Well I've bowled out at least part of the problem with the first sample, it is definitely overplied. Having now knitted up the singles it is evident that they bias slightly in the opposite direction when knitted up in stockinette stitch.
I've got to say that I'm pretty happy with how this swatch has turned out. Yes there are slightly thicker patches where I've not got the consistency in my spinning quite right, but it is nowhere near as bad as I thought it might be. More importantly it feels lovely. Of course it isn't merino soft, but I think it would make an acceptable scarf without being too scratchy. What it does look amazing for though is a lace pattern utilising the solid parts of the yarn, with the slight halo giving it an amazing warmth.
As I said I'm documenting the yardage etc that I'm getting. In amoungst the measurements I'd been taking was the before and after finishing wpi figure. From the Fleece and Fibre Sourcebook entry on Corriedale, I'd been expecting the yarn to fluff up massively on finishing, hence spinning deliberately on the fine side. Well up to now it hasn't. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I've been taking care to spin as worsted as possible and weighted the skein as it dried with a spare coat-hanger. Either way I was starting to doubt the entry until I plied and finished the sample that I've spun on my russian. Erm wow! Initial length was 63.7m whilst the finished was only 57.82m, not that bad only losing 10% of the length. The surprise though was the wpi, dropping from 24 before finishing to 18 afterwards! I probably should have stuck to the same drying method to find out if it was the spinning method or the weighting which made the difference but I wanted this sample to be as light and airy as possible... and boy is it ever! Photos and more analysis to follow once I've got the sample knitted up and mounted.
I've got to say that I'm pretty happy with how this swatch has turned out. Yes there are slightly thicker patches where I've not got the consistency in my spinning quite right, but it is nowhere near as bad as I thought it might be. More importantly it feels lovely. Of course it isn't merino soft, but I think it would make an acceptable scarf without being too scratchy. What it does look amazing for though is a lace pattern utilising the solid parts of the yarn, with the slight halo giving it an amazing warmth.
As I said I'm documenting the yardage etc that I'm getting. In amoungst the measurements I'd been taking was the before and after finishing wpi figure. From the Fleece and Fibre Sourcebook entry on Corriedale, I'd been expecting the yarn to fluff up massively on finishing, hence spinning deliberately on the fine side. Well up to now it hasn't. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I've been taking care to spin as worsted as possible and weighted the skein as it dried with a spare coat-hanger. Either way I was starting to doubt the entry until I plied and finished the sample that I've spun on my russian. Erm wow! Initial length was 63.7m whilst the finished was only 57.82m, not that bad only losing 10% of the length. The surprise though was the wpi, dropping from 24 before finishing to 18 afterwards! I probably should have stuck to the same drying method to find out if it was the spinning method or the weighting which made the difference but I wanted this sample to be as light and airy as possible... and boy is it ever! Photos and more analysis to follow once I've got the sample knitted up and mounted.
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