Spin Me Some Tweed!
Some of you have asked how I’ve been creating the tweed blends I’ve been spinning for this month’s Spinner Central Spin-A-Long, so here we are. If you haven’t read Abby Franquemont’s excellent tutorial on creating a tweed blend, you’re definitely missing out.
I’ll start by saying that I’m definitely no expert on creating tweed blends (you only have to look at the pictures of my hand carders to know how new they are!)
Firstly, some ingredients for my blend:
I used some Corriedale sliver in various colours and some scraps of mulberry silk left over from one of my early dyeing experiments/disasters. Silk noil would be preferable, but I don’t have any and made do without it.
I like some lumps and bumps, so I ruined some silk and turquoise Corriedale. I loaded some blue silk onto the hand cards and turned it into a matted mess by using the cards to tease and squish the silk until it was suitably messy:
Then I did the same to some orange silk. I lightly felted some tufts of turquoise Corriedale by rubbing them between my hands until it started to stick together.
Next, I loaded some warm colours onto the cards and blended until I was happy:
Then I added some blue to the mix and again blended:
Now the fun part! I started another pass and moved some of the fibre onto the other card. Then I added a thin layer of blue silk. Moved some more fibre across. Then a layer of orange silk and likewise with the semi-felted Corriedale, effectively sandwiching each “clump” ingredient between layers of blended fibre.
Then another pass or two… notice the orange and blue clumps?
Remove the rolag:
And spin! Long-draw was key to retaining the lumpy bits. Andean ply the singles and voilà!
June 7th, 2008 at 6:14 am
Beautiful blending job! You almost make me want to get some handcards. Almost.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Ok, now that I see how easy that is, I want hand cards! I’ve been on the fence, but I think I’m gonna get some…
June 7th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
you make that look so straight forward & easy enough david that you’ve inspired me to have a play
Thanks
June 7th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Great tutorial! You make it look so simple - I want to try it.
June 7th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I needs to get me some hand carders!
Great tutorial, David.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Excellent tutorial David! And you color choices are perfect, I’m loving the finished yarn. It is definitely tweedy!
June 13th, 2008 at 10:08 am
amazing - I’m in awe and slightly terrified of any one who deliberately makes the fibers all tangled and matted in the carding process … still the results are amazingly beautiful.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Fantastic job! You be so clevah. Make sure you put it in your show-and-tell bag for many coos of admiration…
June 21st, 2008 at 4:27 am
wow! that yarn came out super-rad!
September 4th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I was JUST thinking about carding up a tweed blend today (and using that as an excuse to buy a drum carder). But your post reminds me that I have a perfectly acceptable pair of hand cards, some bunchy silk, and some plant-dyed wool that I bet I could mix up.
I so love the really colorful tweeds — I wonder if tiny bits of terribly felted wool colors are the key?
October 4th, 2008 at 2:03 am
A very classy looking blend I really like it! Very Autumnal makes me think of earthy “forests and lakes” - I just found your blog I am enjoying back reading your posts.
~~Lydia~~
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