batty

When I ordered my new spindles, I threw in a batt order - you know, to cushion the tools better. It was described as "lavender batts" - not much to go on, but pretty enough to make me want it. The original etsy listing had a bit more detail concerning fibre contents, but when the seller kindly combined the order into a custom package and added the batts, that information was not included. I didn't notice/care until I opened the batts and discovered how different the fibres are. I am approaching it as a lovely mystery.

After consulting with some fellow spinners on Ravelry, I decided to start spinning this from pseudo-rolags.  My 5yo (now 6yo) helped roll the first batt's rolags, but they didn't spin up as smoothly as I hoped. I used the technique of gripping the fibre between two sticks to roll it (as described in the Spin Off article I'd read on the technique), but I think I made them too tight. And too fat.

Went back to Ravelry forums to see what others have said about making good p-rolags and realized the tight/fat problem.  For the second batt I've rolled them with less fibre, by hand, for an airier p-rolag.  This batt seemed to have more of the dark fibre so I made sure to spread it out. Sections of my first yarn are just dark fibres and I want it blended better - without carding/blending. Those dark sections will be balanced later with plying - or so I trust. 

These p-rolags drafted easier than the first batch, but there are still large sections of dark fibre because the dark and the light do not draft together well being such divergent lengths and texture.

It seems the first batt was significantly more than the second. Especially considering I tended to have thicker spun sections in the first.

 It's probably just as well the second batt wasn't as big. I don't think I was going to fit much more on the bobbin.  As it was, I was having a difficult time finding the right balance of take-up as the bobbin filled.

As I was dragging (carrying) a couple of dining room chairs into my tea/office/spinning room I decided I really need a niddy-noddy.  Taking a spindle full of yarn over to chairs is much easier than taking chairs to the wheel.  Finished yarn is about 137m of DKish 2-ply yarn (as I suspected the weight would be).

Skeining

More yarn - the second bobbin of 2ply.

I was initially intending a 3-ply yarn with the 3 batts, but I'm not sure 3ply would add any significant benefits to the final yarn, for my purposes, and I could get more yardage from a 2ply. So, that's what I did.

In total, 267m of BFL-merino yarn.

I'm trying out a new design with it, but I'm thinking I don't have enough and will have to rethink its usage.

What I do know is that it's lovely to knit with.