Spinning Romney

I got 8+ ounces of Romney fiber at the Scottish Highland Games in Delaware. I picked it up before I had a spinning wheel. I got it because Romney is very sticky. I was told Romney is good for spinning as a beginner.

The roving was very sticky. I am guessing it wasn't heavily washed. I mean, it was dyed so it has to have been washed some, right? But it still felt sorta gummy. Even after soaking the yarn with Eucalan while setting the twist, it is still a bit tacky. But not as bad as it was before soaking it, but I can still feel some tackiness.

The bulk of the yarn was spun on my Babe double treadle production wheel. It really is such a wonderful wheel. I am loving it more and more as I use it.

Here are some pics of the yarn:

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Here is a pick of the yarn I created using the a single I had spun with my a drop spindle I got from ebay.

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It is overtwisted and very irregular. I really suspect that if I use this at all, it will be as trim or edging. It is still twisting some even after I soaked it. But hey, it just tells me how far I have come, right?

The yarn is still very much a bulky yarn for most of it. There are some points when I was able to draft it much thinner (like the smaller ball). And that really does make a difference in the size. But overall I am getting about 6-7 wpi. So it is still a bulky yarn. However, I feel like I am making progress. And the more I spin, the better it is getting.

I am really glad I picked this up. I think it has taught me a good deal. And it was something like $12 for the 8+ oz. So it was ideal for learning.

I did a 2 strand ply again. I got some elastic so I was able to use my DIY lazy kate as tensioned. It worked pretty well. Though I want to get a slightly thinner elastic as I think that might work better. I also think some clips would help. There are pegs on the bottom of the Babe that are supposed to work as a lazy kate. But honestly, I do not see how they spin very well from there. So I am not using them. I am using a cardboard box, 2 knitting needles and point protectors. It works pretty well.

It is similar to this one:

http://craftycanines.typepad.com/stuck_on_socks/2005/03/diy_tensioned_l.html

The difference is that I am using a wooden box instead of a plastic bin.

Though this one has my Babe bobbins instead of the wooden ones:

http://purly-qs.blogspot.com/2007/10/diy-tensioned-lazy-kate.html

There is this one as well:

http://loomythoughts.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

I am figuring I want to get some similar clips and then the cardboard to hold it in place. I think that will help with the tensioning.

I think I got about 90 yards of yarn (not counting the super twisted stuff from the spindle with is probably another 5 yards or so). That is pretty good I think.

Of course now comes the great debate on what to do with it. I fear I am going to have a dozen scarves by the end of this process! *laugh* Because it is so irregular, that seems to be what I keep ended up with. I can't really see much else other than maybe mittens or something. But I don't wear mittens. I only wear leather gloves. And it is sorta odd stuff. So I don't think anyone but me would wear mittens made with this stuff! *laugh*

I spun 2 oz. of Ashland Bay 70% Merino wool & 30% Silk roving into a single. It is in pewter which is greys & some other colors added into it. I got it at The Yarn Tree. I want to go back and get some more. It feels lovely and spins very well. Of course Paul likes the color. There is a surprise. *laugh*

I also dyed some sock yarn on Saturday. It is some superwash/bamboo/nylon yarn I picked up from Dharmafey of Cosmic Fibers. I dyed one batch for my friend Meredith who I promised socks. The other is for me. I will have to take pics and share them. I like the way both came out.

So it was a fiberlicious weekend for me. *chuckle*