Second Go at Fractal Spin

My first two skeins of fractal-spun yarn turned out better than I'd expected, so I moved on to Experiment #2. It is now ready to be turned into a three-ply yarn (the last bobbin needs to rest for 24 hours). It was harder to control the colours, but I have only myself to blame for that. I should have read the description of the fiber more carefully, but when you search a fiber supplier's website for "top," you expect to be shown preparations with the wool aligned lengthwise, not roving, in which the fibers are hodgepodged. Yep, it was roving, not top. I prefer spinning worsted over woollen with the exception of when I'm spinning specifically for a nålbinding project. That's where this will wind up...something to do this winter. As for whether it will be adequately fractal when it's finished, well, we'll just have to wait and see. Chalk up one more on the side of "not going to buy this again."

Bronka and Merry

Bronka (my Kromski Minstrel spinning wheel, named for a friend) is ready to turn the cotton project over to Lily ( my Louët S15, otherwise known as the "ply wheel"). Other than an initial experiment to see how well the process worked, this is the first time I've spun cotton on a standard wheel. Bronka can be fitted with a fast whorl, unlike the Louët, and I was surprised at how easy it was to spin fine cotton on her. Of course the advantage over spinning cotton on a charka or tahkli is that her bobbins hold enough for an entire project. I zipped through 2.5 ounced of natural brown cotton in the space of two weeks. I will have to pick a quick project for my next spin because Tour de Fleece starts on July 4. I haven't participated before, and my challenge will be to complete a fractal spin from a Malabrigo Cloud colourway in greens. My summer "spin cycle"is full of firsts: cotton on a standard wheel, learning to use a drum carder, a fractal spin, and Tour de Fleece. As for Merry, his involvement is a given.

Cotton on the Minstrel

I have been wanting to try this experiment for some time, but a couple of wool projects kept the Minstrel occupied. My old spinning wheel (a Louët S10) is a "slow" wheel, i.e., the ratio between the whorls is on the low side (1:5.5-1:7.5). Since cotton requires a lot of twist, it really needs to be spun with a higher ratio and very light tension. The Minstrel allows for four ratios, and from what I'd read, 1:12 was the general recommendation. That meant changing from the standard whorl to the high-speed whorl, and I wasn't sure I could effect that with a cotton drive belt using double-drive. I really didn't want to have to change drive belts (that's a major operation!), but a quick test between skeins of wool showed that it wasn't necessary. After finishing up the "Charm" project (a blue slubby wool), I decided to give cotton a try. My first attempt (above) is a little irregular, but not so much as will matter once it's plied. I found that with punis (mini rolags), using a very short forward draw works better for me than long draw. The advantage to being able to spin cotton on a "standard" spinning wheel (as opposed to a charkha/tahklis) is that I can load the bobbin with a significantly greater length of finished thread...enough, in fact, that I'll be able to use it for weaving.

Two-Footed Spinning

Day 167: Apart from any of her other attributes, making it possible for me to spin with both feet was the most important advantage Bronka had to offer. My old Louët S15 is a single-treadle wheel, and particularly on Ply Day when I needed to devote myself to the task almost exclusively, I was prone to getting severe cramps in my right leg and a kink in my back from sitting cocked to one side for many hours. The double-treadle system is more like walking, both legs being used equally. That said, when I moved her from her overnight position and sat down to spin this morning, Bronka began talking to me with a rather loud squeak which had not been there yesterday evening. I could trace it to the treadles, but shifting my foot position or moving the treadles from side to side seemed to have no effect on it. As I shifted the spacers around, I noticed that the one in the center was wedge-shaped. Then I saw that the sides of the wedge weren't equally spaced from the axle hole, and the light dawned: Kromski intended the wedge as a central "foot," and I had the wrong side down. A half-turn, and Bronka's squeak disappeared. I'm finding other nuances in her construction as we become better acquainted, subtle things which make spinning easier and more enjoyable, and I am convinced that the person who had her before me had done very little spinning on her. Two of the three bobbins which come standard with this model don't even have leader cords on them, which tells me they were never used.

Bronka

Day 166: Here she is, my Bronka, my dream wheel, and she has already spun a few yards of fine wool thread, whisper-quiet and smooth as glass. Named for a dear friend who passed away earlier this year and who shared her Polish origins, she is a Kromski Minstrel, and represents years of longing on my part. She is currently set up with a single drive and Scotch tension, but operates as well with a double drive. I found her on consignment at one of my regular fiber suppliers at a price substantially below retail even for a used wheel of her breed, and although bringing her to live with me has grievously pinched the grocery budget for the next several months, I knew the opportunity would never come my way again. My weaving buddy Ed picked her up for me to save on shipping and brought her to my door today, complete with an additional niddy noddy for skeining the finished yarn.