Textured art yarn – Alba Ranch

My Phoebe Mohair Art Yarn Hat

Posted on February 28, 2021August 9, 2021 by Melisa

I just finished my new hat. All lockspun bulky textured yarn. Pure yummy textile art.

Phoebe donated her mohair from her last hair clip.

I used Tunisian crochet and some pure mohair textured yarn. The handspun mohair art yarn was spun by me. This hat is a wide headband with fringe.

It is so warm. I think if it was all the way closed on the top, I might melt. It is a good thing it is open at the top because mohair is very fuzzy and warm.

I had so many yards and skeins that I had to use 2 rails. Much closer to my total yardage now for some fabulous weaving to come.

I really enjoyed spinning the entire yearling fleece from Phoebe. I enjoyed it so much that she has come to live here at Alba Ranch.

She has stunning pretty fleece and is such pretty angora goat.

Lockspinning Mohair Textured Yarn

Posted on January 21, 2021April 25, 2021 by Melisa

Lockspinning Mohair yarn for a bulky art yarn full of texure. This is wonderful weaving yarn. Read more…..

Art Yarn Testing on new Spinning Wheels and Flyers

Posted on June 22, 2020August 8, 2020 by Melisa

I am testing out a Majacraft Aura, an Art Yarn Flyer for my Louet S70, and a new flyer for my original Ashford Country Spinner. I am trying to decide which way I want to go for my Art Yarn Spinning.

First I was spinning art yarn on the Majacraft Aura with a regular head and the bamboo bobbins that are standard on the Aura. I tried to spin two styles of yarn. First I spun a lockspun bulky art yarn. And second, I spun laceweight yarn in a backwards long draw.

I have to say I was not pleased with either style of spinning. I felt that there is just not enough take up and draw in on an Aura when I spin at high speed ratios for a bulky textured yarn. If I were to spin slowly at a low ratio, it would might be just fine. I can already do that on my Ashford Country Spinner so no gain there.

It is a double drive hybrid set up. But the take up still feels like scotch tension and seems to still suffer from drag and inertia as the bobbin fills. The constant fiddeling with adjusting the brake as the bobbin filled up was beyond annoying and another fail for my tastes. And trying to spin laceweight in a backwards longdraw on the Aura, THAT was not happening. Epic fail on that one. End of story.

Second I used my Louet S70 ST using Louet Art Yarn flyer. I was spinning locks and tails in a bulky to super bulky art yarn and also trying for laceweight in a backward long draw. Same two styles that I tried on the Aura.

Art yarn flyer plus lockspinning on a Louet brings out my happy smiles. It was fabulous and worked like a charm. Don’t get me wrong though, I still think the flyer is ugly compared to my beautiful. Oak S70.

Next I tried using fast speed of 10.5 ratio on 3 speed bobbin to spin laceweight in a backwards long draw. It was so smooth and easy. No fuss and no musd. Just sit down and spin. Just how I like my wheels to be. Rather versatlie wheel with simple to work tension and braking.

Third I plyed bulky lockspun textured singles with my Ashford Country Spinner. I used a new flyer that was sliding rings vs hooks for the first time. So much better for plying large anounts of lockspun textured yarn than fighting those tails on the hooks. This is getting a yes from me as well.

Plyed Textured yarn on Ashford Country Spinner Bobbin

I did not even attempt a laceweight in a backwards long draw on the Ashford Country Spinner. I have spun fine singles on the Country Spinner before but it required a lot of holding the yarn back to build up twist with its low ratios. That is impossible to do with a backward long draw as the take up is too strong on this wheel naturally. I had too many tests to do this weekend with my borrowed equipment to waste time on a test I knew was an epic fail to start with. The Country Spinner’s super power is art yarn and bulky yarns. It does poorly at high twist fine yarns.

All the test Textured yarns drying on the rack

Altogether after spinning on all three wheels, I am very happy with the Louet S70 the most. Happy is probably an understatement, I have found my wheel for most everything.

Wild Flower Textured Yarn Now in the Shop

Posted on October 21, 2019August 29, 2020 by Melisa

I just listed a new art yarn colorway in the shop. I have been working on this colorway for a while now.

The inspiration of this homespun yarn was a giveaway in honor of Honey bees and Beekeepers. It reminded me of the Wild Flowers that bees use to create honey.

The dominant color through out the handspun yarn is honey, gold, and greens in various shades with small bits of yellow and orange. This represents the bees and their honey. There are pops of pink and white with a little pale purple and blues here and there to represent the wild flowers in a field.

Closer view of Wild Flower Textured Art Yarn

This yarn has so much texture and color. It is a Super Bulky weight, a textured yarn that is very workable on a set of needles for knitting and hooks for crochet. It would also be wonderful for use in textured weaving. I can picture this woven into a shawl, scarf or a wall hanging.

In fact, here is a scarf I wove using Honey color yarns that I dyed and a partial skein of this textured yarn. Look at the wonderful texture and contrast with the smooth lace weight yarns. So much fun.

Use it as the main art yarn in your piece or as an edging or accent for effect. Listed in the shop now and avaiable for purchase.

Alba Ranch

…..where Handmade Treasures and Artful Healing Intertwine

Tag: Textured art yarn

My Phoebe Mohair Art Yarn Hat

Lockspinning Mohair Textured Yarn

Art Yarn Testing on new Spinning Wheels and Flyers

Wild Flower Textured Yarn Now in the Shop