Joining Unspun Fiber To Spun Yarn; Navajo 3-Plying Revisited; Drea and The Knittingsmith; Plus Another Visit To NYC

Summer rocks! Summer '07 has been for me a delightful mixed bag of slowing things down to a snail's pace with peaceful trips to the beach or public gardens and spicing things up by visits to new or well-loved and usually citified destinations. In between and threaded throughout there's, of course, my fiber work and lots of pondering and writing...tho' not always showing itself on this blog. From reading many of the comments on the last "contest" post, I'm so pleased that you approve of what does land on the pages of this blog and that my tappings have helped more than a few of you in your own spinning, dyeing and maybe even knitting . Thank YOU for your support! It's you readers who really make this blog vital and alive. Thanks for all the comments so far and please do keep 'em coming...including you folks who've come out from the Land of Lurkdom. We don't want you to become invisible ever again! You're opinions, ideas and questions help us all and will be used as seeds for future posts.

One recent excursion I took was to New York City to spend time with my David, oldest of the spider, and Regina, friend of the spider. While David and I utilize the subway to get around the city (which I love to use, btw), we also do our fair share of walking, usually until our feet balk at taking yet another step. Thank goodness there are a multitude of wonderful parks tucked in amongst the steel and concrete where we can rest our weary toes.
Above you'll find a pic of me wearing my Mexican dress in Central Park. That dress is absolutely lucky and maybe even magickal. Many wonderful things have happened wearing it; not the least of which when I sported the dress for an interview years before at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and landed a much-needed interpreter job.

When David and I visited the American Museum of Natural History (won't let me link!) in Manhattan, a stylish young woman said, "What a pretty dress!" Geesh, I'm in one of the fashion capitals of the world and get a compliment on a dress I bought 15 years ago for 50 cents at a used clothing store in Albany, NY. Not a bad run for my magickal dress.
David particularly enjoyed the large, taxidermized animal exhibits. I have to admit they creep me out somewhat. When asked where he'd like his pic taken, he replied, "With the Water Buffalo." And so it was done.
Another park...this time Washington Square. Above is a pic of David sharing with the birds a bit of our must-have-each-time-I-visit-NYC treat procured from one of the gazillion street vendors...big salted pretzels.
One evening David and I made our way to Coney Island beach where we saw a great break dancing show on the midway.
As evening fell, the beach on Coney Island cleared out and we made our way back to Dave's apartment. But not until we had a meal at Famous Nathan's...filled with all sorts of fried, earthly delights.
The next day in NYC I headed towards Grand Central Station (what a beautiful building!) and met up with Regina (what a beautiful friend!!) She got us round trip tickets to the Bronx, where we spent several hours in one of her favorite spots, the New York Botanical Garden. This is a not-to-be-missed destination if you're even near NYC. Thank you, Regina, for spending your day with me.

I'm indebted to Cara of January One for introducing Regina and I at the Spin-Out last summer. Thank you, Cara. Readers, check the Spin-Out link for info on this year's great event happening in September.
Astilbe and Hydrangeas at the Garden in the Bronx.
Regina took a pic of me next to a massive Redwood tree.
Chris came in to NYC on the last day of my trip, Sunday. Regina suggested our family should be sure to experience a knish joint to beat all knish joints...Yonah Schimmel's, located on the Lower East Side.
Above is a pic of Chris and David, waiting for their jalepeno/cheese potato knish and a red cabbage potato knish, respectively. Me? I went with the red cabbage version, too. I had never eaten a purple knish before this. Good? You bet!

An important announcement: Be sure to check out my Chris' new website. Let us know what'cha think, please. Oh, and be sure to take a look at Chris' YouTube video on the home page of the site...not to mention rating it...thanks!

Back to Vermont we went, just in time to take pics demonstrating a spinning technique that seemed kind of urgent for a few readers. So urgent, in fact, that I've interrupted our regularly planned schedule to cover it and another recently asked for "revisit" of Navajo 3-plying. That said, look for ratios and Andean plying on a future post.

JOINS. Boy, aren't joins important in spinning?! A really bad join can actually mean you have NO yarn for your spinning efforts since the fibers drift apart leaving you devoid of anything that remotely holds together. Please consider the following: it ain't yarn if you can't get it onto the bobbin for storage...and even if you're successful there...it ain't yarn if you can't get it off the bobbin to make into a skein or to ply...and even if you're successful there...it ain't yarn if it falls apart in your finished piece.

Let's say it another way: Your yarn is only as good as your joins.

Or how about...In your finished yarn, you shouldn't see where you joined at all.

Below I'll demonstrate two of my favorite ways to join unspun fibers to spun yarn. There are undoubtedly OTHER ways to join unspun to spun in spinning, and I do not claim my techniques are the best...it's just that they work dandy for me. I'll leave it to you spinners out there to share your favorite methods in the comment section, please. Thank you! What has worked for you and what has not worked for you regarding joining?

