Friday, November 7, 2008

Yes, I really *have* been spinning...

and to prove it, a few photos. None are completed projects as I'm always starting one thing, then another, then dropping those to go experiment with something else!

Speaking of experiments, I've got a really cool mohair single spun up as one of those totally hairy art yarns. I just HAD to see if I could do it. Don't know if I did it correctly, but I did it and *I* like it. The Angora goat (from Feathers and Fleece Farm - no website) was amazingly colored. There are, like, 5 or 6 colors (NOT shades..colors!) on this doe: white, cream, champagne, silver, medium grey, medium taupe - and several shadings of each one. GORGEOUS! I think this had to be yearling mohair, at least. Some of it was as soft as super-kid, even. You might have to click on the picture to enlarge it as not much detail can be seen, otherwise. I tried to take a good picture, I really did!











I have also done a bit of experimental spinning on four gorgeous silk hankies from The Yarn Yard in the UK, hand-dyed in glorious Autumn colors. There isn't much done yet, and my spinning is just terrible (I've NO idea what I'm doing when it comes to silk hankies and caps) and, of course, my photog "skills" are just total crap, but...in person this stuff just glows (literally). I think it would be very hard to ruin silk, regardless of how badly it was spun (or is that just wishful thinking?).











Lastly, I've got 2 full bobbins-worth of a spongy, down-like roving from "Shadow", a ram (wether?) on Nancy's farm, Naked Pines Ranch. I can't believe it, but I've forgotten what his breed is! It's white with lots of black fibers running through it, and my sis thinks I ought to make it a 3-ply. I've tons of it, so I guess I'll be spinning just about forever on it! Hope Nancy's got more, though - I really like this stuff :-)

3 comments:

Dori Ann said...

There's a right and wrong way? OMG don't tell me that! I just do and if looks good and works, it's a done deal :)
Your yarn looks great, there is nothing better than good mohair, and nothing worse than bad :( If you found a good source, keep it to yourself!! GIG
Your yarn from shawdow maybe Merino? They can have huge fleece!! I just love buying fleece, I pet it,snif it,my hubby just shakes his head and smiles.

Fairy Spun Fibers said...

Well, MY idea of the "right way" is if my yarn stays together! It's too loosely spun as it is, so I'm going to have to re-spin it before plying with a pretty thread - or something.
I'm pretty sure Shadow's not a Merino. I wish I could remember what breed Nancy said he was (it's driving me crazy).
Yes, the Merino fleeces can be HUGE. For shearing this year, I went out and helped (what a blast!) and a neighbor had brought their enormous ewe, Mary, out to be shorn. My gosh...her fleece was GI-NORMOUS! And ohhhh, sooo soft! Shadow's isn't nearly as soft as Mary's (but then...few are!).

Fairy Spun Fibers said...

Forgot to mention...Mary is a Merino ewe, and she looks twice as big as little Shadow (to me)!