Spinning tales of cashmere
Still working on the pics, but I wanted to post my experience spinning a little sample of cashmere that I bought after last weekend's spinning class. Can I just say that I'm spoiled? After an ounce of cashmere, the merino blend that I thought was so soft just last week? Just not that thrilling now.
BUT, it really is interesting to see how the properties of different yarns affect how evenly I manage to spin them. I know---this is not news to anyone with more experience spinning than I have. Cashmere, beautifully soft, separates very easily, and slides against itself really easily. For me, that meant having to be pretty careful when predrafting and making sure I had a decent twist while spinning. On more than one occasion, I move my hands up a little too fast and heard the tell-tale thump of the drop spindle becoming a little more drop than spindle!
But it also meant that my spinning was pretty even throughout, something that I'm still struggling with ordinarily. When I moved to the merino blend, I had to pre-draft a little more diligently and work harder not to have the bumps of fiber that meant I was pulling out too much fiber in the draft. The wool's tendency to hold on to itself a little more also meant, though, that I didn't need as hard a twist to prevent the fibers pulling apart and the spindle dropping.
I really am going to try to get some pictures up. I might buy another ounce of cashmere, too, when I go back to the shop tomorrow for the second (and last) spinning class. Because I really need to make something to wear out of the this, and I'm not sure I could manage even a lace handkerchief scarf out of 43 paltry yards of about dk weight yarn!
BUT, it really is interesting to see how the properties of different yarns affect how evenly I manage to spin them. I know---this is not news to anyone with more experience spinning than I have. Cashmere, beautifully soft, separates very easily, and slides against itself really easily. For me, that meant having to be pretty careful when predrafting and making sure I had a decent twist while spinning. On more than one occasion, I move my hands up a little too fast and heard the tell-tale thump of the drop spindle becoming a little more drop than spindle!
But it also meant that my spinning was pretty even throughout, something that I'm still struggling with ordinarily. When I moved to the merino blend, I had to pre-draft a little more diligently and work harder not to have the bumps of fiber that meant I was pulling out too much fiber in the draft. The wool's tendency to hold on to itself a little more also meant, though, that I didn't need as hard a twist to prevent the fibers pulling apart and the spindle dropping.
I really am going to try to get some pictures up. I might buy another ounce of cashmere, too, when I go back to the shop tomorrow for the second (and last) spinning class. Because I really need to make something to wear out of the this, and I'm not sure I could manage even a lace handkerchief scarf out of 43 paltry yards of about dk weight yarn!
posted by Kim in NJ @ 10:56 AM
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