This is the first time, in all the years spinning from combed top, did it occur to me to simply try blending many colors of combed top together into one drafted ribbon of wool to spin. After watching all of Jillian Moreno’s videos on LongThread Media, I am now practicing her “attenuating” method, which this post is about (see my Blending Notes below if you care to read the tech stuff.) This Autumn I am busy spinning a lot of handspun, hoping to greatly downsize my accumulated fiber stash, while practicing spinning techniques, and speeding up the process quite a lot by learning to spin well on my Ashford e-spinner.

♣  Blending & Spinning Notes  ♣

• Solid merino wool dyed top from Paradise Fibers in Antique, Terracotta, Rust, Salmon, and Damask.
• From each color I pulled off sections of top all approx the same length , then each one of the lengths I split lengthwise into half, then half again, equally 4 thinner lengths of each color in the same length. 
• Each of the 4 split lengths of 5 colors gets grouped together, and with tips together, I slowly begin to pull the colors together (Jillian calls it “attenuating”) incrementally stretching, or drafting. I do this a couple times for each grouping, then lightly wrap into a nest of fiber ready to spin.  
• As I did not card this top , I wanted to make the drafting as easy as possible without misaligned fibers,  I wanted to try the attenuated top method.  I see the point in this; it is not just blending colors, it is doing so while keeping the integrity and direction of the combed top, where if I put on the drum carder, would be lessening the integrity of the direction, no longer would be combed top, but carded roving from batts. 
• Spun singles, in “Z” direction, with low twist on my Ashford e-spinner. I’ve learned that with my method of knitting, the Z-spun singles would tighten twist in the knitting, whereas if it is S-spun, would loosen.
• Trying a technique of using a button to run the drafting through to help reduce gripping motion on my hands as arthritis is to be avoided at all costs. I suppose technically this is drafting through a “diz”.
• I do think the attenuated method of color blending makes a very crisp marl in the spun single, more so than carded blending would.