This week we had a really fun live spin session, me (Suzy) and a group of the loveliest spinners from all over the globe, Belgium, The USA, Australia, and me in the Netherlands. We overcame timezone differences, unknown technical requirements, and gathered together to spin the Randomizer! These spin groups are awesome, our own chance to gather up and chat, show our current spinning projects, share our stories and spin up a storm, all from a comfortable proximity to our stashes, what could be better?!
This week our theme was the Randomizer. This is a really cool little program that Andrew of Majacraft built especially for FiberyGoodness.com course participants (yes he really CAN build anything!) it takes a whole bunch of fiber preparations, and matches them up randomly with a whole bunch of spin and ply techniques. Its sometimes the craziest matches, and always a wonderful challenge. I always approach it with a feeling of simmering excitement knowing that anything could come up and I will definitely get a good thought experiment to create something from it.
Here’s what it looks like and an example of a spin mix and match:
We have matched up as much as we could the techniques with links to tutorials when available and at least examples. The one thats come up this time will make a really amazing yarn, starting with the handpulled roving, which I think would be cool with some strong colour stripes. Then the racing stripe which is a kind of organised autowrap, thats going to open up and look really cool when its coiled in the next step! And the final Nply, that will take out any of that extra twist thats likely to be in a coiled yarn and make a wonderfully textured balanced art yarn. In fact, I am feeling rather inspired to run off and try this right now 😀
But first I wanted to share what was we made during (and finished after) the spin session!
The task we were randomised with was to spin a thick and thin, thread ply as beehives, then NPly the result. And look at how different our yarns turned out! I think thats really cool, even with a specific recipe we still came up with a lot of variety.
Thank you to Elizabeth, Annick, Tracey, Becky, Bobbi, and Jan for making it a really enjoyable evening! I really hope we can do this again sometime soon 🙂
Really some beautiful stuff Suzi, can’t wait to get my wheel. I love the beehive and core spinning. Wonder if I could achieve that on a drop spindle?
I know there are definitely people making those kinds of yarns with a drop spindle! I think you just need one with a bit of weight for the bulkier yarns..
It was great fun! I would love to try this again, meeting spinners from all over the world, spinning together and admire all those lovely yarns. Thank you, Suzy and Arlene, for organising this. Sharing is so wonderful.
As I was viewing the pictures I thought “it’s amazing how they all look so different” and you made the same comment. It was fun, I tried another randomizer today and am having trouble nplying it, it isn’t plying too well. Spin core wrap yarn then coil wrap that and nply. I love this group!!
Hi Terry
I used a drop spindle to spin my yarn (featured above). It’s a heavy spindle weighing in at 37g (1 1/4 oz).
Emma Nicholson