Chain Gang
I've been keeping the new spinning wheel busy.
This is 8 oz of merino/silk/bamboo, the August/September Spin-a-long from All Spun Up.
And so is this.
And this.
I decided to try chain plying, also sometimes called Navaho plying. It's a method that helps keep the colours separate rather than the barberpole effect you get with a regular two or three ply. I love the result. I ended up with 404 yards, 10-12 wpi. The came out soft and shiny. I found it a bit hard to draft because of the silk and bamboo, but it was totally worth the extra effort.
This is BFL in a colourway called Eclipse, the third installment of the Fat Cat Knits Mixed Blessings club. 
I decided to chain ply this one too.
I divided the brown/purple/green plait into short, thick sections, so that it would give longer runs of solid colour. The other one was divided into long, thin sections, for shorter runs with more mixing of the colour.
The overall effect is mostly brown/burgundy, with little blips of other colours coming through in between. It came out at 164 yards for 5 oz., 9 wpi.
I kinda like this chain plying stuff, and it's nice to be able to do something other than the regular barberpole.
In the knitting front, I'd like to thank everyone who offered advice on the sock in progress in the last post. Opinions were fairly divided between keeping it plain and letting the yarn do its stripey thing as opposed to mixing it up with the cable pattern. In the end, I decided to try to get the best of both worlds. Four cables, two up each side, with a plain section in between.
I like it! And bonus, it's faster to knit. Or, it would be if I could get off the wheel and back onto the needles.
31 people had something to say:
love the colours of all the yarns you've been spinning! especially the August/September from All Spun Up.
Interesting effects you've achieved with the sock. Really sets off the colours of the yarn very nicely.
That chain-plying is pretty neat. I have been too chicken to do anything real with it, but those colors make me want to try it for real.
Look at that gorgeous spinning! I think that wheel was made for you -- I'd swear you've been using it for years!
Your yarns are just beautiful and your knitting too!
I am so amazed at how swiftly you learned to spin well! And I like what you've done with the green socks.
Great sock solution.
Is the chain ply the same as the navajo ply? I just learned how to do that this weekend and I'm loving it!
Any package yet?
You know, I tried chain-plying on my spindle once and it just didn't really work out. Yours looks great though!
I love the socks too, that was a great idea to have both cables and plain stockinette. You're a visionary!
love love love your newest spinning..
I suppose that I really should do some Navaho plying around here, but I keep holding back form that.
And those newest socks.. yummmmmm
You are a spinning machine!!! The socks are beautiful ... still.
All are beautiful and the sock is gorgeous!
I love chain plying. It's very easy to do on a spindle--spin a length, chain it through the loop, spin another length, chain it. The loop doesn't go anywhere--but you can use a crochet hook to pull the new length through. Or put a removable stitch marker in the loop for the first few chains. Then reverse ply the entire cop later.
You are an N-plying natural! I love how the ASU fiber turned out.
Absolutely fantastic yarns!
*Love* that merino/silk/bamboo. I'd say you've got that learning curve licked. Makes me think that I should get to my wheel sometime. Maybe when the grass doesn't need mowing any more!
ooh love the spinning! so shiny and pretty.
i like to chain-ply every now and then but a true 3ply is my favorite.
Your spinning is beyond words. Love it!
I also very much like what you did with the sock. It works.
It's all lovely, but that brown/purple/green? YUMMY!
(((hugs)))
You are becoming a spinning guru. I come for inspiration, and you provide. I still have a difficult time getting a smooth navaho ply...I'll keep at though. I love your choice about the socks. They look great.
Happy spinning...oh and knitting :)
The Navajo plying looks really nice.
So does that sock! It looks very loafer-ish to me, for some reason.
Wow! That is some gorgeous handspun there!! I love your chain plying. I want to try this soon too.
your spinning is AWESOME!
OK, now that is the perfect pattern for that yarn. Feel kinda silly commenting on your spinning, I really don't know anything about that, but love the yarn that you produce, they are so much more interesting than what I find in the stores. I was so excited because one store said they had a couple of balls of homespun, they were very plain and the wool was itchy. I was hoping for something that looked like yours.
you're really rockin' the wheel and the navajo plying! way to go, dave. :)
I'm delurking to say that I think you just broke my heart with how lovely that sage and honey colored yarn is. Try not to trip on the pieces as you go about your day. :P
It certainly didn't take you long to get the hang of that wheel! What beautiful spinning. (I tend to nod off during chain plying; it's a bit too rhythmic, I think.)
Great pattern for that sock.
Lovely handspun - and great choice on the sock!
If I had spinning fibre that gorgeous I would find it hard to get back to the needles as well.
Wow. Gorgeous! I can never get past the horrendous novelty yarn stage of Navaho plying on the wheel. But for some reason, I can do it on a drop spindle. :) Yours looks amazing!
OOOH! Yummy yarns and gorgeous sock!
Isn't Chain Plying great. I don't do it that often but I do enjoy it. It does make a nice change. Your's looks great.
Love the Eclipse colorway of the fiber.
Wow, what beautiful yarn! I tried my hand at spinning and just think it wasn't my thing. But you are doing a wonderful job! Keep up the good work.
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