Author Topic: Hey! From Ystradgynlais! (Read 3144 times)

TraceyD · « **on:** January 13, 2015, 11:57:09 pm »

Hey Guys n Dolls!

Hope you're all well n happyily enjoying your crafts....and the snowy weather

I'm Tracey, I live in Ystradgylais...no I haven't just mashed the keyboard...there is such a town...small n sleepy, and situated in the Swansea Valleys.

I stumbled across this lovely, interesting and incredible informative site whilst trying to find info and feedback about drum carders. I am finally sick of hand carding...and in search of a reasonably priced carder - looks like we're gonna have to shell out around £300

but its gotta be worth it inni? Her-in-doors (as I affectionately call my bf) has said he will buy me one for my burfday - the big 50 coming is up in a few weeks

so I deservea big pressie eh? So I'd like to thank the posters who made comments about their experience with different carders. i think I have setled on getting the Classic Carder in oak. Getting excited just looking at the picture!!

I do all kinds of crafts. I was a fine artist, specializing in oils but suffered a brain injury 7 years ago. After my brain operation, I found it hard to paint because of nerve and brain damage, so turned to textiles - a hobby I'd had since childhood but turned away from after a lot of years working in sewing factories!

Rekindeling my love of textiles i took to embroidery and crochet...the crochet kind of naturally led to wanting to learn to spin my own wool... well, wool from sheep that I prepared myself - not wool I had grown on my own body! I was luckyand stumbled across a farmer on freecycle who was giving away fleece

the only problem was that I took all of the fleece, not just a couple. I ended up with about 10 bin bags stuffed full - I'd say around 30 full fleeces and a few not so complete! Crazy for a complete novice!! I spent the whole summer washing and dying the fleece - well some of it - in the Welsh valleys we don't get many days when its warm enough and dry enough to dry fleeces!! The fleeces turned out to be a right mixture - and VERY DIRTY - some so dirty that I thought the fleece was black - but when washed turned out to be white!! I think those were mining sheep btw!!!

I don't know the breeds of sheep they came from, some is Welsh mountain sheep - very wirey and tough, but fairyly long. SOme comes from other sheep - lovely and soft and also long. So my freecycle find was lucky. I still have about 10 fleeces in a quilt cover in my store cupboard waiting to be washed. I have heaps dyed nd waiting to be carded and some undyed also needing to be carded. I have done a lot by hand - but tbh, its not very nice to spin as the batts are very short.

I'm teaching myself to spin. Got a nice little wheel off ebay - its ok, but one day I have promised to buy myself a better my fancy one! But to learn, this one is fine. I also drop spin a little. I'm not very good at spinning yet, but I will be one day!!

I felt too...and lino cut...not many crafts I don't do actually!!!

So thats me. I look forward to joining in on this forum, and getting to know everyone! So...hello - and goodnight - tiz all most midnight so I best get to bed!

Rosemary · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2015, 08:59:26 am »

Hello and welcome! Phew, I feel quite tired reading about your crafts though. Hope you enjoy TAS - it's amazing how popular crafting has become again - through love not necessity - and especially fleece craft.

Greenerlife · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2015, 09:05:56 am »

Hello from much-easier-to-spell-Surrey!

Your experience with fleece sounds pretty much like mine - given loads of fleece and thought 'I'll learn to spin' Tirned out those "free" fleeces have cost me a fortune! And my OH is still waiting for his free sweater!

devonlady · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2015, 09:10:29 am »

A very warm welcome from Devon

You may want to visit Jill Harrison's site, she does amazing things with fleece. Her tawny owl is staring at me as I type

Bionic · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2015, 10:20:03 am »

Hello and welcome to the forum for a snowy Carmarthenshire. There are quite a few of us on here who spin. I am currently spinning some fleece from my own sheep that I dyed with natural dyes.

Perhaps I will bump into you if you go to Wonderwool in April.

FiB · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2015, 10:23:45 am »

Hello from similarly unpronounceable (until you learn the Welsh alphabet) cefnddwysarn.

I am on the spinners UK site on FB and just learning really. And have also just had a classic carder - it will enhance your life :-) can't wait to see some of your art and craft Fiona xx

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2015, 05:28:34 pm »

from Shropshire but in Bala at the moment, meeting up with FiB tomorrow for a spinning workshop.

As well as spinning (and I have a Classic Drum Carder), I knit, weave and do felt making. Also keep goats.

TraceyD · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2015, 11:08:57 pm »

Hey Ladies!
Ty for the welcome

Worn you out already Rosemary? lol Sorry - I'm hell of a chaterbox!! Yes, I agree, crafting has become very popular (at long last) for years I crafted alone... many of my mates thought I was abit of a looney for doing stuff like makeing my own Chrimb cards - now they're all doing it! We have a thriving craft club in our town - I've taught quite a lot of the ladies to needlefelt, most of them had never heard of it but after seeing me do it they all wanted a go!

Yes, greenlife - the free fleece has become a bit of an expense what with the dyesm hand carder and now a drum carder! lol but its all good fun inni?
Hey devon Lady - can you give me the url for Jill Harrisons site please - sounds really interesting!
Hey Bionc! Oh yes Wonderwool!!! I can't wait!!! Missed it last year as it was on the weekend of my daddys' funeral and wake.

You only live up the road from me inni? Carmarthens not too far away issi?
Hey Fib! So you're up North issi? Can't wait to get my carder, its allordered n paid for now - but her-in-doors has said I'm not allowed it tillmy burfday - end of February!! Rotten git in he?
Hey Mad Goatwoman - Bala is a beautiful area isn't it? fab you are meeting with FIB for the workshop. I have yet to share spinning with a friend, none of mine are interstedin spinning, but I have now found out about th Spinners, dyers and weavers guild in Pontardawe - I am deffo gonna join when my life isn't quite so crazy! Do you do anything with your goat fluff?

Thanks again everyone for making me feel so welcome!

Bionic · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2015, 09:21:38 am »

Tracey, if you are ever this way we have a spinners, dyers and weavers group in Llansadwrn. We meet on Tuesday afternoons between 2 and 4pm and it only costs £1.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2015, 11:17:57 pm »

Tracey, I've never tried the goat fluff. It's very short though and I suspect that it would be hard to spin. I've not been doing it long. I was a weaver for a long time before that.