The first two yarns below are the fiber I scoured from last week (see post 6/4/12). It is now yarn and my notes about spinning the fiber are as follows along with 2 other yarns.
BFL - Bluefaced Leicester - in the grease - 1/2 oz. - spun 5/28/12
- scoured fiber before spinning - too greasy - too dirty
- fun to look at individual locks
- pulled off knots at each tip
- flicked each lock open holding the middle and working each half separately
- flicking lengthened locks after washing tightened them
- locks flicked open very easily - like a fluffy cloud
- 1/4 oz of dirt washed out
- spun tips first - woolen - very tangly - switched to cut end first
- modified back draft
- from lock was much harder to get even lofty yarn - very lumpy
- could not get smooth yarn
- very soft finished yarn
- 2 ply - 11 yards - 10 wpi (wraps per inch) - size 4 medium yarn
I really like spinning the BFL. It is soft and lovely especially as a finished woolen yarn. I also like the multi-shades of gray color.
CVM - California Variegated Mutant - Romney mix - in the grease - 1/8 oz. - spun 5/30/12
- separated locks - intended to spin in the grease but too greasy
- flicking clean fiber very easy and fluffy
- feels bouncy and spongy like the roving I spun prior (see post 5/26/12)
- spun from cut end of lock
- used forward draw worsted (used my fingers to smooth down fiber while twisting)
- lovely to spin - soft, bouncy
- spinning from the lock, the fiber is much springier than the roving
- lots of short fibers even after flicking and scouring
- 2 ply - 9.5 yards - 11 wpi - size 4 medium yarn
This was fun to spin especially after handling the fiber in the grease. The fibers are shorter than the BFL. The yarn turned out more woolen feeling than worsted. That may be from it’s natural loft or my poor worsted technique.
Romney - washed locks - 1 oz. - spun 6/5/12
- separated washed fiber for carding
- some dirt, dust and vegetable matter (VM) remain
- carded by hand into rolags
- spinning woolen with mostly forward draft
- yarn very lumpy - still lots of short bits
- not much luster or softness
- with this preparation I had difficulty achieving even yarn
- woolen spinning was a challenge
- 2 ply - 23 yards - 9 wpi - size 5 bulky
I was not really satisfied with how this yarn turned out. It was really fuzzy and lumpy without being part of the design.
I had a second ounce of washed Romney and decided to spin it worsted to see what difference if any there was from the woolen yarn above.
Romney - washed locks - 1 oz. - spun 6/11/12
- separated locks and picked out vegetable matter
- tried two different preps
- hand carded but rolled sideways to keep fibers more parallel
- flicked locks
- carded rolags had lots of short bits still trapped in fiber
- flicked locks had lots of waste
- spun worsted forward draw
- flicked locks were much smoother to spin
- finished prep with flicked locks
- yarn has more luster spun worsted - it glows
- drafting form cut end easier than tip end
- 2 ply - 30 yards - 12 wpi - size 4 medium
I have come to the conclusion that to achieve smooth worsted yarn I have to start with either commercially processed roving or flicked locks. I liked how this yarn looked - spun smooth but softly to get a more woolen feel.
I’m looking forward to the last two fibers in the Saturday Spinners study - Wensleydale and Shetland.
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