Mo Mo-Finn

I recently realized that I forgot to post my latest handspun.  It slipped my mind because it’s just more of the same mohair-Finn that I began to spin back in September.  The second 4 ounces came out about like the first 4 ounces:Skein #1: 294 yards, 110 g
Skein #2: 323 yards, 117 g

Between the two of these, I definitely have enough for a pair of socks.  Some of this is true fingering weight, but some if more like sportweight.  Any ideas about patterns for my first handspun socks?

I need to get something new on the wheel.  Those Sweet Fern Mitts in Clara Parkes’ new book are on my mind, and I might try spinning something specifically for those.  Maybe the blueberry roving I got at MDSW09 (#5 on this photo collage)…?  I can try to spin it woolen and see what happens.

Hmmmmm.

K’Nex Kate

I can’t remember if I mentioned this or not… but some rambunctious play in my living room resulted in damage to my spinning wheel.  Nothing too major, but still.  Here’s what my wheel looks like now: Do you see it?  The kate was the victim: The wheel itself works fine – what a relief!

I could buy a new kate (it’s a relatively inexpensive part) … but I have been told more than once (and read) that it’s important for the singles bobbins to be far away from the wheel when plying.  A lot of kates are separate things, not attached to the wheel at all.  I really liked the concept of a built-in kate, but I have grown to see their point.  I figured this was my chance to try a separate kate.

But I haven’t gotten one yet.  So when I was ready to ply that Mohair-Finn blend this weekend, I tried to build one out of K’Nex.  (I regularly use a niddy noddy made out of PVC pipe, and have you seen the swifts and ballwinders made out of Legos?  I should do a whole post of those sometime.  There are many!)  Here is my initial design:Notice how I incorporated the stretchy bands from the Ladybug.  I had to modify this a bit more as I plied (to raise the bobbins so that the tension bands would be parallel to the floor and stabilize the top better), and I had to weigh down the base with big huge books (finally, a post-college use for The Riverside Shakespeare), and it was rather frustrating to use and threatened to snap at many points … but it worked. 

See?  Yarn! This is 3.95 oz (112 g) and 294 yards of 2-ply Finn-Mohair.  I think it’s roughly sportweight – maybe on the border between fingering and sportweight.  I spun it on the fast whorl at a 12.5:1 ratio.

I’m not sure if it’s enough for a pair of socks – but I have 4 more ounces of fiber, so I’ll just spin more.  It’s definitely the skinniest yarn I’ve made yet.  I’m pleased.

Mo Finn

I started a new spinning project this past weekend.  I chose some roving I purchased at MDSW just a few months ago, a 50/50 blend of Finn and Mohair in natural brown from Misty Mountain Farm in Virginia. The Finn breed was recommended for spinning sock yarn, and we all know that mohair is “Nature’s Nylon,” so I have high hopes that I might actually be able to make sock yarn with this.

I bought 8 oz.  4 oz should be enough for a pair of socks, if spun finely enough.  Is mine?  We shall see!  I divided the bag into 4 2-oz sections.  I’ll spin two of them onto two bobbins, ply, and evaluate.  Then I’ll probably repeat with the remaining fiber.

So far I have one 2-oz bobbin done:

And look what else I made yesterday: raspberry-blackberry jam from berries we picked at Yellow Hill Farm near Biglerville.  Mmmmmm.  Steven, I had to take off a Black Dog label to reuse a jar.  I’d been hanging onto it for a while, but it’s time for a new life.Currently we have 11 8-oz jars of this yumminess.  I need to make more.  Those berries are taking up freezer space that will need to reallocated to applesauce soon.  Of course, we keep some frozen berries for smoothies and baking… but we have a LOT of berries stored right now.  Enough for more jam!

I'm Finn

Have you heard about Clara Parkes' forthcoming book, The Knitter's Book of Wool? I can't wait to read it. Her first book, The Knitter's Book of Yarn, was riveting. I received it as a Christmas gift in 2007 and I consider it the catalyst that started me down the road to spinning. It was just so interesting that I wanted to make my own yarn. Now that I'm spinning, I'm paying more attention to sheep breeds, and her next book couldn't be more timely. It won't come out until October, though.

In the meantime, entertain yourself by taking the Which Ewe Are You? quiz. I'm Finn!


What does this mean?

"Their larger fiber diameter make these wools slightly stronger than finewools yet still comfortably wearable. They like to be used in durable everyday sweaters as well as mittens, mitts, hats, socks, and the like." --Clara Parkes, The Knitter's Book of Wool

Finns resilient nature makes them practical and straight-forward, a quality these mediumwools balance with curiosity and a zest for life. Fastidious in personal appearance and reliable, Finns stay true to their flock and make loyal friends.

I'm not sure if that last paragraph is about actual Finnsheep or people who align with Finns. What do you think?

I bought some Finn/mohair roving at MDSW last month, specifically to spin sock yarn. Maybe I really am a Finn!