Thursday, September 29, 2005


Need Spinning Help!!! Here is one bobbin filled with a lovely mystery batt that I spun. It seems to be wool and mohair. I bought it too long ago to know for sure. It's in aqua, turquoise, baby blue and black. I am just getting back into spinning. I would say it has been ten years at least since I used my wheel last and I was a beginner then. As a matter of fact you can see the dust on the right end of the bobbin! LOL I had troubles starting out but towards the end I got more comfortable with my drafting and was able to get a mostly consistent fingering weight which was my goal. What I really wanted was a fingering weight single to make a scarf with in a simple lace. I am spinning on an Ashford Traditional in case that information will be helpful for you to answer my questions. I am having the usual beginner's issues. I am getting too little or too much spin in. I was trying not to get it too tight but then my yarn pulled easily apart. So I sped up a little on the treadle and it spun tighter. I don't want to spin string though, I'd like it to stay somewhat soft and I wanted it to be a single so I am wondering if I already have too much spin in it to use that way. I have posted pictures below of the over spun curling back on itself. (I hope I am making sense) If you have any pointers, please share! I know very little about spinning except that I love it! :o) I don't understand all the ratios and drives and so on and I do have a couple books but no quiet time to read them yet. So I'm spinning by the seat of my pants and don't know how fast to treadle or anything. If you think I can still use this as a single, can I soak it and hang it to set the twist and that will take care of it? Or should I ply it with something to untwist those areas? I was thinking if I had to ply it maybe I could find a wool that is dyed black and spin a lace weight to play with it because I don't want it to be too thick. Okay. I am talking in circles now so I am going to quit before I trip over my tongue! LOL I hope someone will post some help for me! Thanks in advance! Posted by Picasa

1 comment:

Theresa said...

Thanks "crackers" that does help. I still don't get all the ration stuff completely but I do have it set on the biggest part of the whorl, so I guess now I need to work on being more coordinated!