The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Greenerlife on March 11, 2014, 06:21:49 pm
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Very very excited about buying a wheel now. Itching to get going with my fleeces. have to practice rolags and have a heap ready for when I get my wheel.
This is proving to be a most expensive hobby, all caused by my local shepherd giving me ten fleeces! :roflanim:
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Now you know why the shepherd gave them away... ;) On the plus side, you get to feel smug when you are sporting that lovely new, toasty warm jumper next winter.
Spinning's something I'd love to try, so I look forward to hearing how you get on (not least as it might help convince OH that sheep really are a good idea, he's nearly there, but a little more encouragement won't hurt ;D).
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I am pretty sure that my shepherd doesn't even realise that wool comes from sheep! ;D I am going to surprise him with a knitted hat made from his sheep. Thinking of getting an Ashford Joy wheel and I am really itching to get going. Have made 20 or so rolags so far....
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:roflanim: That wouldn't surprise me one bit!!
My sister-in-law spins and makes all sorts of weird and wonderful things from the result. Sadly she's not got time to teach me, but I'm learning all sorts of new things this year so you never know... definitely keep posting the progress, I've been reading all of TAS avidly!! ;D
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:roflanim: That wouldn't surprise me one bit!!
My sister-in-law spins and makes all sorts of weird and wonderful things from the result. Sadly she's not got time to teach me, but I'm learning all sorts of new things this year so you never know... definitely keep posting the progress, I've been reading all of TAS avidly!! ;D
I go to a weekly spinning group at the reading room at Llansadwrn. It's near enough for you to get to. It's 2pm on Tuesdays and new members are always welcome. It only costs £1 too.
I don't currently have any broadband ( I am sending this from Ikea in Cardiff, while Geoff is at the Millenium stadium watching the rugby), been without it for over 3 weeks now and BT don't seem any nearer to sorting it out. So if you respond I won't be a let o see it for a while.
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Ah, now, see, that's more temptation, you've really started something here Greenerlife!! :D (In a good way, that is.)
Bionic, sorry to hear about your internet again, maybe I can ask you more about the group when you can access the net a bit more easily and I've finished my bee course (only a few weeks to go, but as I don't drive OH might take issue with being driven somewhere else at the moment!)...
Any more progress Greenerlife? Would you say it's an easy thing to pick up?
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Be warned, spinning is seriously addictive! I am just teaching myself, having bought an at least third hand Ashford a Traditional wheel. I just love it, and have made my first item from some alpaca I spun and then knitted into a snood. I am now working on a throw for the bed, which will take some time but be worth it in the end.
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30 rolags. :)
Seeing my spin master on Monday to talk wheels....
Excited.
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Would you say it's an easy thing to pick up?
It's really, intensely difficult and frustrating - for a short while, then suddenly it clicks and you're away :D
I've seen some people spinning within a few hours, others take longer. I am a complete klutz at anything demanding manual dexterity and it took me a couple of months to really get it. I don't think I've seen anyone else take as long as I did! lol
Get yourself along to your local Guild or group - some of them might have wheels they can lend you, even loan out, and all of them will have lovely generous people very glad to help you get started :)
Be warned, spinning is seriously addictive!
It is. :innocent: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :spin: :knit: :spin: :excited:
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I was at my spinning group this afternoon. It's such fun to sit in a room full of people spinning away, most on wheels but some on drop spindles. It's interesting to see all the different sorts of wheels as well. We have a bring and buy table and I try desperately to resist temptation. I nearly gave in and bought some more fleece today but someone got there before me, thank goodness. I have loads of the stuff.
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It's such fun to sit in a room full of people spinning away
It is, isn't it! I'm very lucky that I can do:
1st Saturday - Travelling Spinners, different venues around Northumberland
Every Wednesday - Stanhope Spinners
1st Friday - 'at home' with one of my Guild members
2nd Friday afternoon - my own local fibre group
2nd Saturday - Dumfries Guild
3rd Saturday - my own (Eden Valley) and also Tynedale Guild (I go to Tynedale now and again, especially May for the wonderful Spinners' Gathering, and in August each year the two Guilds have a joint meeting)
And there are knitting groups in Carlisle on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons too. :)
And in winter, when it's harder to get to Stanhope, three of us local spinners meet up at my spot some weeks to spin in my front room :) (Now will be lovely and warm as the new Rayburn feeds a large radiator in there :excited:)
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I keep seeing this thread go past and thinking you mean an hour of indoor cycling / vomiting set to music (http://youtu.be/1rIlu-TxLng?t=8m30s). I wonder if the two could be combined? ;D
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Big thanks Greenerlife - sister-in-law has just been over for dinner, I mentioned your thread and she has offered me a 'spare' (!!) spinning wheel on semi-permanent loan!! Looks like I'm in business, all thanks to you :hug:
Bionic, I'll be in touch as soon as I know you've managed to get back online... :D
One way or the other moving to Wales and joining TAS have been the best things we've ever done!
