Thermalgal’s Temperate Mumblings

Yarn!

Guess who made that? I did! I spun up another spindlefull of singles and decided to try my hand at making 2 ply. So, while Lilo & Stitch the series was playing the background, I made my 2 ply. It is only about 5 yards, but it is my first yarn. I then decided to try my hand at dying. I didn’t have any koolaid in the house, so I took out food coloring and made up the nifty purple color. I splashed in some vingear for color fastness and nuked it in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Then I just let it set for a couple of hours. When I came back, the water was no longer purple but a transparent blue. I could have waited until it was fully clear, but I was impatient to see how my first attempt went. So, I rinsed it (and it didn’t run!) and then I hung it up to dry.After my first attempt at spinning with my homemade CD drop spindle, I was almost ready to give up. But I bought a decent spindle at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival along with two books. And now I think I get it. I did do the park and twist method or whatever it is called. I pinch the yarn with the left hand, spin the spindle to generate twist. Trap the spindle between my legs, and then using the right hand pinch where the left hand was. Then the left hand is free to draft some fiber, pinch again, release some twist and repeat. And Voila! You have yarn!