Friday, October 28, 2011

Juicy Art Yarn Spinning, Fun, Fun!


I had the opportunity to do some juicy spinning this last week, boy did I enjoy myself! You may remember the Big Blue Sky, Flower Power art yarn I spun up for a special order, well this is a second skein. This version is slightly darker with the addition of a deep sapphire blue and it is also slightly bulkier. It was a really enjoyable spin, with all the different elements it really kept me on my toes. The whole process involved managing the time/space between the thick and thin and the different focal points spun into the yarn. I tried to distribute all the elements to balance out the yarn, so there would be passages of thicker yarn or the cute little lamb locks, blending into passages where the yarn thins down quietly, to welcome surprising little pops of flowers or other colorful accents. One of my personal caveats for the art yarn that I spin is that above all, beyond the flash and all the various exciting elements, it must also be entirely functional, so I try to be mindful of the fabric it will eventually create.


This companion yarn (to the Flower Power) is a super bulky 3-4 wraps per inch, I'm calling it Deep Celestial Sky, it's a gorgeous blend of deep sapphire, and multiple tones of turquoise, with a sprinkle of silver.


Gosh I love spinning coils, probably because it took me so long to get a handle on the technique, the coils look deceptively simple...I had a lot of jacked up looking yarn for awhile there when I was learning this spinning technique, lol. This batch of coils has been sent off to a felting artist, I can't wait to see how she uses it!


(This is my jumbo Lendrum bobbin)



While I was getting all my fiber prepped for the spinning projects I had in my the queue this week, I thought...what if I spun some really GIANT coils...I wonder how big I could make them? So I dyed up some fiber just for me and had some fun playing around with the size. These coils are super chubby! It was so funny squeezing them through the orifice on my Lendrum, even though I was using the jumbo flier, it was still a tight squeeze! But it was also a good test of their durability, I figure if the coils can make it through that maze of tunnels and guides and then being squeezed like sardines on a bobbin and still look good, then the yarn will hold up!

So there you have it, a little peek at some of my fiber adventures for the week. I look forward to reading all about your creative adventures too!

Blessings Friends!
Melissa

14 comments:

  1. I was looking at patterns the other day for using the coiled yarn and various other art yarns and I am noticing more crochet patterns than knit...what about you?

    I love your yarns! They are gorgeous and I hope my coils eventually turn out as beautiful as yours.

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  2. Those coils look amazing, I've never seen those before. Love the colours in this post, so vibrant and beautiful :)

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  3. It is so pretty that I would be happy to just lay it around in a bowl.

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  4. Awesome looking coils...I can only hope my first attempt will not be a total disaster.

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  5. Your spinning looks absolutely amazing. And I love that you keep functionality in mind as well.

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  6. Those coils are awesome!

    I would like to try it one day, but want to get thick/thin under control first... perhaps goals for next year's TdF. ;-)

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  7. I'd love to see how the art yarns knit up, especially the blue skeins. I'm sure they create very beautiful, very unique fabrics with great texture.

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  8. Those coils are great. I've recently seen some other, similar coils on Ravelry, and combined with an interesting dye technique, it evoked the surface of the moon. :)

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  9. Oh, I don't think any of us think those coils were easy! I love the Deep Celestial Sky best.

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  10. Ooh, I love the coils!! My wheel's orifice is always my problem with coils, too. I'm hoping to eventually get a new wheel with a delta orifice.

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  11. Such a treat to see all the different yarns you can make.
    The colors are fabulous, love the deep blues.
    The giant coils are incredible too.
    Happy spinning.

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  12. OH,
    What fun and different yarn you create it is just fun and beautiful.

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I'm a crafter, knitter, tinkerer, who always seems to have a project or two on the launch pad. I love to share what I'm working on and I love to see what other folks are working on too, so please comment and let me know where I can see your latest creation!