But What's Underneath?
Yesterday, I decided there was enough money in the bank and ordered myself one of these. Not because of Pride - I've just wanted one for quite a while. I was hoping that it would arrive before our trip to Hawai'i, which is coming up in three weeks, but I called and found out that the size I ordered isn't in stock. This means a 6-8 week wait while it's being made. I guess I'll just have to find myself a nice sarong when we get to Big Island.
Big Wheel Keeps On Turning
I've been working on bobbin number three of the shetland x icelandic singles and making fairly good progress. As I've worked along on this, I've been contemplating how best to work with this yarn.
The big issue is that when I've test plied it back on itself, the areas with slubs of undercoat tend to open up too much, which I think will make the yarn too prone to splitting. I thought about just working multiple ends together, but that gets to be a bit awkward & tedious if you're using more than two ends. So I've hit on an idea that I think will work.
I'll dye the singles separately, because I think it'll be fun to make a multi-colored yarn and a good chance to play around with dyes. Then I think I should be able to make a cabled yarn by plying the 2-plys Z, then plying those together S. Hypothetically - or at least in my thinking - that should allow me to avoid the really open areas by ultimately keeping the twist roughly where it is now. I expect it also to give me a roughly worsted weight yarn. I may be wrong, and it may turn out badly in the end, but these sorts of little experiments sure do appeal to my inquisitive mind.
Right now, though, the sun is starting to come up, so this vampire is off to bed.
4 comments:
I like the bit in the Utilikilts add where it describes the pockets as keeping "your junk below your junk". Cute. And very deep pockets are one of the things that almost never happens in women's clothing. Be grateful.
The yarn plan sounds good to me, but I'm not an experienced spinner by any stretch of the imagination. I like the idea of dying the singles before plying though. Might have to try that.
Ooooooo...the Mocker. You lucky, lucky duck. I am so-o-o-o envious. I'd wait 8 weeks for it. (After I lose 50 pounds.)
And you'll likely get a more interesting sarong in HI anyway. I got both of mine in Toronto, but some friends got theirs over there and the colours seem much more interesting, somehow.
So...were the singles spun S or Z? Usually, in the first plying pass for a cabled yarn, you ply in the reverse direction to the singles.
Did you consider a Navaho-plied yarn?
There's a useful --though slightly confusing (to my mind)-- article on plying in the Summer 06 issue of SpinOff.
Oooooh! I can't wait to see you in your Utilikilt!! They are totally cool, and I will have to get myself one of those! Very practical!
Now, with your spinning, there is one solution: spin with more twist!!! Then when you ply, you won't get those loose open areas. It's surprising how much twist you need in the singles -- and how much you lose when you ply. Doing a cabled yarn might be the answer, but is also means 4 times the work! Ah, it's just spinning anyway, and what else have you got to do?!
Holding them together won't work... they will want to ply around each other. Dyeing them as singles? I dunno... not the best and easiest way to go. Try it, but be sure to tie your skeins in MANY places! I know...
My suggestion: put more twist in the single.
I'm envious! And I have the '06 Spin Off when it arrives back at the house after being borrowed for the plying article...so when you get the Utilikilt, will you model it? Can I touch it/try it on?? I'm thinking of one, but not if it makes me look like a 200 lb girilla!
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