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Slow Cloth Polwarth Socks Finished at Last
They started life as a lesson in preparing and spinning a raw fleece for worsted spun yarn. You can find that post here “Hand Spinning a Worsted Sock Yarn – Slow Cloth” so I though you might like to see the finished product. The socks are a slightly modified version of Gladysby General Hogbuffer. This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download. I had a bit of difficulty keeping the yarn consistent. This was probably because I was spinning too many other projects at the same time. I do find I can be completely consistent to the point where I can match yards per ounce in skein after skein…
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Hand Spinning a Worsted Sock Yarn – Slow Cloth
I have one little skein, only about 1/4 of what I’ll need for my socks but I am very proud of it and it was hugely satisfying to create. These socks will certainly qualify as “Slow Cloth“. I am only just learning that there is a movement toward and a name for my own philosophy and passion in the my Fiber Art. I love the notion of slowing down in order to have quality rather than quantity in life. The idea that Fashion should be less dependent on rapidly changing trends and colors (fast money for the rich) and more about quality, sustainability, and thoughtfulness in design and materials. The…
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Washing Raw Wool Fleece for Worsted Spinning
I have a lovely Polwarth fleece which I imported from New Zealand and I want to spin it worsted, probably for some socks. It’s really very soft with a micron count of about 23 but has a 4 inch staple length so I think I can spin a nice strong and durable 3 ply worsted sock yarn with it. With this fleece I can also spin a fluffy light and warm woolen yarn that will be soft enough for a baby. What a lovely versatile fleece. How to wash a fleece for worsted spinning The goal is to wash individual locks of wool that are all the same length and…
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Preparing a Raw Wool Fleece for Handspinning
Yesterday I got out one of the wonderful Polwarth fleeces I imported from New Zealand where they are able to produce some of the finest and highest quality wool in the entire world. Polwarth The Polwarth is not a rare breed but its fleece certainly has enough wonderful characteristic to make it a favorite among hand spinners, knitters and those who wear their creations. It is a dual-purpose sheep, developed in Victoria, Australia in 1880; they were first introduced into New Zealand in 1932. It has been crossbred to 75 percent Merino and 25 percent Lincoln. Polwarth wool is similar to Merino in softness but has a longer staple length…
Simply Elegant Timeless Classics – Handspun and Handknit Luxury Heirlooms
