Project: Ile de France Sweater

This is the project I have been working on for awhile. It is a work in progress that has evolved from the starting point of the dyed fibres to blended fibres.

Blended in that nature dyed fibres have been blended with acid dyed fibres.
Blended in that Ile de France fibre has been blended with 'other' fibres.

Some of these other fibres are:

• Border Leicester
• Dorset
• Bluefaced Leicester 
• Merino
• Nylon
• and some I've forgotten because I just grabbed some colours
• and some unknown fibres
• all added to contribute less than 1% of the total

The total weight of fibre is 1048 grams.

I dyed the colours, both nature (osage, but very dark) and acid-very dark green and a dark violet.

After looking at the colours for a few days, I started changing the colours by adding in other colours on the drum carder. Finally I finished the batts yesterday.

The plan was to make a heathered yarn by spinning with three colours arranged in the palm of my hand and spinning back and forth.

This has changed to using a blending board and making rolags all in the same colour order, but not in measured amounts of each colour.

The wheel being used is my Canadian Production Wheel. Maker unknown. It has had the flyer repaired and the finish for the most part sanded off and has an oiled finish now. The Pittman has been replaced. It was purchased June 2015 from someone in St. Mary, ON.

It has a 30" wheel and spins like the wind on a blustery day! Double drive and single treadle.

Here is the work space:

Work space.

The batt colours.

Violet, Yellow, Green

Loaded Board

Dowels used to make a rolag

Rolags ready for spinning

Here is the wheel.

Canadian Production Wheel

Here is a bobbin of spun yarn.

Fine singles. Unmeasured.

As of this moment, the singles data has not been documented. I'm spinning it fine with a forward draw, but allowing some air to stay in the fibre as it is drafted. It is semi woollen.

I need practice doing Navajo* plying, so that's the plan. I will keep the colours separate with a little colour blending between the solid colours.

More to come in another post. More data. Plyed yarn. Knitted sample.

*This originally said Andean plying. I meant to say Navajo plying.