I just love my Autumn Spice Cotswold. I think about spinning it when I'm at work and it's become increasingly hard not to burn dinner while I try to work spinning into my nightly routine.
Here's a bit more of it spun up and plied. Why do I love this yarn so? I don't know. It's not the softest yarn I have, but it's certainly soft enough to be knit into a nice wrap or a cardigan. The little halo of fuzziness delights me. At first I was thrown by it, but now I love it more and more. I pre draft the roving and the yarn just seems to spin itself. It's nearly effortless.
But I also got myself some of the Fudge Brownie roving. This stuff is gorgeous. The color is dark chocolate and the feel is silky, dense and smooth. Fudge Brownie is the perfect name for it. I find it harder to spin though. Instead of long snakes of roving that I can predraft, this tends to want to fall into clumps. It's smooth but the fibers like to grab ahold of each other in unexpected ways so I end up with more thick and thin areas than I'm used to. I tried my 0.9oz and then my 1.3oz spindle. The extra weight seemed to help. I decided to try spinning it a bit thicker than normal, and this is the result.
On top is both of my skeins of Autumn Spice held together in a single skein. You can see that the brown top is much thicker. Spinning thicker yarn is turning out to be challenging for me. I did notice, in the process, that I like the way the yarn looks when it is really tightly spun. It loses some of it's softness but it picks up a sheen that's decadent. I think my next skein will err on the side of overspun, to see what happens.
Here's a close-up of the two yarns. You can see that my brown yarn is not very even.
MJ has been trying to spin more thickly too. A lot of people feel that spinning fine weight yarn is harder than thicker yarn. But I think most people acclimate to spinning a certain weight of yarn and need time to learn to control other weights. It's not a matter of "this weight is good" and "this weight is bad." I'll consider myself a good spinner when I can spin many weights well. For now, I proudly wear my "novice" crown, with my head held high. No shame in it.
There's just one thing that bothers me. Do you hear it? I know I do. I hear the sweet song of the wheel calling me. I'm trying to be strong and, luckily, I do not think I could reasonably justify the cost right now. But that doesn't mean I'm not haunted by the thought of spinning all my gorgeous roving in a couple days instead of needing months to do it. I can't deny that seeing huge skeins of continuous roving, wound off a bobbin, doesn't make me drool a little. I'm counting on a certain friend of mine, to keep me sane. And if I happen to visit this site several times a day, it's only for research purposes.
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Comments (13)
Well, I bought thtr beginning spinning kit and 8 oz. of the "beneath the waves" roving...I am struck with fear. I am visualizing a very pretty blue sweater for Murray the chihuahua...any advice you have is appreciated!
Posted by Nicole | January 22, 2006 4:14 PM
Posted on January 22, 2006 16:14
Question: You said you pre-draft your roving before you spin. How thick/thin is your roving before you spin. Do you consistently pre-draft to the same thickness/thinness?
Posted by Andrea | January 22, 2006 3:34 PM
Posted on January 22, 2006 15:34
I certainly waited almost a year before buying a wheel. I wanted to see if my interest kept up after the initial dizzying spinning buzz, and it did. But I have to say: technique is the most important thing of all, wheel or no wheel.
Posted by MJ | January 22, 2006 9:34 AM
Posted on January 22, 2006 09:34
Beautiful yarn Marnie, just beautiful...but I'm kinda getting a craving for orange filled chocolates now...
Posted by Wendie | January 22, 2006 6:57 AM
Posted on January 22, 2006 06:57
I'm one step behind you. Thanks to you I bought a beautiful spindle ( my justification is it's a work of art ). But i need to wait till April for a class at the Lys before I can use it properly. I've white Fleece artist roving that is long stapled and i've been fiddling with it but need to be shown how it works.
And yes white roving.... more trouble ahead eh ! yes your orange is awsome
I love orange and saffron.hmmm
Posted by Laila | January 22, 2006 6:50 AM
Posted on January 22, 2006 06:50
That color looks literally delicious to me, like I want to put it in my mouth and eat it. It looks... creamy.
You know, visiting your blog with a yummy handspun like that is the worst peer-pressure to start spinning of all! You win!
Posted by Mary-Heather | January 21, 2006 11:52 AM
Posted on January 21, 2006 11:52
Caution: enabling comments follow.
I learned to spin on a spindle. I hate it. I LOVE my wheel (a Schacht single treadle). I got it used, and on layaway, from Woodland Woolworks. Jump in! Put $100 a month towards it!
And, buying one used, I can tell you that they do have good resale value. Just in case you need to justify it more.
Your spinning looks great!
Posted by Martha | January 20, 2006 8:50 PM
Posted on January 20, 2006 20:50
That yarn looks good enough to eat!! Those colors are gorgeous,
Posted by Norah | January 20, 2006 6:19 PM
Posted on January 20, 2006 18:19
your spinning is just gorgeous, and that orange certainly is stunning, I can see why you love it. it's funny, because I have a wheel, yet I see your gorgeous spindle and think 'hmm, I want a spindle.' although I suspect I might go crazy at the amount of time it would take to get the same amount as I would on a wheel. I think it would just sit on the shelf and look pretty ;)
Posted by taryn | January 20, 2006 3:32 PM
Posted on January 20, 2006 15:32
That Autumn Spice yarn looks pretty gorgeous, and I HATE orange.
For most of us, wheels are better if you want to produce large quantities of yarn. That said, there are folk in South America that somehow manage to spin large quantities of yarn on drop spindles, and to do it well. If I live long enough, I'm going to figure out how they do that, and emulate it, at least for a bit.
Posted by Janice in GA | January 20, 2006 2:11 PM
Posted on January 20, 2006 14:11
It might be easier to learn fibre control on a wheel for some people, but I truly found it easier with the spindle. I could go at my own speed. Also, with some slipperier fibres, it's tougher on a wheel (depending on the wheel you're using).
However...I am laughing at your idea that you can spin "all your roving" in a couple of days. Honey, I have a wheel. Let me tell you, I still can't see the floor for the roving...because those sheep, they just keep growing wool. Damned sheep.
Posted by Lee Ann | January 20, 2006 12:29 PM
Posted on January 20, 2006 12:29
The siren song of wheels can get quite strong. Heaven knows, I've been lured in! However, if you do ultimately get a wheel, you will want to spend plenty of time doing research and trying out a bunch of wheels before you commit your cash.
(And I hate to say it, but I think it's easier to learn fiber control on a wheel... both your hands can focus on the fiber instead of on dealing with the spindle (I've done both kinds of spinning but I'm still a spinning newbie). Sorry for that enabling thought...)
Posted by Theresa | January 20, 2006 9:54 AM
Posted on January 20, 2006 09:54
You can definitely count on your certain friend, because she's flat broke and can't enable you! She also believes (perhaps erroneously, but definitely due to Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' influence) that learning to spin on a drop spindle will teach you more about control and the art of spinning itself. Let's take it slowly, grasshopper.
Your roving is amazing all spun up. I've been stalled this week. The boxes have over-run the house, and knitting and spinning have come to a halt. All in due time.
Posted by Julia | January 20, 2006 9:32 AM
Posted on January 20, 2006 09:32