The Hen and the Barberpole
Fiber: Blue-Face Leicester, Hen colorway; 4 oz.
Vendor: Hello Yarn
Yield: 192 yards of the prettiest barberpole yarn I've spun in a while
Weight: Worsted to bulky
Nope, I haven't warshed this. I'm avoiding the inevitability of sheepy smelliness.
So ends my spinning for softness and speed journey. I've spun softer and squooshier than I've ever spun before, and I've improved my speed. I can humbly (not) say that there *was* some consistency to my yarn: three of my single-ounce bobbins came within a yard of each other: two at 46 yards and one at 47 yards. Whee! The fourth bobbin, where I consciously tried to spin a finer yarn, came to 53 yards. Not bad, eh?
I love these little bits of color that remind me of Renaissance-era paintings. This batch has more reds, oranges, and pinks in it; not so many blues and greens as the first batch. Nonetheless, it's quite lovely, and the slight difference in color is what makes hand-dyed fiber special. (Thanks, Adrian!) I think that for any beginning spinner it's worthwhile to splurge a bit on colorways that you love, so that the experience of spindling, or spinning, is more enjoyable. The myriad of color combinations you get with barberpole yarn is incredible.
Blogworthy:
◊ Kat is in the Spring 2007 issue of Knitscene! She got 3 patterns *and* an interview. Way to go, Kat!
◊ How to make a lavender basket. Also, how to make lavender wands. I need me a good local (Southern California) lavender source.
◊ It's time to bring back hamsters dancing, don't you think? Crank up the volume!
Great colors and they do look so squishably soft! So, why ends the spinning for softness and speed journey?
Your yarn is beautiful.
And, damn, I can hear that hamster song in my sleep. ;)
For lavendar, check your local farmer's market! The Hollywood market (Sundays at Ivar and Hollywood) has an organic lavendar booth... mmmmm.
I love your yarn! The colors are fantastic. Do you know what you're going to make with it yet? :D
The old style Hammy song or the really annoying faster new (well newer to me) one? :P
Wow, your yarn is beautiful! I love the colors.
Dang that yarn is gorgeous.
Pretty bird!
There are the Lavender Fields in Valley Center: http://www.thelavenderfields.com/
I use their organic lavender flowers for the scent sachets I send out with the orders. I went when they'd already harvested, so it wasn't terrubly impressive, but they have a lot of goodies in their shop and I guess the owner used to weave and had her rugs in galleries--I believe she still has churro sheep and handspun churro wool for sale too.
Oh so pretty! I never get bored spinning barberpole yarn. Ever. I enjoy seeing colors next to each other that I would never think of putting together. Fun stuff.
Oooh...purdy!! I was going to suggest the Lavender Fields, but I see Wendy already beat me to it. I've never actually been, but it would be fun to check out sometime. There may also be other places closer to us, too.
Wow...gorgeous, gorgeous. Isimply must learn how to spin!