Web Spins/March (+ February)
Here are my yarns for the February and March Web Spins spinning challenge.
Following the book by Jacey Boggs, Spin Art I first started with Racing Stripe spinning thin merino yarn and then wrapping it around more merino while spinning again. The result looks very similar to a plied yarn, though ‘the road to it’ is different and to me less comfortable than plying two singles. I found it quite fiddly and more challenging than the second technique – Autowrap.
For the Racing Stripe thin yarn already span is held by the drafting hand and at (many) times the yarn was getting lost in the drafted fibre. I realized again that I should probably practice spinning singles much more as my yarn is still rather uneven. I have this dilemma though – I really don’t want to spin even yarn for my projects, yet I feel if I was able to do so it would mean I was fully in control of the drafting and that could help when I am spinning an art yarn….
I enjoyed the Autowrap technique and feel various interesting yarns can be created depending on the fibre, thickness and color used. I started off with merino wrapped in brushed kid mohair-acrylic yarn but didn’t like the feel of acrylic so changed for this interesting yarn I have bought recently. It is 2 ply wool-silk wrapped around a very thin and stretchy nylon thread. The nylon makes the yarn very elastic, it almost doubles in lenght when stretched/ironed. When wet and dried naturally it shrinks. It also takes up plant dyes beautifuly; here I have used onion skins+turmeric for a quick change of color.
Shrank it already looks similar to a boucle yarn and I was very curious to see the effect it creates when autowrapped. On the following picture you can see the elastic core; from the short piece of yarn at the top I have removed the nylon and now it lays flat.
I have three colors of this yarn – off white, light and mid grey and there is some in my Soft Fibre etsy shop available too.
If you have a spare minute you might like to check blogs of others participating. And you are welcome to join in at any time; we learn a technique a month so it gives enought time even to catch up if you have no time to spin for a few weeks. Next month – Tornado!
Mariana from Florcita
Fiona from loveFibre
Veronika from VeronikaRybnickova
Fun! I really like the onion dyed wrapped yarn. I did something similar recently, but as I was aiming for something completely different, it was labelled failure.
Not near as nice as yours.
I love the auto wrap yarn!! The texture…. the colors you used…. wonderful!
The first technique, the racing stripe, looks interesting too.
You’re making me want to try this too……
but I have to tell myself “No”. I haven’t been able to keep up with what I have in my head already.
And Lilly is talking about starting up a e-zine and wants contributions to it…. so the rustic handwoven clothes (which is what I’m working on) has to progress forward so that I can put it in her magazine in June.
Sigh…. so much to do and so little time to play.
Julie, wait until next few techniques, you won’t be able to resist
! But so good to hear that you are busy with your project and the zine + rustic woven clothes! both sound very interesting.
beautiful work, Monika! you never cease to amaze
and you are very kind to say so, Catilin.
Thank you!
So pretty!
Thank you!
I am working on the autowrap and I like it much more than the previous one. It’s more free… more texture… I don’t know. Feels more natural.
I have to say I love your color combinations! And that stretchy yarn! WOW! ahahah I had no idea about it. I wonder what happens it you knit a sweater with it… grows with you?
I do feel too that maybe, to be honest, one should first master well the basic technique of an even single to achive a good control of the whole process. I am trying to spin my own singles now to wrap around in the auto-wrap technique. I started with silk top…ad yeah… spinning silk is not the same as spinning wool!
Love your results!
I am going to knit with it shortly, will see what happens.
I feel the same about the singles and eveness, I believe in practice makes perfect so along learning this new techniques the basic will improve too
.
Very interesting results..I like your individual aproach to autowrap.I merely folowed the book instructions, especially in material.I used… I´ll try to be more adventerous in future technic:)
Even yarn might seem boring but it doesn´t have to be .I love spinning the thinnest possible yarn from Wensleydale and it´s a real pleasure. And I feel that every 100yards count to my spinning experience:o)
Veronika, thank you! Wensleydale span and used for one of this technique would look terrific, must try it soon. And you are so right with the experience.
I would love to see more of your yarns on Flickr!