# Spinning/ knitting Noro Rainbow Roll



## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Has anyone else tried spinning this, or even knitting with it unspun (as pencil roving)? I'm not finding the love with this lumpy prep. They have lovely colors, but..... :sm25:


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Opps, forgot to put in photo!


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

No never have it is very pretty. So I'm thinking it has nebs in it. Maybe mix it with something?


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

Interesting that I never saw this before...thanks gir the info.


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Yes, it has lots of neps. Can't spin it smooth even if you tried. Maybe it will be my lesson on accepting neppy yarn! I don't think mixing it or reprocessing it would work. So, I'm the only one dumb enough to buy this stuff?


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

I haven't seen it or I am sure I would have bought some. Lol


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## janmary (Jun 6, 2013)

I bought some recently along with a coordinated color bulky yarn for a weaving project. Noro had a pattern handout with it and it looks fun. I haven't had time to work with it yet as I am busy knitting Christmas socks and finishing a sweater I hope to wear soon.


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## Cheryl Straub (Mar 20, 2014)

Have you thought about just knitting it un-spun? That is what I would do. The neps would even out that way.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Cheryl Straub said:


> Have you thought about just knitting it un-spun? That is what I would do. The neps would even out that way.


I would try this to. How thin is the pencil would it hold up to knitting with out spinning the color would make something really pretty and bright.


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## Lsay3 (Sep 30, 2012)

I've never seen anything like that. I'm excited to see if you can just knit with it. Please post pictures as you experiment. Beautiful colors!


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

I have seen rolls of Noro in LYS's in the midwest. I bought this online from Paradise Fibers some time ago. Even if I had seen it in a store, I would have bought it for the beautiful colors. It looks well prepared to knit from, but to me, is not prepped well for spinning. It was recommended for spinning or knitting. I'll keep slogging away to see what I end up with....


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

I think it's more to be knitted, rather than to be spun. Just my guess, based on what I've read about it.

Hazel


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

I would worry that it would be too fragile to knit with without applying some sort of twist. Must say I'm not a fan of spinning fibre with neps in, though occasionally I have to. I tend to go to a random slub spin of about DK weight when plied.


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Hope mine comes out looking that good! It's doubtful....


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

It is entirely possible to knit with pencil roving. You just have to knit carefully and you can even frog it, again,carefully. Just the act of knitting gives the stitches sufficient twist to hold together. After all plutolopi yarns are only just barely spun and will drift apart if handled roughly. You can also knit with roving stripped down to a thickness slightly larger than your desired yarn. That said, you could also spin it. Many ills produce pencil roving for just that purpose.


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

mousepotato said:


> It is entirely possible to knit with pencil roving. You just have to knit carefully and you can even frog it, again,carefully. Just the act of knitting gives the stitches sufficient twist to hold together. After all plutolopi yarns are only just barely spun and will drift apart if handled roughly. You can also knit with roving stripped down to a thickness slightly larger than your desired yarn. That said, you could also spin it. Many ills produce pencil roving for just that purpose.


Agree completely. I had some variegated pencil roving (grays, denimy blues, off-whites), called Fingerlakes Unspun, in the same format (is it called a wheel? a cake?) as the Noro variegated yarn, in my stash for quite a while. As Mousepotato said, you just need to knit it carefully. I knitted it single ply and simply gave it one small twist at the beginning of my knitting. The act of knitting it up makes it very strong. That's exactly the kind of yarn used to make those gorgeous Icelandic sweaters. And as Mousepotato says, you can indeed frog it, carefully. I did. I ended up with a nice, strong, warm, and very lightweight shawl. I don't know if Fingerlakes Unspun is available any longer, but Schoolhouse Press in Wisconsin (they're also online), started by Elizabeth Zimmermann and continued by her daughter, Meg Swansen, carries it in all sorts of solid colors and in variegateds. Grand River Yarns in Canada also carries unspun; I believe the brand they carry is called White Buffalo, but don't quote me. Grand River Yarns is on the web.