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Big thanks Greenerlife - sister-in-law has just been over for dinner, I mentioned your thread and she has offered me a 'spare' (!!) spinning wheel on semi-permanent loan!! Looks like I'm in business, all thanks to you :hug:
Bionic, I'll be in touch as soon as I know you've managed to get back online... :D
One way or the other moving to Wales and joining TAS have been the best things we've ever done!
Yay! :excited: That's great!
I am a complete novice, so we'll have to compete! I was given these fleeces and then went to Woolfest and bought a drop spindle and I mostly blame Fleecewife and some others here for enthusing me so much, so it's great to have passed some of that on! Going tomorrow to meet with my fleecemaster (as I like to call him) so looking forward to it!
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1st Saturday - Travelling Spinners, different venues around Northumberland
Every Wednesday - Stanhope Spinners
1st Friday - 'at home' with one of my Guild members
2nd Friday afternoon - my own local fibre group
2nd Saturday - Dumfries Guild
3rd Saturday - my own (Eden Valley) and also Tynedale Guild (I go to Tynedale now and again, especially May for the wonderful Spinners' Gathering, and in August each year the two Guilds have a joint meeting)
And there are knitting groups in Carlisle on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons too. :)
And in winter, when it's harder to get to Stanhope, three of us local spinners meet up at my spot some weeks to spin in my front room :) (Now will be lovely and warm as the new Rayburn feeds a large radiator in there :excited: )
You are sooooooo lucky. I just get my group third Saturday in the month and craft club first Saturday afternoon. I would like to join a knitting group but they all seem to be in the evenings and that is my worst time, physically, until about 9pm when all my drugs are working again.
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I keep seeing this thread go past and thinking you mean an hour of indoor cycling / vomiting set to music (http://youtu.be/1rIlu-TxLng?t=8m30s). I wonder if the two could be combined? ;D
Good grief - is that an advert for amphetamines? The woman's insane. Fortunately I missed the vomiting.
Fibre spinning is the complete opposite of that - majestic and relaxing (when it's going right) :spin:
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[quote
I am a complete novice, so we'll have to compete! I was given these fleeces and then went to Woolfest and bought a drop spindle and I mostly blame Fleecewife and some others here for enthusing me so much, so it's great to have passed some of that on! Going tomorrow to meet with my fleecemaster (as I like to call him) so looking forward to it!
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I'm so glad to have been of service :bow: 8) :spin: make sure you keep us in the picture :thumbsup:
Sallyintnorth - that is one serious fibre addiction :roflanim:
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Sallyintnorth - that is one serious fibre addiction :roflanim:
lol - I didn't mean I went to all of those meets every month and week!, just that they are there if I want them :)
But spinning and fleece-related things are now a BIG part of my life, for sure - and I blame you and jaykay for that! (And will never stop being grateful to you both :-*)
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From my point of view (or perhaps more accurately OH's!! ;)) I think that's the only problem with TAS - so much enthusiasm, so many ideas... I've never known when to stop or how to relax as it is!! :D You may have created, or at least encouraged, a smallholding monster :excited:
I am a complete novice, so we'll have to compete!
Oo'er, perhaps egg each other on, not least as I've really yet to start, you're beating me already! (Having grown up with 5 brother's I think I'm cured of competition forever!!)
Fleecewife, I'm guessing the buck (or sheep) doesn't stop there - what got you started? Same question to Sallyintnorth and Jarkay? Love your avatar pic by the way Fleecewife (really must get round to doing mine), that's one spectacular beastie I'd love to draw!
Happy spinning all (though I definitely mean the kind involving wheel and fleece Womble - the other makes me feel sick just thinking of it!!)!
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What got me started? Well, my aunt had been spinning and weaving for years and I'd always managed to avoid her teaching me - too much else to do, job, young family, loads of other hobbies, two allotments and so on. Then we bought our smallholding and my health plummeted so I couldn't do the physical work (we had planned about 6 acres of market garden supplying restaurants)
So, we got three Jacobs to eat all the grass we were left with (Obviously not going to be enough, but we were novices and so innocent). The first time they were shorn I had these bags of wonderful, soft, colourful, gorgeous-smelling, and above all exciting bags of fleece. I knew then that I had been dragged in to spinning so I just submitted 8) I bought a spinning wheel and simply practised til I could do it.
My first Jacob jumper for my husband was so heavy he could barely walk around in it :roflanim:
Sheep are even more addictive than spinning, so we added Hebs, Shetlands, and a variety of 'fleece specials' and I was hooked forever. Now I'm heading down the weaving route, using my handspun.
