Jean Aycock of FoxtrotFibers is a very lovely customer of mine. She purchased one of my handpainted merino rovings, handspun it into a plied yarn with a gradient colourway and used it for a weaving project. Have a look, the shifting colours are fantastic:
A space painted roving, like Jean´s lot, can be spun in many different ways, resulting in either a variegated, self striping or colour shifting (gradient) colourway, there really are no limits.
For example, the roving can be split lengthwise into as many thin and very long strands as necessary and then worsted spun that way, creating e.g. a single self striping yarn, or a variegated plied yarn (plied with 2 separate threads), or a self striping navajo plied yarn (3-plied) where the colours shift in short sequences.
For a controlled gradient colourway the roving can be pulled apart into short single colour chunks and then spun using the inch worm technique. This is a technique I personally prefer if I want certain colours to meet for a greater length within the yarn, once it has been plied. I usually place the colour chunks for two single threads in line next to each other and then wool spin them one by one, holding the short strand horizontally. Wool spinning makes the yarn fluffier and bouncier than worsted spinning. I like gradient yarns very much, though they require a bit more fiber preparation and a balanced spinning technique for a plied version. But they are so worth it and great fun indeed!!
Okay, since last month (sorry, no February blog due to a very bad cold…) I have been restocking my wool curls, thick and thin yarns and drum carded batts. There is also a new yarn and a new merino-silk batt available in my etsy store – I can´t resist the combination of purples and greens, they are perfect “fairy” colours. I just have to do them on a regular basis. ;o)
Speaking of fairies, Easter is drawing nearer, and there is no Easter without a spring fairy soap made of pure natural plant oils, cocoa butter, and a perfect scent of honey and spring blossoms:
These soap babies are currently curing but will be ready towards the end of the month.
Everybody have a wonderful and creative spring season!
All The Pretty Fibers 