Saturday, March 17, 2007

Saturday Spin In



Just dropping in to say I'm still spinning away! This time it's with my ebony Spanish Peacock spindle that spins very well. I'm spinning some Montedale roving that I bought at The Gathering last fall. I've already spindle spun some of the Montedale on my CD spindle. When I get a bigger cop on the peacock. I'll ply both of them. Thanks to Rita Buchanan I will use a felted ball to wrap the two singles for spindle plying. This assures that the singles line up perfectly for plying.

The felted ball is made easily by balling up some wool whether it be locks or roving and putting it in a nylon knee high stocking. You know the one that cuts off your circulation when you wear them to look a bit dressy while wearing your best trousers! Then add the wool inside the stocking to your washing machine with your usual laundry and voila you've got a felted ball!

I have tried plying from two spindles as well, but I prefer Rita's method. I also like creating a center pull ball of one cop of singles. After winding the ball, I take the outside and inside ends to ply it. It's incredible how much yardage you can produce with a spindle.

Out and About: Syl is spinning cotton on her tahkli. Cathy is spinning dyed and carded Shetland/silk on her wheel. Judy's spinning Bess. Elizabeth has a pic of a three ply she just finished.

Want to join the Saturday Spin In? Send me an email with Saturday Spin In in the subject line and write your blog name in the body of the email and I'll add you to my sidebar. It's been a great motivator for me. I'm doing much more spinning.

Last Saturday the RI Spinning Guild participated in a Textile Tour at the University of RI. I very much enjoyed this visit to peruse some lovely textiles. Check out our guild site to see pictures of the tour.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like your Ebony spindle! I am still waiting for mine from the Spanish Peacock. I look forward to seeing how you ply those singles up with a felted ball....please share with us when you get there. It sounds interesting!

AR said...

Great spindle and spinning. Yes, make sure to show more pictures! They're so nice.

sloth-knits said...

Beautiful spindle! By the way, what are you hanging the roving on in the photo?

BLESSINGS, GRACE & ROBERT said...

Hi Cindy, I have something for the sat spin in!
What a gorgeous spindle, never saw anything like it!! How soft is the wool you are using?
I am on a search for a wool that is lofty and very soft to spin.
Let me know what you think of my spinning. I would love a comment on my blog.. I hope it is working..
I have been very very ill this week so I spun up a storm, you know hand spindling helps with pain management for me.
Oh and to ply, I have not yet tried the felted ball thing but I have a new technique for plying 2 ply. I will put my single on the ball winder right from the spindle, i have a video on www.youtube.com/halalsilks how to do it. I make the singles into center pull balls and ply great from that! I don't have a tensioned Kate so this is the next best thing for me.