After a good soaking and wash with mild soap to set the twist, we finally have a finished yarn! This is the step that allows me to gain some insight what characteristics the texture or ‘hand of the cloth’ will have. I had read that Clun Forest was a breed that resulted in a wool that was ideal for handspinners and described as “poufy.” That second part concerned me. Some yarn profiles are wonderful for knitters, but not necessarily weavers. Chunky, lofty yarn makes for wonderful woolen knits, but poufy is not something one wants in a weaving yarn. I spun this a bit thicker than my last Shetland handspun, knowing it would likely give more textured, nubbly handwoven. This was something I was looking forward to, but I didn’t want something too gnarly and bumpy looking. It’s turned out quite well, not over- or under spun, a good diameter and with a profile that looks like a good rug yarn, but much softer and with a little more luster.

All this soaking and washing and drying today did leave me reflecting on the under-recognized role of water in the spinning, weaving and dying process. No fresh water sources equals no way to prep and clean your textiles. I made a small tapestry a few years ago about the role of water in the dying process and it sold before I had the chance to exhibit it. Here’s the piece below. It’s a small one, about the size of a paperback book. There is only one dye plant used in the tapestry, but water from different sources—melted snow from two areas of the city, water from a tap in Barre City and one from a drilled well in Barre Town. The resulting differences in color you see are all the result of differences in the water, that was the only variable in the dying process.