Favorite Fiber

Just wondering out of curiosity what fiber you all enjoy spinning the most and why?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by KnitWhich? on April 7, 2012 at 2:10pm

Another consideration is the weight of the yarn. 2 ply is thinner than 3, obviously, and it looks like that shawl (which I had already faved) is done in laceweight, so that is something else to consider.

But your spinning and plying are great!

Permalink Reply by Dawn Railsback on April 9, 2012 at 10:11am

The decision has been made! Since I have now gone through the process of figuring out the n-ply on the drop spindle I have realized how much yardage I would lose. I want the yardage so I'm just going to have to be as consistent as possible with my singles to try to keep the colors together. I definitely like the look of the n-plied though.

Permalink Reply by KnitWhich? on April 9, 2012 at 3:37pm

That's amazing to me that you can get that thin a yarn and that consistent a yarn on a drop spindle! I'm still struggling to make a consistent yarn of ANY size with a drop spindle. I'm much better with a wheel.

Permalink Reply by Frances Tornese on April 3, 2012 at 4:01pm

Yes, I understand completely. I'd get one for my Louet if it were less expensive. Maybe in the Fall.

Permalink Reply by Bren on April 4, 2012 at 6:42am

Ok so polwarth/silk is my new favorite fiber blend (till I try something new I'm sure, lol). I finished this up last night, soaked it and let it dry overnight and this is what I got this morning!! It's nice and even. I can't wait to knit it up.

I spun 5.5 oz of powlarth/silk and got 652 yds of fingering weight yarn. The shalette pattern that I planned to use only calls for about half of this so I'm making two of these so my mom can have one for her Mother's Day gift. That way she won't steal mine (which she's known to do)!

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on April 4, 2012 at 6:48am

Very nice...love the colors.

Permalink Reply by wendy on April 4, 2012 at 6:53am

I like this! And I'm sure your mom will love the shawlette.

Permalink Reply by Julie Hartford on April 4, 2012 at 7:26am

Very, very nice. Well done!

Permalink Reply by Julie Hartford on April 4, 2012 at 7:36am

How do you measure the number of yards you have. Do you have a yarn meter?

Permalink Reply by Bren on April 4, 2012 at 8:08am

Yes I do have one but I honestly don't use it that much. I have a 2 yard niddy noddy. I wind my yarn onto it and tie it off. Then I just count how many strands of yarn I have in the hank (in this case 326) then I multiply by two (652) and that's my yardage. There's a bit of leeway because it shrinks up a bit in the drying process since I don't weigh it down but it's a pretty good ballpark figure.

I usually wait till after I've soaked it and let it dry before I count for yardage. It's a bit to curly prior to the soak and I get it all tangled up. Unless you count it while it's still on the niddy noddy of course.

But that's the way I do it at least.

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on April 4, 2012 at 8:12am

I do the same thing, Bren... and I also have a yarn meter... I had finished a small skein the other day and my niddy noddy said I had 120 yards... I then put my yarn through the meter as I balled it up to knit, and the meter said I had 126 yards... so my niddy noddy is off a little bit, but not by much.

Permalink Reply by Bren on April 4, 2012 at 8:15am

You know I've never bothered to check with my meter to see how close it is to my niddy noddy. I'm gonna have to do that. I'm curious now.