# Spinning- Hand spun Tussah silk and soybean silk



## OdileC (Jan 20, 2014)

I had spun Tussah silk (single) but did not have enough for this project so I spun the soybean silk (single) and knitted the two together without plying them. Was a bit more complicated, had to watch for the lace pattern and also make sure I was catching the two threads together in the stitches.... something I'll never do again!
The pattern is from Drops Design but I slightly modified it! Was fun!


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

Wow, how pretty is that. Looks like the garment drapes well. Is it as soft as it looks? Well done!


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## OdileC (Jan 20, 2014)

Oh yes, for being soft, it surely is! And safe for all who are alergic to wool, etc ! Odile


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Beautiful sweater! Gosh, you guys are inspiring!


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## SometimesaKnitter (Sep 4, 2011)

Very pretty!


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Wow....that's a real beauty! I love the lace design.


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## Goodshepfarm (Jul 20, 2014)

What a beautiful project you completed. It's lovely!


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Wow how pretty. You did a wonderful job on it. I'm sure you will get lots of compliments to.
I would not have the patience to knit a sweater and if I did it would take me years I knit so slow and the pattern is very pretty but my mind wonders so keeping up with a pattern is useless for me. I stick to easy peasy.


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## sbeth53 (Mar 29, 2011)

Gorgeous! I'm sure you will receive many complements :sm11:


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## Babalou (Jun 3, 2012)

I can just imagine how soft that is. It is beautiful and the pattern is really pretty, too.


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

Beautiful work! I enjoy spinning silk but have never spun the soy. Can you tell me about it? Is it smooth and easy to spin? Does it ply well? Is there a weight difference compared to silk? Does it dye? Too many questions?


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## spins2knit (Jul 29, 2013)

Very nice!


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

Beautiful


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

deenashoemaker said:


> Beautiful work! I enjoy spinning silk but have never spun the soy. Can you tell me about it? Is it smooth and easy to spin? Does it ply well? Is there a weight difference compared to silk? Does it dye? Too many questions?


 It'quite slippery on it's own, so a bit more care has to be taken when spinning. I haven't plied it on its own. Silk is a protein (animal) fibre, soy is a plant fibre, so there will be a difference - slightly heavier. Plant fibres are dissolved to form cellulose, then that is extruded through pinholes (like a shower head) to make a long fibre. It does dye but it has to be dyed with a dye made for plant fibre. Dyes suitable for cotton will dye other plant fibres.


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## gardenpoet (Jun 24, 2016)

I am so impressed with your talent, to spin and then knit something so beautiful with it--especially being creative to come up with a workaround for the two fibers that was so effective. Question: is the total weight/thickness of the two yarns when double stranded the same as if you had plied them? Or, does it not matter; one just does a gauge swatch to get it right no matter what.


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## gardenpoet (Jun 24, 2016)

I am so impressed with your talent, to spin and then knit something so beautiful with it--especially being creative to come up with a workaround for the two fibers that was so effective. Question: is the total weight/thickness of the two yarns when double stranded the same as if you had plied them? Or, does it not matter; one just does a gauge swatch to get it right no matter what.


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## OdileC (Jan 20, 2014)

Hello Gardenpoet and thank you to Spinninggill for the complement of information about the dying bout of soybean silk. Personally, I found no real difference spinning the two silks. One 'bemol' though about the soybean silk: it produces splush (?)(see my photo attached) which is something I dislike. Also soybean silk thread is almost impossible to break unless you cut yourself! I was glad with the experience but will not repeat it and stick with animal silk.
Odile


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

spinninggill said:


> It'quite slippery on it's own, so a bit more care has to be taken when spinning. I haven't plied it on its own. Silk is a protein (animal) fibre, soy is a plant fibre, so there will be a difference - slightly heavier. Plant fibres are dissolved to form cellulose, then that is extruded through pinholes (like a shower head) to make a long fibre. It does dye but it has to be dyed with a dye made for plant fibre. Dyes suitable for cotton will dye other plant fibres.


You are a wealth of information and inspiration!! Thank you.


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## silkandwool (Dec 5, 2011)

Beautiful.


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

OdileC said:


> Hello Gardenpoet and thank you to Spinninggill for the complement of information about the dying bout of soybean silk. Personally, I found no real difference spinning the two silks. One 'bemol' though about the soybean silk: it produces splush (?)(see my photo attached) which is something I dislike. Also soybean silk thread is almost impossible to break unless you cut yourself! I was glad with the experience but will not repeat it and stick with animal silk.
> Odile


Certain types of fibre produce a 'halo' when finished (like a surface fuzz ). some folks like it, others don't. Fibres such as a blend of Samoyed dog and sheep wool will produce a big 'halo' of fluffiness when worn, as body heat encourages it to fluff up.
Not sure if you can see it very well in this photo,but it will give you an idea of what I mean. (This is my own spinning,knitting & design, called Flotta - sorry, pattern vanished when my old computer fried its hard drive & haven't had time to recreate it yet!)The 'halo' makes it appear out of focus.


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