Skein #4 Wheel-Driven Spindle

Image 1: Fiber Sample Image 2: Yarn Skein Image 3: Yarn Detail

Fiber

Wool

Type

Suffolk fleece

Reason for choice of this sample

This fiber drafts easily from carded batts. The medium fiber makes a good, sturdy yarn that wears well.

Source

Forest Home Farms shearing day — San Ramon, California

Preparation for spinning

Scour and flick, drum card and pull into sliver

Equipment used

Dog brush, drum carder, treadle spindle wheel

Type of spinning

Unsupported long draw

Direction of Twist

Z

Number of plies

1

Finishing

Washed and blocked

Suggested uses

This yarn is designed for sturdy garment fabrics such as a heavy woven coat or a crochet jacket. The Suffolk fleece is strong enough to withstand regular use and not as likely to felt as other wools. The firm twist makes it easier to launder than a more lofty yarn, yet it is not as dense as one from combed fiber.

Notes

Maximum 36 points

Examiner 1: 33

Examiner 2: 32

Examiner 1 noted that I had better control with the spindle wheel (presumably than the large supported spindle) but wanted a different fiber than skein #3. I used the same fiber because I had lots of it, but also it drafts nicely carded for long draw and I wanted to show yarns from the same fiber. One of my original ideas was to do this entire section in the same fiber and the same size yarn, to show control of both fiber and equipment, but I decided to do something easier instead. Since the requirement said only to select an "appropriate fiber," I'm disappointed to get points off strictly on the basis of fiber choice.

Examiner 2 commented that the size of the yarn was inconsistent and there was VM remaining in the skein. I did find some bits of kemp, but nothing that I would call vegetable matter.