BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Spinning Virtual Guild - October

This is the place for our October Virtual Guild discussions, questions, and sharing.

Hi Llyn,

Alrighty...I've got my pattern and a washed sample skein. I've kept track of all my numbers from raw grease sample to washed clean sample and again after processing and spinning. Now I'm at the part where I need to figure out how much yarn I need. I know there is a chart somewhere that lists how many Wraps per inch = fingering or DK or sport weight yarn but I can't find a copy of that information. My pattern calls for 450 yards of soft fingering weight yarn. I want to verify that my skein is the right size for the pattern. Is that information posted here on Bella? Oh and I still need to make a swatch, and I know my skein is measuring 16 wpi. I'm just wondering if this is fine enough for my scarf pattern.

Thank you...Nikki

Hi Llyn,

Oh geezz...I see I didn't read far enough into your Monthly guild article. You gave a link right there with the information I needed. Sorry and thanks again for linking that information.

Guess I'd better read your article about 6 times, before I ask a question...grin

nikki

Hi Nikki,

Let me know if you have any problems with those links. They should be working OK now.

Is your yarn plied? If so, you are in size range 2, which is sports weight yarn. Given that your pattern calls for fingering, sports, or DK weight yarn, I'd say your yarn is well within the range for the pattern

Yes Llyn, ,

The links are working well for me. And yes my yarn is plied (3 ply). I did save some carded roving if I needed to make a smaller yarn. I did see where my yarn sample is falling in Catagory 2 or your article on Standard yarn sizes.

This sample I'm working on is Cormo, You wrote: "You may wish to sample different breeds, fibers, blends, and spinning techniques before deciding on the perfect combination for your project". I think I'm going to swatch a bit of Shetland I spun earlier in a fingering weight, because while I love the softness of the Cormo, It isn't going to produce a halo like the yarn in my pattern picture. I'm not sure if the Shetland will halo any better, but think your comment is wise and I'm going to try a couple of other yarns to see which I like best.

Nikki

Hmmm.....none of my Shetland stuff has haloed.

What yarn does the pattern call for? Any indication of the breed of sheep used to spin the commercial yarn or any notes about a blend?

One sure way to get some haloing is to blend in some angora. If you do blend in angora, then it's best not to wet finish the yarn before knitting as the haloing makes it difficult to frog should that be necessary.

For my project, I'm going to make a tradition Shetland Hap shawl.
I'm starting with already prepared fibers simply because I have 2 storage bins full of different natural colors of Shetland roving in the stash and it's high time that I used some of it up.

My pattern is from "Heirloom Knitting's Shetland Hap Shawls Then & Now" by Sharon Miller. This is my first Hap so I'm following the instructions for the Morag shawl.

One of the problems this pattern has for spinners is that it does not give yardage requirements. I decided to make my shawl with jumper weight yarn and had some Shetland jumper weight in my knitting yarn stash so I tool a piece and separated the plies to make a control card for spinning my singles. Then I looked up the weight and yardage of the same yarn in a knitting catalog and computed the yards per pound for commercially spun jumper weight Shetland yarn. Since the pattern gives the actual weight of each shade of yarn used, I was able to compute the yardage requirements for each of my colors.

Hi Llyn,

I know in the strictest sense of the word, that Halo, would be described with a Mohair or angora blend. But sometimes there is a bit of halo even in other breeds, but the Cormo I'm working with, no kidding, looks like a cotton yarn. I really don't want to use a mohair or angora blend, but I was looking for a more woollen yarn. I washed, carded and spun this yarn as a woollen yarn, but I think it looks worsted all the way! This is the Cormo I just recently learned how to prepare and it really was/is wonderful to work with a fine clean fleece.

My pattern is a Lace Moebius Scarf designed by Sarah Hauschka. The pattern calls for yarn made by K1C2. I don't know what kind of yarn that is but the picture shows just a hint of a halo. Romney might give me that kind of halo but maybe there is another breed that will give me just a hint of a halo.

Thanks for you help Llyn,

Nikki

Hi Nikki,

I have that pattern. It calls for Douceur et Soie yarn by Knit One, Crochet Too. That yarn is 70% mohair, 30% silk, it's 18 wpi and a 25 gram ball has 225 yards. From the picture I've found of the yarn, it appears to be lightly brushed. Yarn catalogs are your friends

Yikes Llyn,

Boy...you really do have that pattern, I wasn't going to attempt to write that yarn name out...grin. I didn't want to make the Moebius scarf out of mohair. And the more I look at this Cormo, the more I like it. I just didn't expect it to be so smooth. What with all the woollen prep I went to I expected it to have more of a halo. I also like the 3 ply and the way it knits up. I think it will look more sturdy that the lace Moebius in the picture. I've got a whole month to think about this awhile and I would like to really learn this lesson, so am willing to try a few more samples before I make my decision.

