I call them Happy, as in ‘They make me’. I designed them with the new spinner in mind. The yarn required is chunky; a much easier yarn for a new spinner to produce. Because it’s plied the flaws in the singles don’t show up as readily. And it’s quick. And fun. And Happy.

I spun the yarn on the very first spindle I ever owned; a bottom whorl, 2.5 ounces. I call her Old Faithful, my workhorse. She is the spindle I pick up when I’ve got a fiber I’ve never tried before. I pick her up when I’m frustrated with one of my other spindles. I can ply up to 4 ounces on her. She has been dropped many times and doesn’t mind it. A little bit of fluff shimmed in between the shaft and the whorl and she is as good as new.

Fiber used: “Twenty-Ten” on Super Wash BFL by Spunky Eclectic
Yarn details: Singles spin direction-’Z’, 22 wpi, Chain plied, spin direction-S, 8 wpi,
Method of finishing: Warm soak in a wool wash, warm rinse and light ‘thwacking’
Fiber prep: Started with combed top, split down the middle to preserve color progression, enough pre-drafting to loosen fibers
Drafting method: Short forward draw
Spindle used: 2.5 ounce, bottom whorl
Yarn classification: Bulky
Suggested commercial substitutes: Mirasol Yarn Sulky, Plymouth Encore Chunky, Rowan Purelife Brittish Sheep Breeds Chunky, Noro Iro

Yardages: I spun 4 ounces in two skeins of about 46 yards each. I used 3.8 ounces for the mitts and had about 12 yards left.