Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Indian Corn Yarn

When creating yarn I play. I start with something that has fun
colour combinations, like these kernels of Wade's Giant Indian Corn.
[Seeds from Baker Creek, my plants got gnawed down by squirrels
though so I'll have no ears this year.]

Lined up 4 oz of the fluff in the steaming pan to look like corn on the cob.
Applying the dyes from the top, there will be areas, on the bottom, that
only get enough dye penetration to turn pastel or may even remain white.
Hand application of various dye batches mixed up from Greener Shades Dyes.
proportionally it looks like I could have used more of the yellow, but ...enh.
Wet wool hanging on the back porch to dry, as the fiber dries the colours will lighten a little
but once I could see how they played against the white
I was finding the colours very bright. and it occurred to me that maybe
that second bump (hanging in the background) dyed in
muted purpley, bluey, greeny, greys might make a good ply for it.
Separated into slivers, dry and ready for spinning.
I am loving the colours more now. Look how they play!
I decided to spin it up a little heavier than my usual weight for the first single.
And then, spin the second single for plying in really thin, cobweb lace weight.
Plying the two together should create a slightly bumpy "Thread plied" looking yarn.
Like this! Yes! That's how it looked in my head!
The play of the bright colours, softened by the grey tones,
but still with a lot of movement and colours playing off each other.
Just like an ear of Indian Corn, but yarn!

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

A Natural Combination: Greens and Purples

"Blue Coco Bean" Pole Beans
Comfrey
Sage and Lavender
Sage
Pole Bean Blossoms -- and Polwarth fluff in "Grapes of Wrath" coloured fleece.
It's a really close match!
Crown Vetch, Lady Bells, and spinning up the Polwarth   
Spun singles on the bobbin... to be chain plied later