The Big Red Spin (2020)

May 17, 2020 - No Comments

Fibre: Loop Kimono
Yarn: 3-ply: ~1,140 yds; Sport weight
Method: Wheel spun with long draw
Completed: May 17, 2020.

In 2015, I bought a pound of mixed and dyed fibre from Loop — I’m not sure if “Kimono” was the colourway, or the fibre mix, or both! I wanted “enough to spin yarn for a sweater”. I may have even succeeded!

The fibre was pretty much prepared as a loose batt. It’s a mixture of merino, bamboo, silk and bits of angelina (sparkly). No notion of percentages of different components.

I spun the singles long draw, over the course of January – May 2020, using my Schacht Matchless wheel. It was a pleasant spin — notwithstanding the different fibre components, it was well-prepared and spun smoothly.

I did some experimentation with plying — two ply, traditional 3 ply, chain-plied, and plying with some white angora I had lying around. Knitting the plied samples into a swatch, I decided the traditional 3 ply was my preferred route.

So, on the 17th of May, I had a grand day of plying with my Ashford e-spinner — I think it took about 3 – 4 hours, total!

The result is “sport weight”. I haven’t done a gauge swatch yet, but I’m thinking there may be enough here for a light sweater.

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