Here’s the resulting skein, a heavy fingering/sportweight, that will make a nice scarf or shawl.
The merino-tencel blend has a soft silky hand and lofty feel, despite being worsted spun. The fiber has a lovely sheen and only the tiniest of halo before being knit up. I haven’t swatched the yarn yet, but have a couple of possible simple lace projects in mind for it.
Details:
Fiber: Ashland Bay Merino/Tencel 70/30, Blueberry, a deep blue-purple blended with pale silvery tencel
Purchased from: Rocktown Yarns, Harrisonburg
Spun with: Louet Victoria
Whorl / Tension: 12:1 / Low-medium tension
WPI/Gauge/TPI: 16wpi sportweight / 7tpi
Plies/Method: 2-ply / standard
Yardage/Finished Wt: ~ 400yds / 3.5oz
Started: 6/15/2007
Completed: 7/1/2007
Notes:
The singles were spun with fairly high twist and then plied with lower twist. I had a devil of a time with the wheel while plying, as it kept sticking and binding up and having issues with the tension. I’m going to start looking at different wheels as the Victoria is a great little wheel, but seems to be limited by its weight and top speed. I'd love to hear from others if they have had better luck spinning laceweight with this wheel.
The merino-tencel was easy enough to spin, but trying to get a laceweight from this wheel seems like a lot of work. There is a high speed flyer due out for the Victoria, but I'm considering investing that money in a more production-oriented wheel and saving this for lighter duty as it is.
4 comments:
Thanks for all the details Margaret! It helps me to expand my thinking and way of looking at what I'm working. I find it interesting about the limitations you're experiencing with the Victoria. I've recently been playing around with one. I'll try to post, perhaps tomorrow, on what I'm doing with it and see how it may relate.
Merino/tencel blend is one of my favorites to work with! The blueberry is breathtaking shimmery.
Beautiful yarn, and color, Margaret!
And thanks for great notes too! I've not spun on a Victoria...so can't add my two cents...but you'd never know you had a lick of trouble with it~ the finished product is lovely!
Great yarn Margaret we too were up in Scotland for nearly three weeks , came home on the 1st July and I too took my spinning with me :)
Soory I forgot to add re the Victoria that is one of the reasons I was in two minds as to buy one or not . I did have a go at it but I too found it a tad light for fast spinning and getting the tension right . Guess we can't have it all ; portability and versatility !!
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