Spinning Bamboo Fiber & Top (on sale for a limited time)

I recently set out to learn the difference between Bamboo Fiber and Bamboo Top Fiber, because it’s hard to tell just by looking at their photos! When you see them in person, it’s clear that Bamboo Top Fiber is the more processed of the two; its shine and silky smoothness are quite the contrast to the more matte, slubby Bamboo Fiber. What does that mean for blending and spinning these two?  I did some experimenting with an Ashford Blending Board and my [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] to find out!

Above, from left to right: [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] , [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] , [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] , [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] .

After choosing two colors of Merino Top Wool Fiber, I grabbed a handful of each of the bamboos. I opted to use the slubby Bamboo Fiber with the martini olive colored Merino, and the Bamboo Top with the cinnamon colored Merino. I didn’t want the bright white color to dilute the lovely green, so I added it sparingly to the blending board. I did go a little heavier with the Bamboo Top in the other blend, though, because it blends much more easily than its more rustic counterpart.

Already, you can see the difference in how these fibers blended. The rolag on the left (with [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] and [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] ) is much less integrated, with tufts and clumps of bamboo popping up here and there. Of course, some of that has to do with my blending process, more carding ahead of time, or more extensive blending, perhaps on a drum carder, would have teased apart the clumps more thoroughly. Look at the rolag on the right – the [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] mixed in so smoothly with the Merino. It just depends what effect you prefer!

I must admit, I’m not a fan of the green singles prior to plying. I like how the bamboo fiber kind of winds around the surface of the Merino, and sits in little slubs randomly throughout the yarn. However, the effect might be more graceful if the colors of the two fibers weren’t so starkly contrasted. Not a problem if you’re a dyer! That same stark contrast worked beautifully for the cinnamon blend, though. It reminds me the tiniest bit of Moonshine by Juniper Moon Farm Yarn.

Of course, both yarns are super soft, and even the less refined Bamboo Top is wonderfully touchable. My verdict? If you’re looking for a thick and thin, slubby, tweedy texture, you should definitely go with the Bamboo Fiber. For a soft, smooth blend that could almost be mistaken for silk, the Bamboo Top Fiber is the fiber for you. These fibers will also behave very similarly to [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] , and are more slippery and strong than their close cousin White Soysilk Fiber. I suggest doing your own experiments too, as the yarns above are only a small example of what can be done with these fascinating fibers!

Try Bamboo Fiber and Bamboo Top Fiber as well as the unusual [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] , which we wrote more about here. They’re on sale  until May 1st – save now!