This is the long part. Not sure if you realize how long it takes to make a skein of yarn, but it’s long. And making this gradient yarn didn’t include the skirting and washing parts (search earlier blog posts for details on those steps).
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I don’t know how everyone else works, but my creative process starts pretty slow. I mull things around in my brain for a while, then procrastinate, then do some minor prep work, then procrastinate some more… and then finally start making.
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Combing is extremely time consuming, but the only effective way to remove VM from fleeces. But hey, we fleece processors are ready for the zombie apocalypse, right?
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Ever have a project that you procrastinate on like crazy? It sits in your usual project spot, staring at you…but you have to get some spinning done first…or maybe do some chores…and now it’s like 10pm, and you really shouldn’t start knitting because you’ll just be putting it down again in two minutes…
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After processing a few raw fleeces, white gets pretty boring. Once the lanolin is washed out of the wool, dye will adhere well and can be applied at any time, whether in lock form, roving, or onto spun yarn.
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When I was asked to make this toque, it took a lot of thinking about how to do the colour work sections. First thought - hat, knit in the round, perfect for stranded colourwork. Time to swatch!
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Blocking…one of the dreaded trifecta of boring knitting tasks (the other two being swatching and weaving in ends). However, blocking can make or break the look of a finished garment.
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After the fleece is skirted and sorted into delicates laundry bags, it’s time to start the washing process:
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So you found that perfectly soft raw fleece…now what? Washing can be tricky, and the finer the fleece, the more difficult it can be. It’s pretty easy to felt a fleece, but with a few key rules, your fleece will come out sparkling and super soft every time.
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