As with most things, I don't know how long I'll keep at this, or how much I'll _do_ with a blog - but I've been pondering a more complete picture of my textile meanderings for a couple years now, and sticking with the GoogleVerse is convenient... so here it is.

I guess this latest bit started with a desire to _see_ for myself what actually gets done, rather than moaning about never getting anywhere... so I've started spindle plying while 'wasting time' on the web.

First week's result? ...one skein of merino. Colour is Ashland Bay Cranberry (189 yards, scale says 24-25g, and much deeper red than pictured - all my other photos pushed it MUCH too purple, but it'll never be an easy shade to photograph)

I always find the differences between my spindle and wheel-spun yarns interesting. This is much loftier and has more 'squoosh' than my usual spindle-spun of similar grist, even though my wheel pulls like a small pony.

...I kinda like that in a wheel... forces the yarn to be stronger, which I need for the lace knitting and band weaving it'll become - and _packs_ it on the bobbin, making it much easier to find an end if one breaks, since they can't bury themselves quite as far.

The difference is probably twist angle - I can whip a spindle into adding a LOT more twist than I'm willing to wait for on the wheel - for this weight, I'm usually treadling nearly 4x per inch... Thumbelina tops out at a 6:1 ratio, give or take, so she's no speed demon.