Fluff On Fluff is my usual method for joining. I can't remember who first showed me the technique and I'm not sure if it was me who coined the name, but 9 times out of 10, it's the method I turn to and it's what I teach students soon after they've made a few inches of yarn. Above is a pic of some Tencel top (combed, commercial fiber prep) that I'm spinning at my wheel. Please note that the Fluff On Fluff method works for wool or any other fiber you're spinning, too. You can use it when spinning carded or combed fibers, fleece...you name it. The pic shows yarn coming from my wheel, but before I join, I have to fluff out the end of the yarn with my fingers. If you try to join on to spun yarn without fluffing the end, you'll put a coating of fibers on the surface of the already spun yarn that can peel off easily and not be stable. You need to make sure that the fibers from the spun yarn are incorporated together in the twist with the unspun fibers.
Here's a pic of the unspun fibers in the top I am using (left) and the same (as in the pic above) fluffed end of the yarn coming from the wheel (right). Note how the fluffed end of the yarn wants to twist up again...don't let it!
Pinch at the point-of-contact on the yarn (the area of the yarn that's spun and is twisted, but is directly next to the unspun ~fluffed~ area) and catch a few fibers from the unspun top in the pinch. As you do so, you're overlapping the fluff of the spun yarn with the fluff of the unspun top.
Begin treadling and incorporate the fluffed fibers from the yarn with the fluff of the unspun top. Please be sure to maintain your established yarn size, if you're looking for a consistent yarn. As you continue spinning, now attached to the unspun top, check where you joined to be sure that YOU CAN'T tell where you joined...how's that for some rather odd advice?! It's a good idea to occasionally, firmly, go back and forth over the yarn at the joined spot with your thumb and pointer nails to see if any fibers are prone to peeling off the yarn, leading to a glumpy mess at that spot. If fibers ARE peeling, you'll know you've not done a good job of incorporating both the fluff from the yarn and the fluff from the unspun top. In that case, untwist that area on each end of the join, just beyond the average staple length. Rejoin! You'll be happy later that you didn't leave that unsound join in your yarn, where it could wreak havoc in your skein or finished piece.
The above pic shows a second method of joining called "Forking." This technique is especially helpful when you just can't seem to fluff out the end of the yarn that you want to join on to.
Insert the unspun top into the forked section and be sure, once again that all fibers are incorporated into the twist as you spin. Watch carefully that you maintain the size of fiber you had been spinning. Below I've included joining onto fibers when you're spinning from the fold.
Pinch the point-of-contact of the fluffed yarn, and while doing so, catch a few fibers at the fold itself, overlapping the yarn's fluff on the side of the folded fibers as shown.
As you spin, it's your job to be sure all fibers...the fluff from the yarn and that of the folded fibers...are well-integrated into the twist whilst spinning.

Now it's time for a revisit of Navajo 3-plying, as asked for by several readers. I highly recommend that you please first head over and reread my original post on the subject, Navajo 3-Plying, A Look At Ingeo & More, before checking out the pics below, as I won't be starting the technique from beginning to end again. Instead, below you'll find different "views" of Navajo 3-plying...from the top (with Chris standing behind me and shooting down) and from underneath (with always-willing-to-help-the-cause Chris, sprawled on his back, on the floor, shooting up) and from the side.

Readers...especially spinners who have no one to physically show them the methods and are on their own, armed only with pics and text...have exclaimed that it's hard for them to understand what's going on in Navajo 3-plying, despite checking out various write-ups on the web, in books and in magazines. I'll admit, it IS much easier to learn Navajo 3-plying from another spinner or spinning instructor than it is to decipher what's going on in print (geesh...you should try writing about it!) Trust me...Navajo 3-plying IS easy, once you get the hang of it. And know that I appreciate all you readers telling me you need MORE info or pics on a subject. This kind of plea will only help me to write a better BOOK, not to mention making the blog more useful, so I thank you all.
OK...here we go with a pic taken from behind and above me. The strand in the middle is the one I'm pulling up to make a new loop. Somtimes I pull up with my middle finger, but in this case it looks as if I'm using my pointer.
A second view from the top...this time actually using my pointer and thumb to hold a very long loop open (loops can be short or long...just don't strangle your hand with too small a loop), with my middle finger scooping up the third strand in order to bring it through the loop...which will then make for the next loop...and so on, and so on...

