4 Ounces of Corriedale Yarn
I've been doing a little happy dance ever since I got my 4 ounces of natural Corriedale spun and plied. I really enjoyed spinning this fiber and there's always something exciting about finishing a project, even when it's a small project. After plying my yarn, I always like to give it a bath to help set the twist and to release any the fiber's been holding onto. I wish I had thought to take a before picture, but to be honest, I didn't think that this yarn really was that dirty. But one dunk into some hot water and Eucalan and it became clear that the fiber wasn't as clean as I thought. The water got rather grey and the wool brightened up noticeably. To help get my yarn along the path to drying, I like to roll it in a cotton towel (it always seems like cotton loves to suck water away from wool). After the first bath, I had some pretty dirty looking marks on the white towel so I dunked it back into a second Eucalan bath and got a second sink full of dirty water. This time, however, it didn't get the towel dirty, so I figured that it had had enough bathing for one day.
It's impossible to capture in a photo, but this yarn not only got cleaner, it got sproingier and softer. I love picking it up and squeezing it -- all 570 or so yards of it! (I haven't done a wpi calculation yet, but it looks to be somewhere between sport and DK weight). It's resiliant and I just can't get over how springy and bouncy it is. Of course, I had to make John pet and squeeze the yarn, too. This yarn is almost soft enough to wear against the skin, so much so that John thought it might be made up into a scarf.
I didn't think it was possible for me to be so in love with basic natural colored wool, but I am. So far, this is probably the best thing I have spun. Corriedale sheep get a big gold star in my book.
No post of this kind would be complete (at least not on my blog) without a closeup. Just like feeling the yarn, this picture makes me happy. This yarn is clearly handspun, but still has a very nice, even quality to it. More happy dancing on my part.
Now it's just a matter of figuring out what it should become. Should it go with me to my Indigo dyeing class at the Fold? Should it become the foundation for my sheepy sampler blanket and remain in it's natural form? I just don't know. Maybe I'll just keep it on my desk to touch and squeeze whenever I'm not feeling so happy. I've said it a bunch of times, but I do love to spin. And you know, that big ol' plying head for my Lendrum just rocks my world!
While I love the wide span of ratios my Joy has, I am jealous of your plying head! Next purchase for me will be a Wooly Winder...
WOW. You spun that? It looks machine-made (and I mean that in the best way possible). I had no interest whatsoever in spinning ... until just now. Fantastic job.
As a woman who frequently makes her guests feel her snowy-white, heavenly soft merino roving, I totally get it. That is some fantastic yarn you got there. Great spinning. It's giving me the fiber chills just looking at it.
I vote for hanging onto it as it is, for just a little longer. Just so you can touch it now and then.
That is BEAUTIFUL!!! I personally vote for keeping it natural but my guess is, any choice would be great for that. :)
It's really lovely. I too vote for keeping it "au naturel."
Gorgeous. And I'd let it be.
Beautiful! I'm very jealous. I just plied a bunch last night and all my supposedly evenly spun yarn looks so sloppy now.
I have a problem with white - so I say take it to class!
It looks absolutely beautiful--you should be proud!
That is some gorgeous yarn, Theresa!
Oh it's so pretty, now I have to go home and wash the pink/purple plied corriedale I just finished last night to see what happens. I haven't washed any of my corriedale yet.
I can SEE the sproinginess. How fun!
It is quite perfect, and I can see the softness from here. Me, I'd take it to have an indigo bath.... but I am not a fan of white.
Oh wow. Just beautiful. As lovely as it is white, I'd lean towards the indigo...though I suspect that's a refelction of my color preferences more than anything else.
Beeyoootiful! I agree about the Lendrum plying head...my Lendrum IS my plying wheel! Well, except when it goes bye-bye with me!
ok, I am officially jealous. My spinning looks nowhere near as nice as that :)
It is impressively beautiful. No wonder you are so happy. You could drape it around your neck for a few days, as is. It will be a new fashion trend.
Wow, that is gorgeous-looking yarn! Oh, my, I have not touched my wheel in....forever.
I'm seriously considering a Lendrum wheel. I have an appointment to try one at the Toronto Knitter's Frolic in April. Your amazing yarn is making me think a Lendrum is the way to go.
That's quite the pretty yarn.
If you like spinning Corridale, you may wish to try Cormo wool. Cormo is a finewool breed that originated with a Corridale x Merino cross. To my hand, it has a little less prickle than comparable merino. Supposedly this is due to a smoother fiber shaft that originated with the corridale parent. It's not as soft as my alpacas, but it has all the spring and life of a good wool without feeling quite so woolly.
It's a lovely white, but that would make it an even lovelier indigo! I vote for taking it to the Fold. You can always take some other things to dye and make the decision at Toni's if you have doubts.
Your grist and twist get a gold star for consistency! Very nice spinning. (Have you thought about entering it in a fair?)
It may be a natural color, but it's *gorgeous*. I envy you your yarn!
I'm still trying to get a handle of the plying head. It seems really hard to treadle (I do have the plying/longer band on) and the bobbin sticks occasionally. Any hints?