One skein down...

This is a peek at the first spindle-full I’m spinning for the Herjolfsnes challenge hood D10606.  Part of the challenge is producing my first spinning for weaving, so decisions are made on the go, allowing for experimentation.

I am spinning singles (one-ply) on a drop-spindle.  My main focus is on consistency as this yarn will be used as weft in weaving the cloth.  The fiber is a commercially prepared roving of Shetland wool I purchased at Handweaver’s Studio in London, a pretty ‘humbug’ natural colorway that is creating interesting effects in the yarn.

Here’s a close-up with ten threads over the shaft of the spindle.  I’ve been drafting in a worsted-style, but the result is a little on the fuzzy side.  This should work for weft, but would be a nightmare for warp and would certainly require a good dose of sizing to not rip apart.

Best part of using drop-spindles is they are highly portable and it is easy to work whenever time allows.  So, ca. 80 meters down, a million to go...