Navaho plied - another learning experience

Hello again.  I know I've been sparse around here.  Hey, I've been busier than normal, but not really with anything that is blog worthy.

I did get my colorfully died fiber (bought that way - learning to dye yarn will be the next thing I'm sure), spun and plied.  Someone told me I should try Navaho plying and suggested I watch YouTube videos to see how it was done.  I did.  Then I gave it a shot.  It's not perfect, but it's something I think I'd try again.

Here is the before photo - the fiber I started with:

This is a multi-colored superwash BFL Merino.  I like working with this yarn a lot.  For someone who wouldn't touch wool before, I'm sure getting to know this one well...........

So I wasn't crazy about the green in this, but I liked the brown and the blue and the red a LOT, and since there was more of that, I decided to give it a try.

Below are photos of how it turned out as yarn.  The colors aren't as bright, and I did the Navaho ply on it, which makes it a 3 ply yarn.  I had some issues (still/again) with my singles not being spun tight enough in spots, and then coming apart when I plied, so there are some spots where it isn't perfect.  But it's done and it's mine.  I'll make something out of it!

This is one small skein and one larger skein of the yarn.  It's been drying since last night.  I gave it the soaks I read about doing - hot water with a drop of Dawn dish soap for awhile, then a warm soak with water and vinegar, then a rinse in cool water for awhile, then squeeze in a towel to dry as much as possible.  Then it hung around in the bathroom overnight, then it went outside on the porch this morning.  It's VERY hot today (ick) and I'm sure it'll be dry by tonight.



Here's another shot:

Navaho Plied Yarn

Navaho Plied Yarn Close Up

The above shot is my artsy fartsy shot.

I think for not knowing what I was doing, I did ok.........like I said, there are spot.  But hey, I'm a BEGINNER!

I've started spinning the fiber that was given to me by Linda at Misty Mountain Farm, where I bought my spinning wheel.  It's not dyed and I thought it would be just beautiful leaving it natural.  I'm spinning it and thinking, it's awfully plain.......I could try to dye it after it's spun.  What I'm trying to do is decide if I want to ply something into it.  A sparkly thread?  Some beads? 

I tried plying beads into the yarn in the photos above, but I failed.  That's when I tried the Navaho ply.  Glad that worked, because it's really hard to UN-ply anything!

On the other hand, this "plain" natural fiber might be really pretty once it's made into something.  The fiber is BFL superwash too.  So it should be really great as a garment.  I still think a little sparkle of some sort would be nice though.....

Well, I'm really in need of a nap (not sure why) so I'm going to go lay down.
Take care, and I'll be back with more later.
Martha