Thanks for all that information on the yarn for that pattern. I didn't know that it was mohair...should have figured that. I'm not brave enough just yet, to try using a mohair and lace pattern at the same time...LOL

Nikki

The Hap Shawl that you are going to make Llyn, sounds really kewl too. I'm excited to hear about your pattern and the progress you make. Shetland wool is one of my favorite breeds. Where did you get your Shetland wool? "The wool stash", does that mean the wool in your stash is a commercial yarn? Good idea to make a control card from that wool.

Nikki

Hi Nikki,

Get a couple of good yarn catalogs, such as Patternworks and Woodland Woolworks and then you can look up a lot of info on different yarns. Woodland Woolworks is the best one as they list thw wpi on most many of their yarns. Patternworks doesn't give wpi but they do give yardage.

Once I get to the moebius pattern, I'm using something other than mohair. I love the look of mohair but simply can not wear it next to my skin.

The Shetland roving all came from a vendor who was going out of business and was selling everything off. It's been in the stash for quite a while waiting for just the right project to come along.

I have 2 stashes, the commercial yarn stash and the fiber stash.
The commercial yarn stash goes back many, many years....heck, some of it is vintage now. The Shetland yarn in my stash is from Jaimeson & Smith, stuff I picked up when went to the Shetlands and left over from a sweater project.

Your article on standard yarn sizes is quite interesting. It is different from the simplified ones we have been using, but I like the depth and scope of these yarn standards.
I also like the article "How Much Yarn Do I Need". I have to get page protectors for these articles because I know I will be using them a lot.
Anne Page

Hi Anne,
Glad you like the articles.
Have you decided on a project?

Hi Anne,

I liked the article's too. I'm curious though, what are other people making? I think you said you are making socks. Is that right?

Nikki

Hi Llyn,

I made it! I have to go back and read your articles. It's a good thing I started spinning up some lace this last week then. I am spinning a commercial blend of silk, merino and alpaca, just wonderful for a shawl. Now that I've joined I'm going to have to start scrounging for a pattern. After spinning and plying I will dye this.

Wanda

Hi Wanda,
Glad you made it
Your fiber blend sounds lovely. What color are you planning on dyeing it?

I think a nice light green, new leaves after winter kind of color would be nice. I think a gift for my Mom.

Wanda

I've recently purchased a blend of angora and wool to spin. Any spinning tips for a newby for this fiber blend? Also how do finish this fiber blend? Wet finish?

Newbies, welcome to the forum, hope that yous enjoy your stay!
Rosie

Hi Wanda,
Oh, light green sounds lovely for a spring shawl. It's also a cheerful color to be working with over the drab winter months.

What is the percentage of angora in the blend? Angora tends to halo very rapidly with handling and use so it's usually best to hold off wet finishing until the project is completed because once haloed, it can be difficult to rip back to correct errors if you're knitting and, if you're weaving, darned near impossible to unweave. After the project is finished and washed, more halo may be raised (if desired) by brushing the fabric. Brushing by hand must be done under tension and I recommend using a natural bristle hair brush and gentle strokes. Once brushed, the fabric can not be unbrushed.

Well, it did sound lovely and may happen some day. However, as you know with my daughter being engaged it means I should probably keep the yarn white now and add some gold beading and make it a present to her for her wedding. Life just keeps on changing. Now to find a pattern.

I do love winter, but it does get long.
Wanda

That would be an heirloom for sure!

Just peeping in for a second to say "hi"

I am a very new spinner - only 2 mos and on a spindle! But I have taken to it like a duck to water. I am eager to refine my craft and hope to make the purchase of a spinning wheel within the next 6 mos

Currently I am spinning BFL about 14 WPI, singles. I really want to make lighter so that I will still yield 14 WPI after plys - I am not interested in anything heavier than Sport weight.

This Virtual Guild is very exciting for me... I live overseas - FPO AE - and we have no guilds or groups to speak of - So YAY! Llyn!

Thanks so much

With drop spindles, the lighter weight spindle will give you finer yarns Small support spindles are also good for fine yarns. The larger support spindles are better for thicker yarns.

A good source for excellent spindles in different weights is Journey Wheel. BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

I've got one more bobbin of Cormo to spin before I can ply the yarn for my Moebius Scarf. The Cormo really does have a lovely hand. I'm anxious to see the finished yarn.

I've also come up with another idea for a wrap (not that I'll get it done, but who knows). Have any of you ever made EZ's Hooded Aran Coat in her book Knitting Around? I'm beginning my calculations for the amount of yarn I need to spin and have made the calculations for the size I need. I've also decided to choose my own Aran designs for my hooded coat, but I would sure appreciate hearing from more experienced knitters than me, words of wisdom before starting this project. I'll have about 60 oz of wool to wash and spin first so I have time to hear from you if you can offer any tips.

Hi Llyn
<snip>..."but remember that handspun is often denser than it's commercial equivalent and that yardage is the most important factor. The best thing to do is to spin a sample skein, wet finish it, measure the yardage, measure the yardage and use the sample skein for figuring your total fiber needs."

I never remember the part about weighing the yarn first then make a sample and then weight the yarn again to see how much I used. OR am I suppose to tink the sample and measure the yarn I use in the sample. How do you figure out the yards used in the sample??

Nikki

Nikki