Note the plain vanilla 3-ply-back that I'm using to compare my Navajo 3-plying to, in order that I don't overdo or underdo the plying. Usually, the biggest problem I've seen with Navajo 3-ply yarn, especially with beginners trying the technique for the first time, is overtwist. This is understandable, since your hands are learning something new and your feet keep on treadling regardless. If this is a problem for you, try to slow down those feet and/or use your largest whorl, which will give you less plying twist per treadle. If, when Navajo 3-plying, your yarn keeps breaking or shredding, look again at the info above regarding the making of good, sound joins. Excellent joins will save you a lot of frustration.
And yet another view from the top.
And now for something different, a pic from below. Sometimes I keep the loop open with my thumb and pinkie. In this case, I'm using my thumb and ring finger.
Another view from below.
And finally, an interesting view from the side. Note how my pointer is drawing up the strand that will soon become a new loop.

Onward to some pics featuring my new friend, Drea. Oftentimes, folks who are readers of this blog e-mail me personally. Sometimes, we become friends, especially when we find out we have quite a lot in common. Nice! Drea is an accomplished knitter who is still pretty new to spinning, although learning FAST. Drea's friend, Pam, taught her to spin. Drea wrote of Pam: "...she's a real card - a master crocheter - great knitter - can't believe she's only been knitting for a year - and great spinner. Pam once said, "Of course it's a balanced skein, Drea ... I've been doing it for 30 years! Be patient!" Drea continued, "Pam just gives little tips here and there. She's a very 'zen' teacher - you have to figure it out for yourself - which works for me, actually!" After 1.5 weeks of spinning, Pam pronounced Drea's yarn - "Not too shabby for a beginner!"
Drea...beautiful sapphire-colored eyes and all.
Some of Drea's lovely wool singles on an Ashford Kate. She spins on an Ashford Traditional. Drea wrote, "The top is Romney - that's the first semi-decent stuff I spun in my first week. The bottom grey is greasy Corriedale that Pam gave me to learn on. I actually do better with 'dry' but can do greasy-ish stuff. The middle is the Romney - but done during my 2nd to third week of spinning - and yes I'm proud of it! It's been hanging a bit so the twist is sleeping a tad - but it twists back to heavy dk."
Some of Drea's snazzy thick 'n thin novelty yarn. Drea explained, "Also a simple hat - Dale of Norway- 100% wool - washable - doubled up - done in the round on size 9 circulars - then on size 8 double points as I reduced - just a simple open rib with closed ribbing in between - I didn't follow a pattern - just made it up as I went."
Drea's modeling a simple sock that she's knit for her Goddaughter, Valis. Drea wrote," I'm about to turn the heel on it's mate. She wanted a short sock - variegated yarn from Denmark - 80 stitches - 0 dpns, k2p2 rib for 3 inches then only the rib on the instep - the back of the ankle and heel and sole are stockinette. Ends with a 40 row round toe that I picked up from the Victorian Sock book (I hate the typical way socks are done toe-wise - with the k slip psso and k2 tog- then kitchener - it's so pointy and square - I hate it so I don't do it much anymore) - I didn't use a pattern - I never do for short row heeled socks - I just make up my own (I'm almost finished with Gentleman's Fancy socks from Nancy Bush's book - and I followed the pattern exactly - didn't take pics of those - its a nice honeycomb pattern - k2p2 rib - then k two rows - then p2k2rib for 8 rows - then k 2 rows - then k2p2 rib - then k 2 rows - etc etc - with a French heel and wide toe - kitchener end to the toe. It has lovely shaping. I'm using the honeycomb pattern for socks for me - but no shaping - just simple with a short row heel and I'll do a 'pointed swirl toe' from the Vic Sock book - looks like an ice cream custard swirl ..."
The Knittingsmith...a wonderful shoppe which Drea frequents. You'll no doubt find her showing customers a variety of knitting techniques...including recipes for her fab "snocks"! The Knittingsmith is located, as Drea says, "...in beautiful Cold Spring, NY in the wonderful and hysteric - I mean historic - Hudson Valley."

You can visit the Knittingsmith at: 35 Chestnut Street, Cold Spring, NY 10516; phone: 845-265-6566. The website is Knittingsmith.
The owner of the Knittingsmith is, says Drea, "Penelope Smith - a master seamstress who picked up knitting 10 years ago - she used to design and sew wedding gowns and other-wear for years. Penelope is a very nice, very lovely lady."

Drea continues, "I should mention that Penelope has a knack with all sorts of patterns - Penelope recently figured out and wrote out a pattern for a woman from a PICTURE of a jumper (sweater) from way back. That's pretty impressive! Penelope also has a few 'signature' patterns that she's written herself. She helps people customise existing patterns with her "Sweater Wizard' computer program. (So a gal with football shoulders and big biceps like moi can customise their set-in sleeves - which ain't as forgiving as raglans.)
Drea described her sweater above, "Me with the thick and thin basic raglan sweater - old Coats and Clark pattern - the yarn is single ply - hand painted - on size 17 needles ( I hate big needles - I prefer thin yarns - small needles - doing socks now on 00s and loving it).
"There's me in my first knit in the round top down jumper - very simple but warm. It doesn't call for stripes - I just decided to throw those in for fun - I loved that acid green colour with the chocolate brown."

