Here is the Border Leicester I was spinning yesterday. I like the feel of the wool. It’s very strong. It’s also very curly. I wasn’t too happy with this little batch though. I got it last year at Rhinebeck before I knew the least little bit about what to look for when buying wool. This has a HUGE amount of second cuts in it and it’s very matted.
I started by trying to spin from the locks. I would flick the little bits and then spin them. This was not working out very well because the curls would come right back. That’s a good thing if you want to use it for doll hair. Very bad if you want any kind of even yarn from spinning.
So I moved to, duh, duh, duh, The Combs. You don’;t want to hit yourself in the head with these babies. Also please don’t set them on the floor next to you and then get up to walk away. YOWEE!
So here’s what it looks like. I just loaded one comb with some fiber and then combed it back and forth until I could comb pretty easily. Then I just held the thing in my lap and spun right from there. I actually like to spin this way if the wool is a bit rough or is not cooperating.
That’s a closer view of the spun yarn coming off of the comb. Check out those teeth. I am not going to show you the plied yarn. It’s C-R-A-P. I was playing around with this. This wheel is not as easy to get to know as my Ashfords. It’s definitely more high maintenance and picky. I seem to get easily over spun on this. The wheel is bigger so everything spins faster so I have to teach my feet to go a little slower. I get over spun and then there are tails sticking out all over the place and then they won’t go into the orifice and then it gets more overspun and then I have to think bad words AAAAHHHHHHH!
On top of all of these obstacles I was sitting on the piano bench to spin. I am short. The piano bench isn’t. I think I need to be experimenting with some of the chairs around the house. I was thinking about looking into one of those chairs that the spinning wheel companies make but I think I’d better hold off on any purchases until after Christmas.
Anyway, I was going to show you the cutest picture of Maggie and penny but Blogger’s saying enough with the pictures already. Plus I gotta go watch the season finale of Gray’s Anatomy so I can be fully prepared for tomorrow night!
