Polar Opposite Socks Project – Step 3
by Pegg Thomas

Now comes the fun part!  It’s time to create the gradient color batts.  First I need to set aside 1 red and 1 green batt to be spun just5 as they are now.  As mentioned before, I am not a math major!  With the kind help of a calculator, pencil and paper, I came out with these figures to make the colors move smoothly from red to green.

1st batt = .8 oz (22.68) red + .2 oz (5.67) green
2nd batt = .6 oz (17.01) red + .4 oz (11.34) green
3rd batt = .4 oz (11.34) red + .6 oz (17.01) green
4th batt = .2 oz (5.67) red + .8 oz (22.68) green
(There will be 6 batts total, but remember that I’ve already set aside 1 red and 1 green.)

I pulled the batts apart and measured carefully to get the correct amount of each color in each pile.

Before feeding any of the strips back onto the drum carder, I always loosen them up and thin them, making them as wide as the feed tray on my drum carder.  For the 1st batt, I fed in half the red, then all the green, then the other half of the red.  I removed the batt, torn it into 4 strips and fed the strips back onto the drum carder.  

6 This does not completely mingle the colors!  I don’t want to do that.  I want to be able to see and pick out the individual colors even when the yarn is spun.  If I were to mingle or blend too completely, the yarn would be dull and the colors muddied up.

For the 2nd and 3rd batts, I divided both colors into 2 parts.  I fed on red – green – red – green and removed the batts.  The batts were torn into 4 strips and fed through again.  The 4th batt is a repeat of the 1st batt, just changing the green and red around.

Here are the gradient batts.  I wish the colors showed up better in the photograph, but my digital camera is a dinosaur and this is the best it can do.  On to Step 4!
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