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Spinning Away

I have this spinning wheel as a part of my spinning class to use for just a few more weeks so there is a need to make the most of it.  Last week I continued to practice in an effort to improve the end product and I have to say things are getting better.   I finished spinning the cream coloured Corriedale roving we were given in class, then spun some natural light brown coloured Shetland roving purchased at my LYS and finally spun all the pink pencil roving I had in my stash for years, probably 10 or more.  (In my defense I did use it to felt, but I can only use so much pink.)  These three were plied together to form a chunky ¨art¨ yarn.  ¨Art¨ in my case means yarn that has a few thick and thin parts in it, but as I continued to spin there was much more consistency.  Here´s the pictorial evidence of that effort.  (BTW, represented below is about 10 hours of spinning for me.)


The Corriedale


The Shetland

My first three plied ¨art¨ yarn
So what does one do with just 33 yards of chunky wool?  (33 yards or 30 meters of yarn is not very much even though it was hours of spinning.)  I knit it into a little cowl for Miss M.  This is a cowl she can wear outside her pink snowsuit OR it can double to cover her mouth and nose on those really, really cold days.  Either way her grandma took fluffy, soft wool roving, converted it into this cowl and had a great learning exercise.

How about that new model?  She makes it so much easier than the mirror selfies.

Last Wednesday Tena and I drove to Bellingham, Washington and visit NW Handspun Yarns.  I wanted to check into the spinning wheels they have for sale.  Prices were a bit more than I am willing to commit to this effort.  A low-end wheel with the accessories a beginner needs will come to approximately $450 USD.  I think I will be renting one for $12/week (CAD) for the time being gauging whether my interest is appropriate for that type of outlay.

I did purchase more roving from NW Handspun Yarn.   Since it was very clear to the clerk I am a beginner in spinning, she recommended 4 ounces or just over 100 grams of Romney roving.  This came to $7 USD.  She said because this breed of sheep produces a long staple with a bit of sheen,  it would be easier for me to work with and so far it has been a dream.

You can see the natural luster of this wool even in this photo.  Also note the more even consistency of the wrap.

We are dying yarn Tuesday in class.  I plan to see if I can convert the pink pencil roving into a colour I might actually use and use the Romney to add some contrast.  You will be updated.

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