But I came to talk about the draft...spinning a new fiber.
I got my samples from South West Trading Company today...
(They make SOYSILK® brand soy fiber yarn and spinning fiber, among other things.)
I had requested a sample of their "Black Diamond Fiber” which is a carbonized bamboo fiber. I know this doesn’t sound very nice, but what it means is that it is a beautiful silvery steel grey fiber, with a bit more crimp in it than bamboo fiber normally has.
Just in the package it was beautiful. It sat there in its plastic with a soft sheen of silver grey, all smooth and combed out, begging to be made into something soft and drape able.
I promptly grabbed the nearest spindle and set to...
It spins up fabulously!
It is a tad odd at first, having a texture like spinning silk, but with a bit more slip. The closest thing I can compare it to is an Alpaca/ Silk blend I tried once....
I used a VERY short draw, as the spindle that I grabbed was on the heavy side for this fiber, and I wanted to avoid "drop" spindling.
It spun into a very fine smooth single, and plied back on itself quite enthusiastically. The resulting two-ply is a thin sock yarn weight. (Believe me, I have plans for socks out of this stuff!)
Product: Black Diamond Fiber
100% carbonized bamboo fiber
Eco friendly, with no petroleum products
No animal products, 100% Vegan, and biodegradable.
It is UV resistant, with natural anti-odor properties.
I will definately be carrying this fiber, since it is so nice!
I think everyone should buy from me, but I do not yet have it in stock, obviously, since I just got my samples!
It should be available at your local spinning supply store or online, if you can’t wait.
It looks like an expensive fiber, so it may be best used as a blend with a less expensive wool, but given how thin it spun up, even an ounce or two will go a long way
Happy spinning!.