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Knitty�: little purls of wisdom
TITLEfiberfiesta

Because it's nice to know what other spinners think about a fiber you haven't yet tried, welcome to the Knittyspin Fiber Fiesta feature! Each type of fiber is tested by 2-4 average spinners, each with a different background and level of experience. Each spinner is provided with the same amount of fiber, and each spinner spins, plies, finishes and knits each fiber as it speaks to them. Their feedback is collected on a standardized form and summarized below. To help understand each spinner's feedback, we've given each a letter label [A, B, C, D], so you can follow their comments down the page.

Fiber that did not receive good feedback will not be featured in Knitty, in accordance with our review policy, so if a fiber is featured here, it means the majority of spinners liked it!

Items are rated on scale of 1-5. Retail prices are in USD.
YRstar
dislike/disagree/bad

deep love/total agreement/great

Name blended batt
FFblackbunnyBIG
Brand Butterfly Girl
Fiber
content
70% bamboo
20% firestar
10% sari silk
Put up batt
Color Riot
Sugg. Retail Price $18 for 3 oz

FFblackbunnySKEIN FFblackbunnySKEIN2
FFblackbunnySKEINFFblackbunnyLACE
overall impression

A: fun! colors are wild, would love to experiment with mixing up
B: I didn’t think I’d like this because I’m all about wool, but this exceeds my expectations in every way
C: happy batt, perfect end of winter spin

how does it feel?
1= pot scrubber;
5= baby’s bum
YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
how much predrafting was needed?
1= a ton – it was basically felt;
5= none – just sat & spun

YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
how did it spin? YRstar YRstar YRstar
how did it knit? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstar
dye leak?
1= lots; 5=none
YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstar
did the fiber behave as you expected it would?
1= not at all; 5= precisely

YRstar YRstar YRstar
A: softer than I expected, colors maintained definition and brilliance when plied no muddy effects, I thought it would be lumpy when knit, but it was smooth.
B: I thought it would be harder to spin and that I would like the finished results, really surprised it was easy and beautiful
C: I thought it would flyaway, but it was easy, easy, happy spinning

describe it in one word

A:brilliant
B:enticing
C: sparkly

how did you...  

spin it

A: regular
B: fine
C: from the end, worsted-ish, smoothed for extra shine
ply it
A: 2 ply
B:2 ply
C: left it single
WPI

A: 10
B:
14
C: 22

finish it

A: nothing, just knit
B: quick dunk
C: boiling water soak, snapped and hang

what would you make with it?
  1. purse or other accessory, an accent in something bigger
  2. summer shell or evening bag (if I carried an evening bag)
  3. big shawl

Pink Needles

Name blended roving
FFcrosspatchBIG
Brand Crosswind Farm
Fiber
content
40% alpaca
60% BFL
Put up roving
Color

natural

Sugg. Retail Price

$16 for 8 oz

FFcrosspatchSKEINFFcrosspatchSKEIN
FFcrosspatchSKEINFFcrosspatchSWATCH
overall impression

A: hairy
B: alpaca really gentles the bfl
C: soft and toothy

how does it feel?
1= pot scrubber;
5= baby’s bum
YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
how much predrafting was needed?
1= a ton – it was basically felt;
5= none – just sat & spun

YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstar
how did it spin? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstar
how did it knit? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
dye leak?
1= lots; 5=none
YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstarHALF
did the fiber behave as you expected it would?
1= not at all; 5= precisely
YRstar YRstar YRstar

A: it really wanted to be fine
B: I expected it to be softer. It wanted to be fine and was even when I paid attention
C: not as lofty as I expected, but I love the soft of alpaca and the bite of the BFL - I may have bought a bunch, maybe for a sweater.
describe it in one word

A: eh
B: beautiful
C: yummy

how did you...  

spin it

A: worsted, tried to slick down hair
B: semi woolen
C: semi woolen

ply it

A: single
B: 2 ply
C: 2 ply

WPI

A: 20
B: 14
C: 12

finish it

A: rinse and whack
B: hot water soak
C: boiling water

what would you make with it?

