At the end of the last episode, I was left wanting 4-ply, worsted spun, 2,500 ypp gansey yarn.
This morning, I rooted around in the stash for some fine long wool, oiled it, and carded a batt.
I put the 20s whorl on the wheel, and spun a bit, then did a wpi test - it came out to 26 wraps in 1/4 inch packed to refusal - which is ~104 wpi =>a grist of ~11,000. then I spent a couple of 90 minutes spinning a thousand yards of 11,000 ypp single winding off on to 4 bobbins.
I put the bobbins on the tension box and plied a few feet, and did a wpi test of the 4-ply - it came up 13 wraps in 1/4 inch or close to 50 wraps /inch => grist of 2,500 for the finished yarn. I plied about 200 yards of the yarn.
By lunch time, I was knitting my handspun replacement for Paton's 4-ply Beehive on 1.25 mm DPN. Actually, the primary difference between it and the other worsted 20s that I have spun to make 6-strand 1650 ypp sock yarn is the fineness of the wool.
For a "gansey", I think I would use the coarser 55 count wool, rather then the finer 60 count wool. The real question is whether the fabric from a 2,500 ypp yarn is worth the extra knitting effort. I need to test some swatches.
This morning, I rooted around in the stash for some fine long wool, oiled it, and carded a batt.
I put the 20s whorl on the wheel, and spun a bit, then did a wpi test - it came out to 26 wraps in 1/4 inch packed to refusal - which is ~104 wpi =>a grist of ~11,000. then I spent a couple of 90 minutes spinning a thousand yards of 11,000 ypp single winding off on to 4 bobbins.
I put the bobbins on the tension box and plied a few feet, and did a wpi test of the 4-ply - it came up 13 wraps in 1/4 inch or close to 50 wraps /inch => grist of 2,500 for the finished yarn. I plied about 200 yards of the yarn.
By lunch time, I was knitting my handspun replacement for Paton's 4-ply Beehive on 1.25 mm DPN. Actually, the primary difference between it and the other worsted 20s that I have spun to make 6-strand 1650 ypp sock yarn is the fineness of the wool.
For a "gansey", I think I would use the coarser 55 count wool, rather then the finer 60 count wool. The real question is whether the fabric from a 2,500 ypp yarn is worth the extra knitting effort. I need to test some swatches.
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