No, this isn't going to be about the republican candidate for president, but rather the latest fiber I've been spinning. This is a ball of roving that I purchased at SAFF. The ball weighed in at 8 ounces and it to date the most I've spun of any one fiber. It's 100% Romney from a farm in Michigan. They named this color Tequila Sunset.According to my Spinner's Companion, Romney is supposed to have a fiber length of about 4-8 inches and be moderatly soft, a good fiber felting and blankets. The fiber I have seems to match up with that description. The fiber length was closer to the 8 inch length and I think it would felt very well. I'm just not sure if I'm ready to felt my handspun yarn yet.
On the plus side, the roving was easy to draft and was fairly inexpensive. It was about half the cost of some of the other fiber I've purchased. On the flip side, I thought that this roving was kind of scratchy and there is no way I'll ever be able to wear it next to my skin. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but the yarn really isn't very smooth. It seems very hairy to me which is probably why it is scratchy. I'm just not sure if that is because of the fiber or because of the spinner.There was also still vegetable matter in the fiber. I don't know if I'd say a lot, but this is the first fiber I've tried to spin with an at all, so from my experience it was a lot. Some of it I was able to pick out, but some got through and into the yarn. Oh well, if it's okay for Noro I guess it is okay for my yarn too.
I'm finally starting to get a much more even yarn. There is still variation, which I'm kind of expecting since I'm not a machine. But overall the variation is much less pronounced and things are starting to even out a little bit. This is a two-ply yarn and I would guess that maybe it is about a worsted weight and I ended up with about 204 yards.
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11 comments:
It's got my vote!! (sorry I couldn't resist!)
Machine or no, I think the consistency is still incredible considering you've been spinning for how long now? Hardly any time!
Wow - look at that plying!! I'm so impressed, it looks very balanced & even :) I have only once ever spun anything >4oz. (short attention span perhaps?) so I'm also highly impressed by the quantity in such a short time - go Shannon!!
Be-yootiful! You're getting more even very quickly! I had one ball of fiber from SAFF that they said was Rambo; I wonder if they meant Romney because it looked a lot like yours in terms of how it was dyed. It also had a lot of vegetation in it, some of which I picked out and some of which I spun in. And now that I'm knitting with it, I'm picking out the bits again.
so pretty!
Hm, my first comment didn't get through I guess.
I wanted to say that it's definately NOT the spinner. Romney fiber is hairy and scratchy, but fun to spin. If blended with mohair and synthetic it's wonderful, durable sock yarn. Not so much for scarves, hats or sweaters. BTW - I'm not ready to felt MY handspun either! :o)
What? You're not a machine??? Heh. Damn fine spinning there, I haven't tackled Romney but have some in my stash.
Geesh woman!! That is gorgeous! Hehe..on the vegtable matter ;)
Romney does look a little hairy in the photo but I love the color. You're really doing a terrific job.
Oooh, gorgeous! Beautiful, beautiful spinning. Love the happy colors, just what I needed to see on a gray winter evening.
you are amazing!
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