Making small samples go a long way

To spinners who are serious about breed study sampling is paramount. For each new breed or fiber I encounter, I spin a quantity of fiber by itself. The goal is to discover and appreciate the qualities and uniqueness of each, and by extension their best use, and what qualities each bring to a blend.

My normal sample size was a minimum 4 oz, enough to create a 2 ply skein of worsted weight yarn for some small project. With the Spinning journal Pages, I am able to keep track of a number of variables, including my average yardage for 4 oz of worsted wt 2 ply. In turn, I keep a knitting project journal with Ravelry patterns suitable for small yardages.

In a previous blog and Youtube video, I explain my procedures for sampling and adding information to the Spinning Journal. Recently I was challenged with using a small sample amount to demonstrate the qualities of a particular fiber. I needed samples of three of the 5 breeds of Angora for an article. Angora is an expensive fiber, ranging in $8-15/ oz. A plea to my rabbits friends could get me fiber, but asking for the standard 4 oz, $30+ worth of fiber free seems like stretching a friendship. I asked for just one ounce, and figured I'd just make sample skeins.

However, as I got into the article, it was obvious that illustrating my points required me to create a finished project, and my 1 oz sample seemed inadequate. What do you make with 1 oz? It quickly became about how thin I could spin, and still want the yarn. I'm not a fan of lace. The skeins turned out roughly heavy fingering weight to sport weight, just at my threshold. After searching Ravelry, I decided on a simple garter stitch scarf, on large needles. With skeins from 98-128 yards, I was able to create several garter stitch scarves of normal size. The smallest skein had a cast on of 25, largest 35.

 From the Ramboulliet, 1.4 oz, a 166 yard skein is good enough for a shawlette.  I decided on this one,spring-garden-kerchief and I'll make up the difference.

With a tiny little bag of Wenslydale, core spun onto some Mohair, then spiral plied, 36 yards turned into this.