I found the instructions that came with my Fingerlakes Unspun, which I've copied out here; hope they're of help:

Tips to Use Fingerlakes Unspun:

Use one strand (=sportweight) for a light garment (we recommend needles US #4 or 5; 5 sts = 1").
Two strands for most sweaters (4 sts = 1" on needles #9; 3.5 sts = 1" on #10 1/2).
Three strands for a heavy sweater (3 sts = 1" on #11).
Four strands for a heavy coat (2.5 sts = 1" on #13).

[I knit very loosely, so I never achieve any gauge that's given in any pattern. ;-) HB]

One lb. is enough to knit an average down to the waist long sleeve sweater with two strands. You can also experiment with using two strands of one color, then switching after several rows to one strand of the same color and one strand of a new color, then two of the new color and so on. This is very pretty and works well in a plain stockinette stitch. Most pattterns calling for a gauge of 3 1/2 or 4 sts = 1" (or worsted weight) are adequate for two strands of Fingerlakes Unspun.

Do not knit too tight. You can use one strand from the outside of the spool and one from the inside if you wish. Just remember to pull a few yards gently out ahead of time. [Frankly, I think you'd end up with a total mess if you did this, so I've never tried. HB]

This unspun yarn is quite strong after being knitted but somewhat fragile beforehand. If it breaks, do not make a knot. Just overlap the two ends and keep on knitting. [That's how I join in a new ball of yarn of any type when I knit. HB]

Fingerlakes Un-Spun knits up quickly and makes a very soft garment.

Note: Any discoloring of yarn is the result of the manufacturing process and will wash out easily.

Hazel


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## Bummy (Sep 6, 2013)

Wow - thanks for all the info on knitting with this. It must be the same as the "pencil roving" I have tons of, and it's too fragile to spin!
I'll try knitting it.
Thanks again!
Linda


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## ToastyTea (Jan 23, 2016)

I've spun it into yarn. Yes it's a little slubby, but if I wanted perfectly smooth yarn, I'd buy commercial stuff. It's really easy to spin - no drafting, just feed it in quickly to add a little twist. I called it mindless spinning. I spun up two "wheels" in related color ways, then plied them together. The resulting yarn is close to worsted, and a little too rough for next-to-skin. I'm hoping it will soften with soaking in wool wash. It hasn't told me yet what it wants to be, so it's still sitting in my stash.


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## amoamarone (Feb 21, 2015)

What idea you plied it with thread to give it some stability and then knit with it?


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

I spun one color repeat of my Noro Rainbow roll. I plied it with some light brown Coopworth I had on hand. I'm actually liking what I ended up with! Lightweight fluffy and springy yarn! I will finish the rest the same way, then decide what to knit once I know the total yardage.


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

BirchPoint said:


> I spun one color repeat of my Noro Rainbow roll. I plied it with some light brown Coopworth I had on hand. I'm actually liking what I ended up with! Lightweight fluffy and springy yarn! I will finish the rest the same way, then decide what to knit once I know the total yardage.


Your handspun is just gorgeous! Great job!

Hazel


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

BirchPoint said:


> I spun one color repeat of my Noro Rainbow roll. I plied it with some light brown Coopworth I had on hand. I'm actually liking what I ended up with! Lightweight fluffy and springy yarn! I will finish the rest the same way, then decide what to knit once I know the total yardage.


That really is lovely. I would never think of a light brown going with the other colors but I sure does with a very pretty result.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

BirchPoint said:


> I spun one color repeat of my Noro Rainbow roll. I plied it with some light brown Coopworth I had on hand. I'm actually liking what I ended up with! Lightweight fluffy and springy yarn! I will finish the rest the same way, then decide what to knit once I know the total yardage.


That is lovely. Good choice with the plying color!


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## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

BirchPoint said:


> I spun one color repeat of my Noro Rainbow roll. I plied it with some light brown Coopworth I had on hand. I'm actually liking what I ended up with! Lightweight fluffy and springy yarn! I will finish the rest the same way, then decide what to knit once I know the total yardage.


That looks great


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