Knittyspin: Fiber Fiesta

by Jillian Moreno

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.

dislike/disagree/bad

deep love/total agreement/great

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

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
how much predrafting was needed? 1= a ton – it was basically felt; 5= none – just sat & spun
how did it spin?
how did it knit?
dye leak? 1= lots; 5=none
did the fiber behave as you expected it would? 1= not at all; 5= precisely	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?	purse or other accessory, an accent in something bigger summer shell or evening bag (if I carried an evening bag) big shawl

Name	blended roving
Brand	Crosswind Farm
Fiber content	40% alpaca 60% BFL
Put up	roving
Color	natural
Sugg. Retail Price	$16 for 8 oz

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
how much predrafting was needed? 1= a ton – it was basically felt; 5= none – just sat & spun
how did it spin?
how did it knit?
dye leak? 1= lots; 5=none
did the fiber behave as you expected it would? 1= not at all; 5= precisely	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

Name	blended roving
Brand	Julie's Handspun Yarns
Fiber content	95% wool 5% mohair
Put up	roving
Color	peach
Sugg. Retail Price	$15 for 8oz

how does it feel? 1= pot scrubber; 5= baby’s bum
how much predrafting was needed? 1= a ton – it was basically felt; 5= none – just sat & spun
how did it spin?
how did it knit?
dye leak? 1= lots; 5=none
did the fiber behave as you expected it would? 1= not at all; 5= precisely	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

Name	dyed roving
Brand	Dyed in the Wool Handmade
Fiber content	100% merino
Put up	roving
Color	Blossom
Sugg. Retail Price	$15 for 4oz

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
how much predrafting was needed? 1= a ton – it was basically felt; 5= none – just sat & spun
how did it spin?
how did it knit?
did the fiber behave as you expected it would? 1= not at all; 5= precisely	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

Name	blended roving
Brand	Crosswind Farm
Fiber content	55% alpaca 45% bfl
Put up	roving
Color	pink
Sugg. Retail Price	$15 for 8oz

how does it feel? 1= pot scrubber; 5= baby’s bum
how much predrafting was needed? 1= a ton – it was basically felt; 5= none – just sat & spun
how did it spin?
how did it knit?
dye leak? 1= lots; 5=none
did the fiber behave as you expected it would? 1= not at all; 5= precisely	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