Custom Batts

Custom Batts

These batts are perfectly fun little projects! So if you are new to spinning and are looking for some small projects that will be satisfying, simple and won't take you a year to complete, these are great options. Or, if you're a seasoned spinner either in between bigger projects or feeling a little tired of that 8 pound grey fleece you bought and have been working on all winter and are in need or some color, these for a quick pick me up! And if you're just getting back to spinning and need a jump start, these are great too.

These batts provide a different effect than working from a handpainted roving. For these, the fibers were dyed individually and then blended on a drum carder into batts. Each one has a base of wool, and then some additional fiber added....hand-dyed tussah silk, hand-dyed flax, hand-dyed angora or mohair, commercially dyed glitz (angelina) or even bits of novelty yarns.

The wools used were either Coopworth, cormo, border leceister cross, blue-faced leceister, all of which felt, so they could be used for felting too. The mohair used was kid mohair.

Some have been carded particularly to spin up into a Noro-like yarn (labelled "Novelty") and others into a lovely tweed (labelled "custom").

Two sizes are available: large and small.

The large bag has enough fiber to spin and knit either two of the smaller projects shown or the kids vest. All patterns included.

The small bag has enough fiber to spin and knit any one of the 3 smaller projects. Patterns for hat, scarf and wristlets included.

Both sizes provide some information on how to handle the batts.

These are basically one of a kind batts (so once one is gone, its gone - i.e. so don't delay if you really love one and don't buy one thinking you can always get another down the line....these were not meant to be for big projects!).

Each week I'll post new ones, since we have too many to show at once.

Here are photos of some projects I did with prototype batts:

And here are some examples of the yarn spun with it's corresponding fiber or knitted swatch.

swatch yarn

and finally some examples of them felted:

Here are the batts that are available:

Small size: $20

This turquoise and olive batt is a lovely blend of wool and kid mohair, approx 85%/15%. The colors look great together...I did up a batch of this one for myself!

Large size, Novelty: $35

This Sunset Novelty batt is a blend of black, red, and orange wool and hand-dyed tussah silk that is brilliant purple, pink and orange that I sometimes see out the window by the register as the sun sets over the lake. approx: 85%/15%

Large Size: $40

This gold batt is a blend of wool, mohair and silk: approx 70%, 15%, 15%

Small Size, Novelty: $20

This purple novelty batt will spin up a la Noro yarns and is a blend of wool and tussah silk and mohair: approx 70%, 15%, 15%

Large Size, Custom: $35

This Blue-Orange batt is primarily wool, with about 15% angora and a hint of glitz for a little shimmer! It will spin up predominantly blue and jade with just an occasional spark of orange. One of my favorites!

Large Size, Custom: $35

Parker's batt is a wool, silk and kid mohair blend that will spin up similarly to the vest I knit above for Parker, although I did not throw in silk noil so it will not be quite as tweedy as that one was. Rich autumnal colors!

Large, Custom: $35

I'm not sure why I call this one Bing Cherry, since I think those may be quite a bit redder, but for some reason it sticks in my mind! This is an elegant mix of black and a deep reddish burgundy with a bit of glitz added for fun. You could spin it very fine and knit a lovely and dressy (just that bit of glitz adds pizazz without going over the top) shawl.

Small Size, Custom: $20

While I was blending this one I was thinking of the Aurora Borealis, which I've honestly never seen, so maybe I'm way off! Everyone always tells me the day after we have a great display of them here! Anyway, it certainly reminds me of a night sky. Mostly wool with lots of heavy sections of lustrous tussah silk (approx. 75-25)so it will spin up with some drama!

Bermuda Blue Flax, Large: $35

I had handdyed this flax a year ago in a gorgeous series of blues and greens and teals and finally dyed the perfect shade of Bermuda Blue to go with it! The bright blue wool looks lovely with the teal flax highlights and the flax lends a bit of surface texture to the spun yarn as well.