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This week I spun one of my silly batts, the one from the fluff box.
As I suspected, the really short fibers I carded had a hard time holding together as yarn. I could have spun it slowly and carefully, after all cotton can be spun. But I wanted a robust looking fluffy yarn, not a high twist rope, so I decided to try and spin it with a stronger core. Not actual corespinning, where you paint the fiber onto a thread by holding the two at a 90 degree angle, I just ran the thread along in my fiber supply while drafting.
I tried to take a couple of pix of how I hold the fiber in my right hand, then I do a short forward draw with my left basically pulling at the thread and letting the roving run loosely inside my palm around the thread. When I spindle spin I draft and suspend the spindle with my right, but since the orifice on the wheel is to the left I felt it was more convenient to switch. It didn’t really take a lot of time to get used to, so now I can do both.
I’m keeping it as a single as planned, since the colours were mingled quite well enough on the carder already. And the thread simply keeps the fibers from drifting apart.
I may do another post on spinning short fibers – when I get around to that. After all I have God knows how many pounds of that Dorset sitting around…
Yes, I know that I’m spinning in my riding breeches, I just can’t be having with changing my outfit 5 times a day. I also did not sweep the floor for the photo shoot. I really think there ought to be staff for such things – or is that children?
Colour Cottage 
This is a technique I will have to try. It looks like you have been having fun with your carder.
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Yes, I think it’s going to be a great asset!
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Det er altså flot! Jeg må spinde noget mere, når nu det er mørkt …
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Tak, jeg kan godt lide det lidt rustikt en gang imellem. 🙂 Tænker det kunne være kant eller accent på noget ensfarvet et sted?
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Thank you for explaining your technique and providing beautiful pictures.
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Glad you enjoyed!
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Reblogged this on SpinningJulie.
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Your handspun yarn is beautiful.
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Thanks!
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Impressive. Lovely colour combination. Having staff is a good idea, so that you can get on with the good things in life!
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🙂 Yes, I think I need a maid (and a cook and a gardener) 😉
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You are so talented. It’s so enjoyable to read your posts. As for changing clothes 5 times a day…i totally know what you mean…inside outside doing this and that…I find I have to change a few times a day! I try and plan my day so I don’t have to change so often! And no, kids are too busy to sweep the floors–college and following their dreams…maybe the dog will do it! ✽ ❀ ❃ ❋
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Wow, thanks! Makes me happy when someone enjoys my scribbles. I suppose you’re right about the kids making more of a mess than cleaning one.
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I like the results very much. Lots of interest there; thicks and thins and the colours blending are gorgeous.
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😀 I like it a bit structured sometimes. I’ll find some place where it can be an edge to some solid colour I think?
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Yes that would work. I’ve never knitted with singles before. Do they hold their twist?
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Yes, once the yarn is washed they hold their twist just as well as a plied yarn.
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Great, thank you. I’m going to try that.
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That yarn looks lovely! And I have not heard this rule against spinning in riding breeches…
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Well, I noticed afterwards they were looking a bit mucky 😉 even though I haven’t actually gone riding in them. And in some of the photos (not these) I noticed all the fluff on the floor and thought some might get an attack of cleaning OCD from seeing my house, LOL.
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