A Sock Yarn Experiment

I love to knit socks. I love to spin. The minute I laid eyes on Sam’s blue sock yarn I knew the time had come. Then came the question: 3-ply or 2-ply, which for me? Dunno, I said. Guess I’ll try both. A few months later I completed two FOs, and a fascinating experiment in spinning.

For fiber, I chose two of the Silkworker’s Romney/silk blends. I spun both on the Journey Wheel using a short draw. I knitted both pairs of socks on the same set of 3.5 mm (U.S. 4) dpns.
For the 3-ply, I spun a colorway called Twinkle Toes semi-worsted style, splitting the batt into lengthwise strips and spinning from the end of the strips. I continually smoothed the newly spun yarn as it fed into the bobbin. I Navajo (chain) plied the singles, to maximize the long runs of color in the silk. The goal was a smooth, firm yarn showcasing the color of the silk and the luster of both silk and wool.

For the 2-ply, I spun a colorway called Let’s Boogie semi-woolen style. I split the batt crossways into sections, and rolled up each section like a cigar. I drafted from the end of the rolag, which draws out the fibers from anywhere along their length and traps a lot of air within the yarn. I smoothed the spun yarn only enough to keep it from catching on the flyer hooks. I plied it firmly, but not so tight as to flatten the open Romney crimp. The goal was a lofty but strong yarn, highlighted and softened with flashes of silk.

TWINKLE TOES 3-ply semi-worsted.

The batt: Quoting from the Silkworker site description, “Natural silver grey medium gauge Romney with silks in petal pink, white, and apricot.”

The singles: Smooth, with long color runs.

The 3-ply: Firm, round, and smooth. The color transitions are subtle and spectacular, unlike those of most sock yarns which are dyed after the yarn is spun.

You can see the loops of the plying chain. Next time I will take care to ply firmly across the loops. Face it, I’m no Sam.

On the needles: Clouds of color come and go at random. The fit is close; the yarn is soft against my skin,

Twinkle Toes socks: Lustrous stockinette with a restrained texture, not too heavy, a perfect companion for street or walking shoes.

LET’S BOOGIE 2-ply semi-woolen.

The batt: “Lustrous, medium gauge Romney is colored a rich, dark teal and accented with silks in peach, amber, robin’s egg and soft taupe.”

The rolags: Fat and airy from the open Romney crimp.

Spinning the singles: The loft of the woolen-prepped fiber is amazing; the rolags, uncrushable.

The 2-ply: Shining…..

…soft, and fuzzy.

Let’s Boogie socks: Soft, warm and lofty 3×1 rib. The colors make distinct lines, similar to the color patterning in handpainted yarn. Perfect to wear with sport shoes, or to pad around the house on a cold winter day.

What a lesson! Same fiber, wheel, draft, and needles. Only the predrafting changed. That change, though, made two very different yarns—each one a delight to knit and a pleasure to wear.
And the l’il socks? From here.

Frosting on the cake. Thanks, Carol, for the photo.