Tag: spinning

Black Welsh Mountain Sheep wool

On By CarynIn Craft

The Black Welsh Mountain Sheep is also on the Livestock Conservancy’s Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em list as a threatened heritage species. I have finished single spinning my 4 ounce sample. It is very nice to spin, and I was able to achieve a nice thin single. My challenge for myself in this spin was switching direction half-way through, so I now have half the wool spun in the S direction, and half in the Z direction.

Photo description: spun Black Welsh Mountain wool on two spindles and one center pull ball, sitting on the original bag from Camaj Fiber Arts, and another bag with a lock of unspun wool

My plan is to do some parallel experiments with the two different spins in weaving, knitting, and crochet, until I run out of wool.

Spinning while spinning

On By CarynIn Craft

So yes, I can spin yarn while using a stationary recumbent bicycle.

Photo description: simple drop spindle with Black Welsh wool spun into a single, recumbent stationary bicycle pedals in the background

As expected, it looks different than walking and spinning, I have the spindle off to one side so it can hang down, and the floor is closer, so I have to wind up more often, but it works and gives me something to distract myself from what my legs are doing.

Whatever it takes

On By CarynIn Craft

Summer is coming to Texas, which means it will be hot. Hot during the day, hot at night, and hot in the morning. I found a recumbent stationary bicycle so that I can get some exercise this summer, because I have historical data that I won’t go walking in the summer heat. I also know that I am easily distracted, so I have two arm bags with different projects set up on the machine, and there is a stand for my phone so I can get some learning in while I craft and pedal.

Photo description: monitor view of a stationary bicycle with two cotton bags hanging from the handles, the left one has knitting and the right one has spinning with a drop spindle

Southdown spin

On By CarynIn Craft

I have finished spinning 4 ounces of Southdown wool using a Turkish style spindle to make single spun yarn.

Photo description: Turtle of Southdown yarn on a Turkish Style spindle outside with dilute calico in the background

Southdown sheep are a dual purpose breed from England. When I bought this wool, the sheep were on the Conservation Priority list. In 2024, they came off the list and are no longer considered a threatened heritage breed. Which demonstrates the power of attention and purchase.

Photo description: all five turtles spun from 4 ounces of Southdown roving made while walking the neighborhood

Before I ply these singles, I think I will experiment with making swatches with the singles. The ways the yarn twist and fabric method bias interact have peaked my curiosity and I was to do some experiments.

Plying bracelet

On By CarynIn Craft

When spinning with my literal stick and my newly purchased Romney wool, I wanted to know how it would look plied, because this is the lowest twist I’ve ever put in making a yarn. This was a good opportunity to experiment with plying bracelets. A plying bracelet is made by wrapping the yarn around your hand (or other object) in a certain pattern so that when it is slipped onto the wrist, it is easy to ply from both ends without tangles. It is pretty magical, really, and worth exploring. There are several different ways to wrap a plying bracelet, here is the one I used.

Photo description: two plied yarn wrapped around my hand to form a plying bracelet
Photo description: plying from both ends of a plying bracelet to make a two ply yarn

The photos are a little out of order, I forgot to take a picture of the plying bracelet to make the two ply yarn, but then took that yarn and made another plying bracelet to make a four-ply cabled yarn.

This is an interesting technique and a nice little rabbit hole to explore.