Category Archives: spinning

Fiber Arts Friday: Project Spectrum, week 1

Posted on May 6, 2011 | 16 Comments

Word Lily spins

I’ve been really enjoying Project Spectrum this first week. Red isn’t exactly a color I gravitate toward, but the project is certainly making me more mindful of it, so far. Not all my Project Spectrum endeavors are fiber-related; I started a Tumblr as a sort of homebase for my Project Spectrum — although I may end up posting other things there as well, who knows?

RED that’s been through my hands

handspun

Remember those two batts I posted two weeks ago? I finally got them skeined and photographed. They’re both composed of the same mix of fibers and colors, but the more homogeneous was carded twice and the yarn with more distinct colors was carded once.

handspun from my hand dyed, hand carded, wool
50.2 grams of fiber yielded 114 yards, pre-bath.


55.6 grams of fiber yielded 100 yards of thick and thin, pre-bath.

I also spun up 4 ounces of a wool/silk blend fiber:

handspun wool-silk blend

Plying this is on the agenda for today.

Planning ahead

I think I’ll also be ordering beads today, for my first-ever beaded knitting project, the large-size Aeolian Shawl (Ravelry). I’m looking at these beads, to go with the Jaggerspun Zephyr wool/silk in mahogany I already have. I certainly won’t finish this within the month, but I’m looking forward to the challenge, regardless.

Where are you noticing red today?


Have you crafted a finished object this week? Check out the roundup of other people’s finished objects for the week at Tami’s Amis.

Fiber Arts Friday
Also, see the Fiber Arts Friday roundup at Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see what other people are crafting this week.

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Spinning my wheel

Posted on April 22, 2011 | 21 Comments

Instead of spending a lot of time telling you what I’ve been doing fiber-wise, I’m going to spend that time actually pursuing my fibery pursuits today. :D

drum-carded batts

These batts are both made from the same mix of fiber and color, but one was carded twice and the other was carded once. I plan to make a two-ply yarn.

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New yarns

Posted on March 25, 2011 | 31 Comments

Word Lily spins

I’ve spun up a couple new yarns recently. (All photos can be viewed larger by clicking on them.)

This
Word Lily Fiber Arts batt

Word Lily Fiber Arts batt, end view
• 60 gram batt, made on my drum carder.
• Composed of domestic wool mill ends, mohair, icicle, silk noil, fake cashmere.

became this.
handspun yarn

handspun yarn
• Spun on my slowest ratio, two-plied at my second-fastest ratio, from a center-pull ball.
• 88 yards, pre-bath

And this

Frabjous Fibers, BFL top, colorway: #123 Patina, 4 ounces
Purchased at Iowa Sheep and Wool, 2010

became this.
Handspun, thick and thin singles, BFL

Handspun, thick and thin singles, BFL
• Thick and thin BFL singles
• Spun on my second-fastest ratio
• 252 yards, pre-bath
Oh, how I love BFL!

I’m already itching to get back to the wheel, but I can’t decide what to spin up next! Happy Friday.


Have you crafted a finished object this week? Check out the roundup of other people’s finished objects for the week at Tami’s Amis.

Fiber Arts Friday
Also, see the Fiber Arts Friday roundup at Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see what other people are crafting this week.

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From the Dyelab: Sneak peek

Posted on March 18, 2011 | 36 Comments

Word Lily spins
[Well, it's about spinning fiber, does that count?]

I’ve been dyeing. I was holding off telling you, waiting to do a big reveal — just the right moment — but I can’t contain it any longer.

Just a bit of the wool I've dyed.

This is so much fun!

What is/are your favorite color(s)?

Fiber Arts Friday

Check out the Fiber Arts Friday roundup at Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see what other people are crafting this week.

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Word Lily’s 2010 in fiber arts: A retrospective

Posted on January 1, 2011 | 2 Comments

I experienced quite a few fiber arts firsts in the last year. I intentionally stretched myself. Although I didn’t quite accomplish every single goal, I’m happy with the progress I made.