A: lace was ok, it would make a warm garment
B: garment using texture stitches
C: cable or lace outer garment

Pink Needles

Name blended roving

FFSPdesertdaybreak

Brand Julie's Handspun Yarns
Fiber
content

95% wool
5% mohair

Put up roving
Color

peach

Sugg. Retail Price $15 for 8oz

FFSPpurpSK FFSPbrnspriteBALL
FFSPpurpleswatch FFSPbrownlace
how does it feel?
1= pot scrubber;
5= baby’s bum
YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstar
how much predrafting was needed?
1= a ton – it was basically felt;
5= none – just sat & spun

YRstar YRstarYRstar
how did it spin? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
how did it knit? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
dye leak?
1= lots; 5=none
YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
did the fiber behave as you expected it would?
1= not at all; 5= precisely
YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar

A: love how the colors blended when knit distinct but complimentary
B: wonderful in every way. I would love to spin a whole sweater’s worth
C: didn’t really like the colors until it was plied and knit, added earthiness.

describe it in one word

A:
B: love
C: bouncy

how did you...  

spin it

A: semi-woolen
B: woolen
C: semi-worsted

ply it

A: 2 ply
B: 2 ply
C: 3 ply

WPI

A: 10
B: 11
C: 14

finish it

A: heat set
B: none
C: fulled

what would you make with it?

A: adaptable - anything
B: sweater
C: textured coat

Pink Needles

Name dyed roving

FFSPdesertdaybreak

Brand Dyed in the Wool Handmade
Fiber
content

100% merino

Put up roving
Color

Blossom

Sugg. Retail Price $15 for 4oz

FFSPpurpSK FFSPbrnspriteBALL
FFSPpurpleswatch FFSPbrownlace
overall impression

A: lots of white, how will it look?
B: ---
C: ---
D: spongy in a good way, love the color

how does it feel?
1= pot scrubber;
5= baby’s bum
YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstarYRstar
how much predrafting was needed?
1= a ton – it was basically felt;
5= none – just sat & spun

YRstar YRstar YRstar
how did it spin? YRstar YRstar YRstar
how did it knit? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
did the fiber behave as you expected it would?
1= not at all; 5= precisely
YRstar YRstar YRstar

A: all the white was gone when I was done, and no marling
B: what I expected
C: it was really grabby and difficult to control, but it has great knitted stitch definition
D: what I expected

describe it in one word

A: serviceable
B: sproingy
C: silky
D: springy

how did you...  

spin it

A: semi-worsted
B: lots of predrafting
C: predrafted and stripped to maintain color progression
D: semi wooly

ply it

A: 2 ply
B: 2 ply
C: single
D: chain ply

WPI

A: 14
B: 10
C: 12
D: 16

finish it

A: fulled with big temp changes boiling water/ice water
B: knocked it around a little
C: wet and whack
D: fulled

what would you make with it?

A: anything
B: cushy socks
C: small things to take advantage of the color change
D: next to skin sweater

Pink Needles

Name blended roving

FFSPdesertdaybreak

Brand Crosswind Farm
Fiber
content

55% alpaca 45% bfl

Put up roving
Color

pink

Sugg. Retail Price $15 for 8oz

FFSPpurpSK FFSPbrnspriteBALL
FFSPpurpleswatch FFSPbrownlace
how does it feel?
1= pot scrubber;
5= baby’s bum
YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstarYRstar
how much predrafting was needed?
1= a ton – it was basically felt;
5= none – just sat & spun

YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstarYRstar
how did it spin? YRstar YRstar YRstarYRstar
how did it knit? YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar YRstar
dye leak?
1= lots; 5=none
YRstar YRstar
did the fiber behave as you expected it would?
1= not at all; 5= precisely
YRstar YRstar YRstar

A: any predrafting made it too easy to pull apart
B: did what I expected

describe it in one word

A: kittensoft
B: squooshy

how did you...  

spin it

A: semi woolen
B:
wooly

ply it

A: 2 ply
B:
single

WPI

A: 11
B: 6

finish it

A: none
B:
hot water & whack

what would you make with it?

A: lacy scarf or cardigan
B: big sweater-instead-of-coat sweater