Finished Yarn: Peach and Gold Soysilk

In my last post, I talked about the yarn I've been spinning for the past few months: glossy, shiny Soysilk, hand-dyed in shades of peach and gold. After many, many meditative hours spent spinning and plying, the yarn is finished - and I couldn't be delighted. I knew this yarn would be lovely, but it's turned out to be one of my favorite skeins ever. 

From 4 1/2 ounces of dyed Soysilk top, I spun a fine laceweight 2-ply that measures in at just under 1000 yards. It shines, it drapes like a dream, and it's so incredibly smooth and silky. I guess it's no coincidence this fiber is called Soysilk. :) Spinning this fiber over the fold was the secret to getting such a fine singles: if I'd tried a short forward draw the whole time, I would have been endlessly frustrated within minutes. If you've tried to spin Soysilk, bamboo, or Tencel and wound up frustrated, I can't recommend spinning over the fold highly enough. It's a total game-changer!

At the moment, I don't have specific plans for this skein, aside from knowing its general destiny to end up as a lace shawl. I'm sure that at some point in the future, I'll spend quite a bit of time dreaming my way through pattern ideas on Ravelry, which I especially love to do when I'm feeling stressed or anxious. All that matters to me right now is that the yarn is finally finished, and I had a wonderful time through the entire process, even though it took quite some time. As I've mentioned before, I spin because I love the process, so you may notice that many of the projects I'll be discussing here on the blog are long-term projects.

Speaking of long-term projects, my next few posts will be centered around two specific topics: my forays into dyeing yarn and fiber, and my recent interest in spinning cotton on a tahkli. My heart is full to bursting with excitement regarding these topics, and I can't wait to share what I've been learning with you.

What have you been creating lately? I'd love to read all about it in the comments. Thanks so much for reading, and have a lovely day!

On the Wheel: Peach and Gold Soysilk

This week, I've been spinning my favorite type of yarn: smooth, fine lace-weight. Though it undoubtedly takes longer to spin fine yarn, I love how meditative and calming it feels to see the bobbin fill, every so slowly, with a continuous length of gleaming thread. Kitten-soft Soysilk - a biodegradable fiber made from the byproducts of the tofu industry - lends itself to this type of spinning with minimal effort, especially when spun over the fold, my favorite technique for spinning lace with slippery plant-based yarns. I'm planning on writing (and maybe even filming) a tutorial on this wonderful technique sometime soon, but until then, check out this great YouTube video on how to spin over the fold. 

The particular Soysilk I'm working with came from TwistedByLynne on Etsy. I purchased a listing for 4 1/2 ounces of her hand-dyed fiber in the "Desert Sands" colorway. It's even more beautiful in person! And I'm so appreciative of how the fiber arrived looking so fluffy and airy, and not at all felted or compacted. (As a fledgling dyer, I would love to know her secrets!)

I've been spinning this fiber on my Kromski Sonata, using the fastest ratio on my lace flyer. Over the past few months, nursing a knee injury, I spun mostly in short, 10-minute sessions every few days, and finally finished up the first bobbin of singles. The spun fiber positively glows, radiating a subtle warmth.

Now that my knee is feeling a little better, I started spinning the second half of the fiber, and I've been clipping along rather nicely. I'm thoroughly enjoying the process, and can't wait to see how the finished yarn turns out.

What have you been creating this week? I'd love to hear about it in the comments. Thanks so much for reading, and hope you're having a great day!