooks - very wiry
• 3 ply - 44 yards - 11 wpi - size 4 medium yarn
• 2 ply - 4.5 yards - 16 wpi - size 3 light yarn
• did not think this would make a good lace yarn

Upon reflection, the wiriness might make knitted lace patterns very crisp and clean. Cotswold was not my favorite fiber to spin. Definitely would not wear it against my skin.

BFL - Bluefaced Leicester (pronounced lester) - rinsed locks - 1/2 oz. - spun 5/18/12

• separated locks - cut ends aligned
• used small dog brush to click open locks (held middle of lock and flicked each half separately)
• spun from cut end
• feels slightly sticky - run into knots (neps) in fiber
• difficult to draft evenly
• singles very fuzzy on bobbin
• spins very fine
• fair amount of debris and fiber waste on flicker
• used worsted shortish draw
• had to hold lock firmly in hand
• luster easy to see
• would prefer scoured fiber
• 2 ply - 50 yards - 20 wpi - lace weight

I collected the fiber from the flicker and made 2 little rolags to spin. I did like the feel of the lanolin on my fingers from the rinsed fiber but I think in the long run it would be easier to control the finished product if the locks were scoured. Ultimately, it would be less messy while spinning. It was fun to see how the locks separated and the fiber brushed out. This was the first time I had spun from the lock.

BFL - Bluefaced Leicester  - processed roving from Shaggy Bear Farms - 2 yards of thin roving - spun 5/21/12

• spun worsted forward draw
• tried to spin medium weight singles
• very soft and easy to control
• 2 ply - 8 yards - 12 wpi - size 4 medium yarn

Really liked spinning clean roving. I also liked making thicker singles. I would try to spin more woolen next time though. Something lofty and soft.