On the topic of socks, Drea wrote, "I don't teach at the shoppe - I just sit in and knit there and buy tons of yarn and yack away! Although I have shown people how to do short row heels and how to kitchener stitch but it's informal - "Drea - PLEASE show me how to kitchener!" says Lauren. "K - bring the snock over next week. It's all in the chanting you know!" (knit slip purl, purl slip knit, knit slip purl, purl, slip knit and contrariwise for grafting garter!) "Drea - even when I wrap I still get holes" - "Here - you have to double wrap". "Drea how do you cast on so fast?" "I cast by knitting on - and you get a gorgeous knitted row so if you're knitting straight you can start with a purl row - here - let me show you" Things like that. Or - we have a great Aussie gal, Anne who knits pencil style - veddy english. Penelope, the shoppe owner, knits continental but loves how Anne knits. Well - I did a little experimenting and "Hey Penelope! I can show you how to pencil knit like Anne - but ... hold the yarn on the LEFT!" I love doing that kind of crap."
"The smiling lady with the hat is the famous Dr. Susie - The Sweater Doctor who can fix ANYTHING!"

Drea wrote, "Dr. Susie is a retired physician. She's been knitting since she was a little girl. She FIXES things. I mean anything - she fixed a mothhole in a cashmere shawl so fine she had to wear magnifying lenses like a surgeon. She fixed my mother's Aran jumper that Mother bought 50 years ago in England and YOU CAN'T TELL! And this is the most pattern-rich Aran you'll ever see - I wish I had taken before pics to show the amount of destruction on this thing - because it's amazing!!!! I've seen her fix huge swathes of the finest woven angora - ripped up cables - screwed up trinity stitches - fixing them so that you cannot tell!"
"The lovely lady in the glasses is Lauren - our 'class clown,' snappy dresser and 'bon vivant.' Lauren sports Penelope's circular shawl that Lauren's turned into a skirt, Penelope's lacy scarf, topped with a lovely skein of hand painted mohair! If you look closely, you can see that Lauren's trying to teach her stuffed llama how to knit - see?"

Drea continued, "Lauren - our lovely character just retired from Estee Lauder - she hasn't been knitting long but she's doing very well and isn't afraid to try anything! She originally hails from Louisiana and has a great sense of fashion and colour."
For her Goddaugher, Valis, Drea knitted, "...a 14 foot long scarf, hat and mittens all in the same green and blue striped colour pattern - easy peasy."

"Valis - just finished her first year at Ryder University - with honours! She's just learning crochet and lurves our group!"
"That's Pat on the floor looking through chunky Malabrigo hand-dyed skeins - trying to sort out those with the most 'like' colour values ..."

Drea wrote, "Pat - is a speech teacher/therapist - she teaches in the Bronx - mentally disadvantaged kids and is also a yoga instructor."
"A pic of some of Penelope's lovely yarns - she has a huge selection from straight-ahead Dale of Norway (washable!) and Cascade' to 'decadent Malabrigo, Soy sock yarns, Lamb's Pride yarns - pure silk - cottons - funky funky homespun from local spinners and really neat hand-dyed stuff as well - there's so much to choose from for the knitter/crocheter, including one-on-one classes and seminars. Every so often Penelope has '20% off anything with ________ - whatever colour she chooses - usually something seasonal."

THANK YOU, Drea for sharing your wonderful yarns and projects, your fantastic pics and for introducing us to some of your great friends at the Knittingsmith.

Oh, one more thing...a few plugs from Drea:
"I've gotten a beautiful fleece and FABulous coffee brown roving from Robin Nistock of Nistock farms. I ordered a raw fleece from her which is coming next week - it's her sheep 'Cecelia' - a black sheep - medium length wool . Robin seems like the nicest person and it's been a pleasure doing business with her - Pam hadn't heard of her but looked at her website and pronounced her prices "reasonable". Pam will show me how to process raw fleece. 'It's a pain in the ASS!,' says Pam. Bring some beer and c'mon up and we'll do it in my back yard!" Here's the website for Nistock Farms.

And: "Oh and my Zen Spinner Friend's Travel Agency (she books really cool tours - she's doing a knitting - yarn trip to Iceland over Thanksgiving if she can generate enough people ... but her Egypt tours - 5 star luxury all the way ... and she personally goes with each group and takes care of everything ... she even spoke to one vendor and said, "Look - can you just NOT haggle when I bring a group in? Let's you and me negotiate fair prices on everything for my people, okay?" And he did it - for no one else but her!"
Website for Duso World Travel.

That's all this time folks! Hope you're all having a fab summer (or winter, depending on which side of the equator you're on!)