Author Topic: . Time to spin ? (Read 11558 times)

RUSTYME · « **Reply #30 on:** August 19, 2014, 03:18:08 pm »

In the old days that would have been ok . But now the post comes via the local sorting office , all digital and online etc . The local posty isn't one , it is many different ones . I would rather go the 'care of' route really .

Dogwalker · « **Reply #31 on:** August 19, 2014, 09:29:20 pm »

Ours changed to Newtown sorting office a few years ago so can't collect parcels locally anymore but we've still got the same postie who'll sign for parcels and leave them in the barn rather than waste his drive down my track.

RUSTYME · « **Reply #32 on:** August 20, 2014, 12:25:15 am »

Made a spindle earlier tonight .
Used a piece of 12mm dowel , sanded it from bottom to top , leaving the bottom at 12mm and taking the top down to about 9mm . Cut a notch about 1 3/4" from the top , sanded all smooth then waxed it with beeswax .
I made the whorl out of 2 discs of thick cardboard , all i had here , made holes in the centre then slid them down to about 1 1/2" from the bottom .
Tied on a couple of feet of wool and got some fleece out ready to spin . What a bloody mess lol . The spindle worked , but i didn't .
Kept going and began to get some very variable yarn spun .
It has been many years since i spun this way , and i have completely forgotten everything .
But i am getting yarn , albeit crap yarn .
Will have to get some fleece now , if anyone has any left now . They had plenty earlier , but that was when they had just sheard their sheep .
So , i am up and running at last .
I have sort of sussed the crochet now , and can do chain st , slip st , and double crochet and it looks like the pics in the book . Have been playing with that for a bit , and then the spindle , so will get the knitting going tomorrow again .
Will have the knitting going , the crochet and now the spindle , so can choose which to do depending on mood .

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #33 on:** August 20, 2014, 01:06:33 am »

Having a choice is always good for keeping the interest going.

I could never get on with drop spindles. At least, I could manage the drop part with annoying regularity but the spindling part seemed to pass me by.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #34 on:** August 20, 2014, 01:14:36 am »

Rustyme - it sounds as if you need a bit more weight in the spindle whorl. Something round the outer edge would be good although I can't think what - a length of wire maybe if you could attach it, perhaps shape it into a circle, then stitch it in place on the cardboard. Worth trying.

RUSTYME · « **Reply #35 on:** August 20, 2014, 01:39:05 am »

Yes fw , it does work as is but a bit more weight would help keep the momentum going longer .
I just used thick card board , as that was all i had here that i could work . My tools are down the land , bits of wood up here .
I could use a plastic coffee jar lid with a hole in , slide it on the spindle and fill with melted wax until the weight was right .
But the card does work , i got some almost even yarn toward the end
. The card is just a for now thing though , I will make some discs up when i get time when i am down the land .

I think the spindld must have dropped 50 times at the start before i got the hang of it Lesley , and i used to be able to spin with them .

Bionic · « **Reply #36 on:** August 20, 2014, 07:14:45 am »

A drop spindle isn't something I have been interested in before, other than the fact that you can get them in some lovely woods, but I tried a basic one yesterday and much to my surprise I had a half decent yarn almost immediately.

I have enough projects on the go at the moment but if yesterday is anything to go by I might try this again.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #37 on:** August 20, 2014, 10:41:34 am »

I prefer a top whorl spindle, as you can roll it up your leg to get a really long spin. Although I also really love my Turkish spindles which are bottom heavy but spin endlessly.
I think once you know how to draw out the yarn, then spinning works on whatever tool you use, wheel or spindle. I love having spindles (don't ask how many

) as you can spin as you walk, or stand in a queue, or wait for an interview, sit in the docs waiting room, watch your sheep, all sorts of places where you can't lug a wheel.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #38 on:** August 20, 2014, 11:34:56 pm »

I can spin on a wheel but have tried and tried with a spindle to no avail. At the most, I get a few yards on very uneven stuff. Now I can't stand up for very long, it's out of the question.

Bionic · « **Reply #39 on:** August 21, 2014, 07:10:48 am »

Lesley, one of the ladies at our group is getting on in age and can no longer use her spinning wheel but her daughter brings her each week and she uses her drop spindle sitting down. Try it.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #40 on:** August 21, 2014, 12:36:22 pm »

I use my drop spindle sitting down, as does one of our most experienced and talented spindlers at my Guild. You just have to wind on more often, is all

RUSTYME · « **Reply #41 on:** August 21, 2014, 12:47:57 pm »

Yep , i have only been playing for an hour so , but was sat down . Also when i spun with one 35 years or so ago , i did it sat down .
I couldn't manage it standing up , too much yarn etc .

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #42 on:** August 21, 2014, 10:36:25 pm »

Not so far for it to drop I suppose.

I did wonder about trying one of those spindles that you have in a bowl. I do love my spinning wheel though.

I used to know a couple who went in for the Good Life long before it became fashionable. Zoe used to reckon she could spin and ounce of wool while doing her morning walk round the fields checking the fences. She also dyed it with vegetable dyes and knitted jumpers without ever using a pattern.