Fiber page: Pineapple fiber

On July 26, 2024 By CarynIn Craft

My fiber study page for my pineapple fiber sample is done!

Photo description: clockwise from top left: card from Hearthside fibers that says “Pineapple Top, Developed in the Philippines, Made from the leaf of the pineapple plant”, paper bobbins with single spun and 2-ply hand spun yarn, sprang swatch, crochet swatch, woven swatch, knit swatch, unspun fiber

The crochet round gave me fits with this fiber. I spun it so fine I was having trouble getting the right gauge for my regular coaster pattern. I think I ripped it apart three times. I ended up winging it, filling the space with stitches and numbers that fit.

Photo description: same page with the swatches flipped up to show hand written descriptions: “Sprang interlaced horizontal ribs chain finished”, “crochet”, “plain weave with sections of 2×2 twill”, “knit stockinette with garter stitch edges size 2 needles, Prym”

Weaving in ends

On July 22, 2024 By CarynIn Craft

On my pineapple fiber weaving swatch I wanted to try a different method of finishing the warp ends, so wove the loops back into the fabric after taking it off the loom.

Photo description: needle inserted vertically through the top five passes of the weft, with the warp loop through the needle eye

My warp loops were quite small, so I had to insert the needle through the fabric first, then put the warp yarn through the eye of the needle, so I could pull the yarn through.

Photo description: back of the woven swatch showing all the warp threads woven through the fabric and left untrimmed

This is now my favorite way to finish my small woven swatches. The resulting edge has a nice ripple and a clean finish. I left the loops on the back to remind me what I did.

Twill stripes

On July 21, 2024 By CarynIn Craft

When weaving up a swatch of hand spun pineapple fiber, I decided to do a little experiment with twill. In plain weave, the weft yarn alternates going over or under one warp thread all the way across the fabric. Twill goes over or under multiple strands. You can have a pass go over two under two, or over three under one (denim), or any number of combinations. The next pass has the same pattern, just offset by one strand. The resulting twill fabric has a diagonal line going left or right depending on how the passes are aligned.

Photo description: Clover mini loom with a swatch of woven pineapple fiber showing bands of plain weave, bands of 2×2 twill at at right diagonal, 2×2 twill at a left diagonal, and 2×2 twill chevrons going left and another band going right

This was a fun experiment. I rather like twill, and it is definitely something that requires some brain power.

Turkish turtle

On June 2, 2024May 30, 2024 By CarynIn Craft

I finished spinning my pineapple fiber sample singles with a 3D printed Turkish spindle. I attempted to use the turtle of yarn to make a two ply yarn.

Photo description: Turkish style drop spindle with two ply yarn coming from both ends of a single ply turtle of yarn sitting on a table decorated with old newspapers and sitting next to a cup of chai at my favorite coffee place.

I had an unpleasant revelation. As the yarn comes off the top of the turtle a whole layer of wraps pops off, making a tangled mess. So I stopped trying to go directly from the yarn turtle, and instead made a nostepinne style winding ball with two strands.

Photo description: yarn turtle unraveled from the top showing how a layer lifts off. The yarn is being wound onto a card stock tube into a center pull ball.

After my yarn was neatly arranged, I was able to ply it without dealing with heavy tangles. There are spinners who consistently make plying balls, and I can now see the appeal.

I finished plying and my Turkish spindle wrapping technique is improving. Since I’m going to work directly from the center of the yarn turtle for the next step, I don’t need to rewind. The Turkish spindle turtle does very well as a center pull ball.