As I plan for my course in a few weeks time, I have spent a lot of time blending and thinking about blending. This great list is based on one from Anne Schwartz via facebook spinners study group. – Thanks Anne
Why might you want to blend?
For colour
To produce the colour you want
To create variation in colour through your yarn
For texture
Using different types of fibre or to add locks or neps or material
For shine or glitz
Add lustre fibre, silk, Angelina, tencel, etc
To change properties of a fibre
Adding drape to a crimpy fibre or Memory to a drapey fibre ( Eg wool and alpaca)
Cool a warm fibre (or visa versa) – add silk or bamboo to alpaca or angora
To make a fibre go further
If you only have a small amount of a luxury fibre
To make art yarn
With bling, texture, colour, the lot – can be combination of all the above
To resuscitate compacted fibre, unloved colours and discovered remnants
Unless truly felted many hard-to-drafts tops respond beautifully to gentle carding or combing; that ugly duckling orange can be transformed to a swanlike elegance or those not-enough-for-anything scraps can just lift a batt.
I am so looking forward to covering all these areas and sharing different equipment for blending. The course is sold out but I hope to run another one soon, let me know if you’re interested.
Beechwood Crafts 