Friday, October 28, 2011

Fiber Arts Friday ~ Coils

Well at least I'm attempting coils....only time will tell.  I've been devouring my Intertwined book and decided I'd have a go at coils.

Since I was helping Miss Wonder Why Gal at the Fiber Expo last weekend, I thought this would be a good time to try this technique.  I took a couple of my hand carded batts using suri, merino, silk and angelina intending on mixing them together.......

but when we were setting up the booth out came this wonderful Halloween batt that Andrea had created.

How fast can you say SWAP?.......I couldn't say it fast enough!   Andrea's batt is a blend of alpaca, merino, bamboo, silk, nylon and glitz.


Hmmmm....don't they look like their getting cozy?


So off I started on my new technique......what a challenge this turned out to be.  The only way I could make the thick parts was to completely stop spinning, draft out a larger amount and then start spinning again.  But I figured whatever works, right?  Actually this gave me the perfect opportunity to explain to people that even if you've spun for a while....new techniques can still be a challenge.

A fellow spinner, who'd stopped to watch, told me it would be easier if I was spinning from top instead of batts.   Oops..already committed....

First bobbin complete


I was hoping to get both bobbins filled so I could try core plying them this week.  Didn't meet that goal...working shows can be sooooo exhausting.  But this is what I had spun by the end of the show.
I thought no problem...I can get that second bobbin filled in no time.  As luck would have it, while unloading the car, my drive band got stuck on my suitcase and snap went the band.  Of course I didn't have any bands on hand so there sits my almost filled second bobbin.  Hopefully, the new bands will arrive today so I can get this bobbin filled and move on to trying my hand at core spinning.  With luck I will have my yarn complete by next week so I can share.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!!

8 comments:

  1. (How funny that we are both blogging about coils this week, great minds think a like!) Your think and thin single looks wonderful, I think it will ply into an awesome coil yarn!

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  2. Yikes! I must remember to always have a spare band.

    I love the batt and the yarn that came out of it. Stunning!

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  3. Ooh, the drive band story scares me, but I'm sure your yarn will be gorgeous!!

    If you find coils to be tricky with batts, try Falklands top. It's super great for that. :)

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  4. See...now I would have adjusted the plying band so that I could keep going. The bobbin is looking great!

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  5. So pretty, sorry about your drive band. I always have kitchen cotton on hand and that works great in a pinch.

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  6. So apparently making coils involves spinning thick and thin first? Then core spun or plied?

    I think the construction is starting to make sense. I've always wondered and now it is definately on my list of goals for the next TdF.

    I'm really looking forward to seeing the next step.

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  7. Oooooh ... love the colors in that Halloween batt! Your thick and thin is just great. If I were closer, I might have stolen it before it gets to the coils stage. :)

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  8. Halloween batt! How perfect :-) I love the glitz in the fiber, makes it really pop.

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