I think I'll go eat worms now...

Okay. So the "best laid plans of mice and men oft gang awry". I should know that by now, especially for a non-expert spinner's plans. HOW I wish I could afford classes by a Master Spinner! I have just got to figure out how to take into account the effect TPI (twists per inch) has on both singles and the plied result! I know that how one spins the fiber; woolen, worsted or a variation of either type also has a big, big effect on the final result. I'm afraid that ONLY a Master could show me how and that's just exactly what I can't afford :-( Winning a lottery sure would come in handy about now. :::sigh:::

I really, really need to know how to create the type of yarn I need for whatever project I have in mind, whether it is sock yarn, lace-weight or uber-bulky stuff; whether for a single, 2-ply or a freaking 10-ply (yes, I have lots of bobbins...but where would I find a big enough lazy kate?!?).

Case in point are the last 2 batches I've spun and plied up; the all natural, 4-ply, marled yarn in the previous post and the one shown below (my son's 3-ply Blue-Faced Leicester sock yarn, purchased from Miss Babs).


Both yarns were spun worsted on my largest whorl (5:1 ratio), the one I always use for the long fibers. Apparently, I didn't spin each single very consistently, either, as is rather obvious from the way the plied yarn looks, darn it! Some areas are rather tightly and smoothly plied (the way it OUGHT to have looked!) and other areas are so loose :-(. Boy, am I bummed.

I feel so bad, having practically ruined a gorgeous, perfectly dyed BFL top. I WISH I had had the wit to take a picture of the unspun top first (before destroying it) - you should have seen it - it was GLORIOUS! The picture on her site doesn't even come close to the beauty of the actual fiber and dye colors she used. The pale, pale grey was an actual silver (!); the sheen of the BFL is just indescribable. I thought it looked a bit like like silk! I'm almost too ashamed to send a pic of this yarn to Miss Babs - she'd probably refuse to sell anything else to me. I just hope this doesn't look too crappy once it's knitted up. I also failed to strip and prepare the top correctly for the fractal stripe look I wanted so badly - and yammered about so much in an earlier post :-(. All around - this yarn is pretty much a TOTAL failure. Yarn it is, but NOT what it ought to be. I think I'll go eat worms now...

May the Spinning Angels have mercy, and come to my aid!