64 Spin Off • http://www.interweave.com
Spin & Swatch
I tend to knit cozy hats in medium-weight yarns when I
want the instant gratification of a small project, but even if it
was going to be a small one, I wanted to swatch and test my
blending methods. I settled on spinning an S-spun singles
yarn. Using my Schacht Ladybug with the bulky flyer, themedium whorl at a ratio of 6.5:1, and a short backward
draw, I created a light worsted-weight singles. I wanted
my finished yarn to be close to 9 wraps per inch, and
spinning it slightly finer than my end goal allowed me to
account for the bit of blooming the yarn was certain to
do after it was washed.
Watching my marl go from a fluffy roving to
a squishy singles was incredibly rewarding. I had
wondered if I would prefer the look of a two-ply yarn,
but this singles yarn perfectly mimicked the color effect
of its two-ply counterpart. The shifts between accent
colors were subtle and lovely.
Any knitting patterns I choose to pair with this yarn
will use fairly simple stitches so that the marl in the yarn
can shine without being too busy. I find that stockinette
stitch is often a great choice when I have a visually
stimulating yarn like this. With that in mind, I created a
standard swatch using a U.S. size 7 needle.
I was pleased with my swatch; the finished cloth
amplified all the careful and intentional blending
techniques I employed. The marling was distinct, and
the base color helped it look consistent even as the
accent colors shifted from one to another.On Sampling and Scaling Up
This sampling process allowed me to fine-tune my
technique before putting a lot of time and effort into
creating a fiber blend for the project. If I were going to knit
a larger garment such as a sweater, I would likely create
several small two-layer batts of accent color and base color.
By creating a transitional blend between two colors as they
intersect (white/yellow and yellow/blue), I could easily
re-create the delicate shift from one to the next. I would
also probably opt to put more fiber on the drum at a time,
maybe 2 ounces or so. Additionally, rather than pulling
a roving for such a big project, I would remove each batt
whole from the carder before tearing it into spinnable
strips to save time.
Everything about this blend from roving to knitted
cloth was relatively easy to predict, but I was still
stunned at how close to my vision the results were.
The combination of blended striping with the marling
worked marvelously. ●Emily Wohlscheid is a fiber and jewelry artist working in
west Michigan. When she is not finding ways to combine
her passion for these two media, she is sharing her skills in
the classroom locally and around the country. Learn more
at http://www.bricolagestudios.bigcartel.com.Above top: The marled singles gives the effect of a plied
yarn. Above: Since my project will likely be a hat, I wanted to
test the yarn’s appearance in stockinette stitch and 1x1 rib.PhotobyMattGraves