Leigh, your cottons look yummee! it looks soft and I think if you knitted it into a tee or similar, it would be perfect for summer clothing! or - you could have tried blending some of the fibres before spinning:))
Wow!!!! You need to leave a few imperfections so you can prove those yarns aren't mill spun. I'm so glad I'm not entering skeins in any place that your are - those are extraordinary!
Thank you, all. I love these colors, especially the purples.
Sharon, I have a friend who spins so perfectly that folks sometimes think she's pulling their leg when she tell them her lace knitwear is made from her handspun. The pink especially difficult to spin; I carded it more but it was still pretty neppy.
Jewel, I'd say that cotton is not a good fiber for most beginners. The staple is very short and it tends to be slippery and not want to hold together. If you can manage to spin it fine with a lot of twist, it makes a lovely, soft yarn.
Lovely colours and inspiration - I'm just getting around to organising my first order of Procion MX dyes.
Thinking of tips for beginners, did you teach yourself Leigh or learn from a tutor / workshop? Personally, I didn't really understand cotton spinning techniques 'til I got along to a workshop. I guess a good video (if there is one) would also be helpful.
Dorothy, I learned how to spin from from videos. The one that helped me with cotton was Patsy Zawistoski's Spinning Cotton, Silk & Flax. Also(!), for Online Guild members, there are the Cotton Fibre Challenge lessons at our UKWSDOnline2005 Yahoo site under Files > Past Workshops > 2006 > 06-01 Cotton.
I have to admit, the one at the top is my favorite so far. I love a deep dark purple.
Are you doing all of this dyeing in your kitchen? I always had to do a thorough wipe down of my kitchen after dyeing wool to get all of the loose dye that would float around.
Sheepish Annie, I'm a confirmed purple lover too! (Pink not so much, but I had to do one batch with the Procion MX fuchsia, and that is the bubble gummish looking one.)
Patrick, I did all my dyeing on my little balcony. My kitchen is so tiny that I wasn't keen on possibly getting dye powders, nor drops of dye stock on things. I've pretty much decided that I'll do my dyeing in the summer, and the spinning and weaving of it in the cold months.
Wonderful colors! I have my first loom coming next week, so I've been looking at a lot of weaving blogs and came across yours. Those are colors I would have chosen myself :-)
beautiful colours!
ReplyDeleteLeigh, your cottons look yummee! it looks soft and I think if you knitted it into a tee or similar, it would be perfect for summer clothing! or - you could have tried blending some of the fibres before spinning:))
ReplyDeleteNice range of colors, and 2-plying. Your grist is pretty even, too. Well done.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Can't wait to see what you do with it! T.
ReplyDeleteWow!!!! You need to leave a few imperfections so you can prove those yarns aren't mill spun. I'm so glad I'm not entering skeins in any place that your are - those are extraordinary!
ReplyDeleteI haven't spun cotton yet! How is it to spin for a newer spinner? I really like the colors!!
ReplyDeleteYum Yum I love the colors no, no I will not spin cotton. Bought some once long ago and never did catch on. Maybe it's too cool over here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, all. I love these colors, especially the purples.
ReplyDeleteSharon, I have a friend who spins so perfectly that folks sometimes think she's pulling their leg when she tell them her lace knitwear is made from her handspun. The pink especially difficult to spin; I carded it more but it was still pretty neppy.
Jewel, I'd say that cotton is not a good fiber for most beginners. The staple is very short and it tends to be slippery and not want to hold together. If you can manage to spin it fine with a lot of twist, it makes a lovely, soft yarn.
Woolly Bits, I like the idea of a tee!
Lovely colours and inspiration - I'm just getting around to organising my first order of Procion MX dyes.
ReplyDeleteThinking of tips for beginners, did you teach yourself Leigh or learn from a tutor / workshop? Personally, I didn't really understand cotton spinning techniques 'til I got along to a workshop. I guess a good video (if there is one) would also be helpful.
Dorothy, I learned how to spin from from videos. The one that helped me with cotton was Patsy Zawistoski's Spinning Cotton, Silk & Flax. Also(!), for Online Guild members, there are the Cotton Fibre Challenge lessons at our UKWSDOnline2005 Yahoo site under Files > Past Workshops > 2006 > 06-01 Cotton.
ReplyDeleteLeigh you've out done yourself with this project. The color and spinning are wonderful!!!!
ReplyDeleteHow pretty! I do love a nice purple. Those colors remind me of raspberries and grapes. Now I'm hungry...
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, the one at the top is my favorite so far. I love a deep dark purple.
ReplyDeleteAre you doing all of this dyeing in your kitchen? I always had to do a thorough wipe down of my kitchen after dyeing wool to get all of the loose dye that would float around.
Thank you Barb!
ReplyDeleteSheepish Annie, I'm a confirmed purple lover too! (Pink not so much, but I had to do one batch with the Procion MX fuchsia, and that is the bubble gummish looking one.)
Patrick, I did all my dyeing on my little balcony. My kitchen is so tiny that I wasn't keen on possibly getting dye powders, nor drops of dye stock on things. I've pretty much decided that I'll do my dyeing in the summer, and the spinning and weaving of it in the cold months.
Wonderful colors! I have my first loom coming next week, so I've been looking at a lot of weaving blogs and came across yours. Those are colors I would have chosen myself :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Alison, and congratulations on your first loom! If you love yarns and color, then you will love weaving.
ReplyDelete