    In 2010 I:

  • Began designing
    • released Hedgerows as a free pattern

      • Hedgerows in greys

    • and have several other patterns in various stages of completion.
  • Knit with my own handspun yarn for the first time (and several subsequent times).

  • Did some intensive spinning, including spinning every day of the Tour de Fleece.

  • Attended Yarn School and my first fiber festival.
    • Took my first forays into dyeing and fiber prep.
    • I fell in love with drum carding, spinning from batts, and dyeing fiber.

I plan to continue branching out in these directions — I was surprised with a drum carder for Christmas!

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Christmas ornaments

Posted on December 22, 2010 | 7 Comments

Before I fell full-bore into gift knitting (now thankfully done!), I was getting into the Christmas spirit by making ornaments.

Christmas trees


Click any photo to view it larger.

These are the first ones we made. Paul shaped and slipped the trees, and I strung my handspun yarn as a garland. I especially like the bit of sparkle and variation in the yarn, as well as the highlight the edges of the trees themselves bring. I love it when we find ways to collaborate in craft!

We may iterate on this idea more in the future.

Icicles


Again, click any photo to view it larger.

I pounded out quite a few of these; they’re kind of the unifying element on our personal tree this year. They come together really quick, too; I was getting four or so done in an hour. They’re a variety of lengths.

Here’s how I made them:

With a hook size suitable to the yarn (I used a G or H hook with worsted weight yarn), Ch — loosely! — a number approximating the desired length of your icicle. I had good luck with 18 or so. Any shorter than 14 I found less than ideal.

Working in the fourth ch from hook, 3 dc. Work 3 dc in each ch to end. Break yarn, weave in ends.


Icicle B prototype

This is an idea not fully come to fruition, I think. I like where it’s headed, but I’m not sure when I’ll have more time to devote to it.

I crocheted the stainless steel and threaded a bit of undyed combed top through it.

Have you made any ornaments this year?

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Yarn for socks

Posted on December 11, 2010 | 3 Comments

Word Lily spins

I thought this fiber added up to 6 ounces, but apparently I recalled incorrectly.

My latest yarn (which I *think* I actually finished spinning before the 15th of November):

Two-ply merino handspun, from three different 1-ounce samples I dyed at the fiber festival in Iowa this summer. Stats: 111 grams (3.94 ounces), 328 yards, pre-bath. I think it's nearly dry now, so I can start knitting my socks when I'm done with Christmas making.

Want a close-up? OK.

I was hoping for sport-weight, and I think I came close to that. I’m not sure it’s quite enough yardage, since it’s less than 4 ounces instead of 6 ounces, but I’ll just knit the socks toe-up, I guess. Or maybe plan to add coordinating cuffs and/or heels.

Aside from the consternation about the amount of fiber, I’m head-over-heels for this yarn. I really love it.

The three bits I combined for this yarn:

Sorry for the crummy no-light cell-phone capture.

I’ve been knitting and crocheting quite a bit in the last month or so, too, but so much of it must remain a secret for now, so that’ll have to wait.

I’d really like to get back to my wheel, too, but we’ll see when that happens. I haven’t figured out what exactly I want to spin next, so it’s a bit easier to put off for the moment.

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Fiber Arts Friday: Spinning

Posted on November 12, 2010 | 19 Comments

Word Lily spins

I’ve been spinning, and it’s lovely! I had been almost aching to get back to the spinning wheel.

I spun this singles yarn from a mini batt I carded at Yarn School earlier this year. It's so soft and squooshy! Not sure what I'll make with this yet, I've got about 100 yards.

This is merino, from roving that I dyed at the fiber festival in Iowa this summer. It's about 2 ounces, and almost 100 yards of 2-ply. So lofty! I think this wants to be fingerless mitts, I just need to find the right pattern.

I’m working on a larger spinning project now, about 6 ounces of merino. I’m into my last ounce, and then I’ll 2-ply it, hopefully for sport-weight socks. It’s not ideal sock yarn (only two ply, not superwash, no nylon), but it’s what this yarn needs to be.

I really love spinning, can you tell?

Fiber Arts Friday

Check out the Fiber Arts Friday roundup to see what other people are crafting this week.

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