Yarn gauge, Wraps per Inch, Yarn substitution, etc...

always make for a hot topic. Especially when you enjoy spinning your own yarns, which I do enjoy when time allows me. So do you spin your yarn for the pattern or adapt a pattern to the yarn you spun? Decisions, decisions....

If you have spun yarn without a project in mind, then the best way to find a project is to determine the wraps per inch. You do this by carefully wrapping the yarn around a ruler making sure the yarn does not overlap and counting the number of wraps that make up an inch.

It is important not to wrap the yarn to tightly or too losely. You can also buy a "Wraps per inch tool" or Yarn Gauge Tool , almost any spinning wheel manufacturer sells them. Mine is from schacht or it was, since I have no idea where is disappeared to...or my spinning hook.....

I found this guide to yarn classifications while reading knitting daily today (if you are not already a subscriber this is a great free newsletter - join up! ), which they credit from their great magazine spin off........you can order a subscription to this magazine if you have interest from the knitting daily site. Liz Gipson wrote a great article about this subject in todays edition to knitting daily. She also mentioned that is a gauge....and is not standard, which I have found to be true. You can find info like this all over the net and in the back of your knitting or crochet magazines....or books....and in a spinning book that you own or buy.


Yarn Style / Wraps per Inch / Gauge stitches/inch / Needle size US / Needle size Metric

Lace / 10plus / 8+ / 00–2 / 2–3 mm

Fingering / 16 / 6–8 / 2–4 / 2.75–3.5mm


Sport / 14 / 5–6 1/2 / 4–6 / 3.5-4.5mm


Worsted / 12 / 4–5 / 7–9 / 4.5–6mm


Bulky / 10 / 3–4 / 10–11 / 6–7.5mm

Very Bulky / 8 or fewer / 2–3 / 13–15 / 8–9mm



So after you use the table above, to select your needles....knit a gauge swatch and choose the needle that gives you the drape of knitted fabric that feels best for the project you have in mind.

You can also use the table to figure out what type of project your yarn would be best suited.

Lately when I am spinning a plain yarn, I tend to make fine singles. I make up the skeins....and if I want a thicker yarn later I can always go back and ply the singles together.

Spinning your own yarn seems to be really becoming more popular, which I think is great. It is one of the most relaxing activities to participate in....and if you have never tried it, think about buying one of the many spindles out there to try your hand at this art. It is not a big investment and even if you do not want to do it ever again.....it will change the way you look at yarn, when you know how it is made.

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I use front line....and it works. I wish it was cheaper, so I am always looking for deals on the net.
This is a good one.

Back to ebaying....which, is my life these days. I am obsessed with getting rid of all this stuff....it has been a long time coming.....and has to get done! Please check out my auctions and store by clicking here.

It is getting so cold.....I am freezing sitting at my desk....today. Time to get out the sweaters....
Wishing you a great day,
Smiles to you,
DC

Ding, Dong.....the CRAZED WOODPECKER is.......

DEAD!!!!

and I did not do it, I swear. You might remember me discussing my issues with this woodpecker that decided my cedar siding was more delectable than the many trees on my property.......read post here, last October 2007 when it was attacking my home mercilessly, each and every morning.

Of course not being a birdwatcher, I did not know what kind of woodpecker it was until, I was curious about the bird found dead under my Japanese fir tree last evening. I went out this morning, with my trusty pooper scooper, to remove the dead bird and noticed the long bill, red tipped head admidst black and white feathers and beautiful yellow feathers under the black wings. I thought this is an unusual bird, the coloring was so beautiful...

of course, I thought to myself, this would make a great dye combination, bright red, bright yellow, off white and black. I started to envision hand dyed yarns named after birds....LOL!!!

So, I came in, and decided to see if I could identify the bird. I googled birds and found a site called WhatBird.com....which makes it very easy to identify birds, for people like me that do not have a clue.

I had no idea it was my nemisis, THE WOODPECKER, until their search came up with a
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Family: PICIDAE otherwise known as Woodpecker. There she was Dead as a Door Nail. I can't say I am sorry.

Rather, I think, it is a sign that some of the pests that have been plaguing my daily existence, The RABBIT, last week....THE WOODPECKER, this week...are on their way out of my life. I now can only hope that this progress will include the algae that has formed in my pool from the thunderstorms this past weekend....the Exs, that seem to have all showed up in my life this summer, the old anger related to said Exs, and that my UFO pile dissipates, eventually.

and then there is my STUFF, that I need to let go. The clutter, things, and effects of my past. I am determined to get rid of all this STUFF. I have opened an ebay store....please take a look at what I am putting up for sale....If you like it please buy it....give it a good home...YOURS!!!!

If you collect anything special, post cards, china, stamps, silver, coins, antiques of any type.... write me in my comments or direct, because trust me, there is something here, that you might have interest. I am attempting to put up at least 50items or more per week. It is slow going because ebay does not make it easy. An auction site should be easy or easier. Too many bells and whistles, I like simple.

Eventually fiber related stuff will go up, a spinning wheel that I have been wanting to sell....a swift, fiber for spinning, and lastly yarn from the way to big stash. I have to clear out this house, in preparation for its going up for sale sometime in February 2009.

wishing you a fabulous summer day......
smiles to you,
DC