Adventures in Artistic Spinning

When you think of yarn, the first thing that comes to mind are those nice acrylic skeins of Red Heart that you see at Wal-Mart.  When I was first introduced to spinning, a whole new world was opened up to me. Yarn wasn't just Red Heart or Lion Brand.  Yarn was art.

The beginning spinner wants to create a very uniform smooth yarn without lumps or bumps. It is a hard technique to get down. After a while though, all you can do is spin smoothly.  For years now that is what I did. I made tons of smooth uniform yarn.

This past year though, I was exposed to yet another side of spinning. Spinning art yarn.  Could spinning lumpy, noiled, and nepped yarn really be valuable? The answer is yes! So now I am in reverse. Once wanting to make something smooth and uniform, has turned into wanting to make the most lumpy and unique piece of art with my spinning.

I have been so blessed and encouraged to be a part of a Facebook group that is FULL of these fiber artists.  They make the most beautiful yarns I have ever seen.  Did you know that you can spin virtually anything? Paper, feathers, sequins, ribbons, shoelaces, bits of mylar balloons, bamboo, pieces of sari silk...the list is endless!

To start my journey toward artistic yarn, I decided to start with core spinning.  This is where you take a piece of scrap yarn or string, and while spinning you let your fiber wrap itself around the scrap yarn. So instead of the normal barber pole look, you get a yarn that is solid and wrapped.

Core Spun with any fiber I could get my hands on.

By far, the most fun artistic yarn I have spun yet, HAS to be the lock spun. This is where you take fiber (most likely from an animal whose hair grows in locks, ie Lincoln, Angora Goat, Blue Faced Leicester, Wenslydale, Teeswater..there are many!) locks and spin them, not caring or worrying too much about the uniformity. The goal is to get a yarn that is full of texture and curls.

This is my process.  First you get a hold of some delicious locks.  For this particular yarn I used BFL (Blue Faced Leicester).  Here they are. Beautiful, greasy, dirty, raw locks.

Thanks to my friend Sue!

Since my locks were raw, I went through the normal scouring process first. Hot water, dish soap, rinse, repeat until the water is clear. 

Next I picked out a color scheme that struck me and dyed the fiber.  I chose pink, yellow, orange, a hint of purple, and a peachy mix.

For now I use Jacquard Acid Dyes.

After the fiber is dry, the fun part begins!  I get my wheel set up using my jumbo flyer and bobbin, and then grab handfuls of the locks. I pull the fiber apart (picking) getting it all fluffy and loose.  Then start spinning it.  I gently draft the easily drafted pieces, while letting the tighter curlier pieces twist and spin in the way they want. 

By letting the locks do what they want and form how they want to form, you end up getting some thick and thin parts. One part may end up more uniform, but then you get a part that is very thick and curly. 

It felt foreign to me at first, because I have been so used to spinning smooth yarns. But when you see the locks wrapping up beautifully on your bobbin, it's very gratifying.

LOVE my jumbo flyer and bobbin!

The end result is like nothing else. Not only do you have the softest most textured yarn, but you get a yarn that really cannot be duplicated. It is unique, and one of a kind.

Finished product!

Here is a great resource on lock spinning, from my most favorite and inspirational fiber artist.

Would you like to try to do some lock spinning on your own? Or are you out of locks and need more? Now is your chance!  I am giving away 8 ounces of these same BFL locks, dyed in a similar color scheme, to one of my readers. Red, orange, pink, and yellow!

Wanna win this handful of goodness? Here is what you can do! (leave a comment for each entry)

1. Leave a comment here, telling me what YOU would do with the finished yarn. What would you make with it?

2.  Follow Ewe and Me Handmades on Twitter, and tweet this contest. Tweet once a day and get extra entries!

3.  Like Ewe and Me Handmades on Facebook.

4. Add Ewe and Me Handmades to your favorites on Etsy.

5.  Share the giveaway on your Facebook page or group.

This giveaway will close Monday April 9.  So hurry! Get as many entries as you can.

ETA: Not everyone is a spinner. I have something for you non spinners to win! For the non spinners, you can get entries to win THIS knitted hat. Knit from my own hand spun wool/llama blend yarn.

The giveaway is closed! Come back to see who the winner is! The winner will have 1 day to contact me either by email or FB to claim their prize. I plan on shipping your locks to you as soon as hear from you!