I had a query from an Etsy-customer this week. She asked me.
"I was thinking about splitting my 4 ply wool to make 2 ply have you done this before unsure of easiest way"
I responded: "Yes I have, several times.
"The two-tone
trousers for Mad Hatter were a 4-ply tweed split. Unravel a couple of
metres and hold the remainder from undoing by spearing ball with a
needle. Pick two and two strands and hold up high to allow ball to spin
and unravel the 4-plies.
"It appears to me that spinners first join two
ends and then join the pairs to make 4ply. If you are lucky you pick the
right pairs to un-spin, so if they tangle and hesitate you should
select the alternate pairs and try again. It's not easy; you have to
unspin a couple of yards and then wind up each pair again. I roll them
up over each hand in tandem as I go. You can lean out of an upstairs window
or over the bannisters to get a longer length. Then you have to re-spin
the 2-plies. I have a spinning wheel which helps no end.
"Alternatively,
use a couple (or three) of strands of embroidery threads held together -
they are around 9m long - pull them out from the centre not the end or
they too tangle.
"Hope that helps!"
I used to use cones of thin wool, which I think were used by machine knitters; they were about 2 ply. I got them from charity shops and eBay. I used to knit Sylvanian clothes for my two grand-daughters, who had dolls houses inhabited by Sylvanians.
ReplyDeleteI've just given some of my own Sylvanians to a friend who has two barges which he needed crews for, and it's got me feeling an urge to start knitting for some Sylvanians again. I did write my own patterns, but I've no idea where they have gone, so i am looking forward to using yours!
I've now got GREAT-grandchildren, and I'm sure they'd love the Sylvanians too!
Best wishes,
Mary
(PS. My favourites are the Hedgehogs!)
Hi Mary, I thought I would say Hello again. I'm busy knitting for presents - most of the family ask for socks and even more socks! I created a new pattern for the Sylvanians this year after an idea from a customer; Fascinators and Hats; and this has proved popular. What to do next? I thought to expand the Christmas pattern - stockings and elves, but left it too late for this year.
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