Yarn Post

[helwen]

I know it's more usual to post pretty projects, but for the beginning spinners who are perhaps feeling like their spinning will never be as nice as stuff they've seen in-person or on the net, here's a pic of what's either my first or second successful attempt at spinning on my own (I think the class stuff stayed in the classes I took at Pennsic).




Uneven, slubby, and still crimped because I never bothered to set it. I've actually taken it and hung it up just now, since it may not be pretty but it could still be useful. I think it's useful to have an idea of where you started; gives you an idea of how you're progressing. Plus it's useful to show to people when they're taking their first lessons ;)

Comments

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the keyboard just isn't one's friend...

For me, it depends on what I'm going to be using it for. I think it's more of an issue for knitting, crocheting, that sort of thing. And sometimes the warp in weaving -- that's something I hope to play with, some day. I have some Icelandic I'm spinning that will someday get woven, and historically both the warp and weft for this type of weaving was one ply. Might have to do something annoying like starch the warp threads or something -- temporarily add strength to them until they're interwoven. But that's all getting spun with a drop spindle. My drop spinning, and this is true for at least some other spinners as well, is stronger than my spinning-wheel spinning.

But plying has other virtues too, like evening out the width-wobblies that sometimes happen with spinning. And then there's the fun of plying different colors together :)

[embermwe.livejournal.com]

Kinda funny, I have heard that many folks do
better on drop spindle. Not I. Heh.
I tend to do it all two ply unless there is a
specific need for 1. But that is because I
normally end up giving most of it away. I don't
crochet or knit particularly well myself, and
don't currently own a loom. My only real use for
it is making leg warmers on my Knifty-knitter.