# Blending fibers for spinning



## sorcerer (Feb 14, 2007)

Hi, I just harvested the first wool from my new angora rabbits. There is only a small amount (they are young satins) and I am a beginner spinner so I thought the best thing to do would be to blend it with some sheeps wool I have. I have played around with different amounts (and even managed to spin some pure angora!) but got to wondering - when you see a something that is a 50/50 blend, would that be measured by weight or volume? When I was preparing my fiber to blend I found that the sheep wool was a LOT heavier than the angora. I had expected the angora to be lighter but was surprised at how much of a difference there was. If I had measured 1 ounce of each I would have had about 5 times as much angora! 

Karin


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

The blending is done by weight. "Volume" would only work if fiber was a liquid. :buds: 

There is no other way to get an accurate percentage number, you have to use a scale. 

Most of the 'commercial' angora yarns I have seen seem to be about 15 to 20% bunny. They are plenty fuzzy enough. 
Congrats on the new rabbits. I am always sorely jealous of the angora people, because I am sooo allergic to them. Ahchoo!!!


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## sorcerer (Feb 14, 2007)

I kind of figured that as measuring volume with fiber would be a bit tricky! I think a 15-20% angora mix would be plenty soft. I think that by weight the mix I did was about that and it was lovely even though the sheep wool I mixed it with was pretty coarse. I tried to weigh it but even with the whole bag of bunny fiber it wouldn't even register on my scale! I'll have to get a more sensitive one I guess. Boy what I would do to get my hands on some nice merino wool to mix it with! 

Thanks.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

20% angora with a nice fine or fine/medium wool creates a wonderful yarn!

Like GAM, I'm allergic to angora also .... but I got a big baggie full from OzarkQuilter in the KAL and dagumit, I'm going to spin it!! After I dose up on benedryl!!


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