Since I got my e-spinner – the Electric Eel Wheel Nano, I’ve become somewhat addicted! I managed to complete all this in my first week of spinning. In Part 2 I’d completed my first tiny skein of navy and white striped yarn. Next I decided to concentrate on improving my technique so I spun a couple of reels of the cornflower blue merino and plyed it together.
This is such a rich shade of blue! As you can see from the close up my strand thickness and ply is pretty uneven, but I think it was starting to improve by the time I finished these.
Next I tried colour blending. I’ve watched YouTube tutorials on this but I don’t have a blending mat or a carder so I improvised – I pulled out a long strip each of three colours of fibre (pale blue, deep denim blue and teal) and as I spun, I tried to make sure I was varying the colours I drew out. I also spun a reel of the plain pale blue yarn, then I plyed them together.
I found it quite difficult to keep the multicoloured strand even and vary the colours at the same time. The uneven-ness translated through to the the plying, but I rather like the randomness of it.
Finally I spun a bobbin each of pale blue, cornflower and navy. My strands were starting to get more consistent by now. I put them together in a 3-ply. My improvised Lazy Kate (cardboard box with knitting needles stuck through to hold the spools) needed an extra needle poking through to accommodate the third spool.
I was really pleased with how this turned out because I felt that both the spinning and plying looked more uniform. Result!
I’ve definitely caught the spinning bug. I find it very soothing and have really enjoyed learning the basics. I’ve eased back a bit over the last few days so I don’t totally deplete my fibre supply. I’ll have to buy more far too soon if I don’t spin it out!
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Stitches by the Sea 
All your yarn looks beautiful! I remember reading on a spinning blog a few years ago that when spinners get good they have to work very hard to make the “art yarn” they made as a beginner:)
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Thank you! I totally get that. I thought the blended strand looked awful until It was plyed with a plain strand. The finished yarn was not unlike some commercially produced yarn I saw in a shop the other day.
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That’s amazing…. I really like it. You’ve done so well trying the multi coloured strands. Now you’ve just got to find a nice pattern to knit
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Thanks Vera. The quantities are pretty small so probably limited to a little hat or headband…… or I could spin more until there’s enough for a jumper! Difficult decisions.
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Your e-spinner looks fab! Maybe it is something I could consider. Although I love my drop spindles, using them is punishing on the body!
Anyway, the colours look lovely. What are you going to make with the yarn?
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Thank you! I’m still deciding what to make…..maybe a hat. I had planned to incorporate it into a project that uses all my scraps of blue yarn. That’s why I bought shades of blue fibre. Now the yarn is spun I think it’s definitely a stand alone project.
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I’m sure it will be beautiful when finished.
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Wow you’ve been busy! I love all of them, but I think the final three-shade yarn is my favourite. Will you make something with them?
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Thank you! Not decided yet but it will probably be a hat.
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