I never expect to be 'good' at fibre crafts in a competitive way which is just as well because I always have been disobedient, so if there's a 'right way' to do something then I will always find a different path ::)
I've never been as totally committed to spinning as Sally is though :spin: :o :roflanim:
SbtR - look at my website for more multihorn Heb pics. It would be lovely to know Gladstone Laughing Boy or one of his progeny has been the subject for your drawing :thumbsup: We'd need to see the final pic though :sheep:
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I always have been disobedient, so if there's a 'right way' to do something then I will always find a different path
Hmm, that sounds familiar - at last, I've found somewhere the square peg fits!! ;D
What a great story, thank you. Weaving... oooh, one step at a time me thinks... :innocent:
And what a great website and lovely pics... think I'll have to PM you so as not to totally hijack this thread - looking forward to more updates on spinning... (OH's new obsession is Facebook, so at least I'm being more practical with mine ;)).
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I wouldn't say I was committed ... maybe I should be committed lol
I'd always loitered wistfully near people spinning at agri and country shows, hoping one of them would talk to me, maybe invite me to have a go - but no-one ever did.
Then jaykay started and enthused on TAS, and BH said would I like some rare breed sheep so I thought I maybe should look at using their fleeces... and between jaykay and fleecewife encouraging me, and our lovely local Guild (I joined the same Guild as jaykay) - well, I loved it and even though it did take me quite a while to get the hang of it, I knew I would enjoy it enough for it to be worth the effort.
And that history of loitering wistfully is why I came to be at Spinners' Corner at the inaugural Scottish Smallholder Show, with a spare wheel and offering everyone who was interested a go ;)
And now I am committed to doing a 'Sheep to Shawl on the Wall' challenge on Hadrian's Wall in July... :o Anyone who can spin, knit, crochet, knot, tat, weave, peg-loom, create a square out of yarn in any way whatsoever - please come along and give us a hand, even if only for an hour!
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I'd always loitered wistfully near people spinning at agri and country shows, hoping one of them would talk to me, maybe invite me to have a go - but no-one ever did.
Now that is a very familiar story Sally :( So, I take a wheel, or if I can't carry that then a spindle, to livestock shows, hospital O/P departments, and other public places I attend. I sit and spin away quietly to myself and the crowds start to gather. I love letting people have a go - funnily enough it's boys from about 10 to 14 who are most fascinated. But there have been lots of people who have become hooked this way ;D But even if I don't persuade folk to have a go, then at least they are seeing spinning :spin: being done in public and start to understand what it is. The same goes for knitting :knit:
All it takes is for me to look up when I see shoes around me, smile at whoever's watching, then I start to talk, they start to talk, more people gather and soon I have a little class.
One year at the Highland Show I had my little group of about 20 gathered around, bursting with questions, whilst my husband was giving a shearing demo close by. So people were able to watch the shearing, then I would sort the fleece on a tarp and bring it over to my wheel for the next stage. Great.
Why do some spinners guard their skill without passing it on? I am basically quite shy, so if I can share then so could they. Here's to spreading the word.
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If skills aren't passed on they die out. I can never understand people that don't want to share their knowledge but that's probably because I was a teacher. Or maybe it's why I became a teacher.
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I'm still without my broadband >:( :( and am currently in Llandeilo library. Somewhere-by-the-river are you going to Wonderwool? I think its the last weekend in April at Builth Wells. Lots of stuff there to get really addicted to ;D
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Hi Bionic, sorry to hear you are still having issues with broadband, what a pain. If you get really stuck PM me, we're not far from Llandeilo and only about 25 minutes from you...
Oooh, Wonderwool.... :yum: My sister-in-law goes every year, so I've heard of it, but have yet to go myself (she practically passes my door to get there, but she's said nothing and is so busy I don't like to ask). Think I'd have fun trying to persuade OH to take me, though the good news is he's all up for me trying spinning, so we're one step closer to getting sheep too :excited:
To all those who try to pass on the knowledge - if only the world were more full of the likes of you, what a wonderful place it would be!
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In the library AGAIN as we still don't have broadband and now don't have a land line either.
BT told us yesterday (while the land line was still working) that our broadband fix is scheduled for 19th June. You must be joking, doesn't even go close to what we said. Just after that the land line went down. We have suspicions that they might have done that on purpose so that our fix could get brought closer. Anyway, they have now agreed to mend the cables next week and we should be ok by Wed evening. I'm not holding my breath though. ;D
If you need a lift to Wonderwool let me know as I will definitely be going.
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Sally, that's ridiculous. I hope they do get it fixed now.
I'm not going to Wonderwool this year. I would like to be daren't as I still haven't used what I bought last year and I know I'd have no will-power if I saw something I liked.
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I have my very firs hanks of wool that I HAVE SPUN! How exciting is that? Now just have to dye them and get knitting.
My other half is being very rude about them being uneven and a bit slubby, but I don't care. (Although I am concerned that my second hank is much more even than my first! :excited: ). Perhaps I will have to knit it on alternate rows.
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Well done :thumbsup: . My skeins are still uneven and slubby but who cares. It's a feature, not a problem.
I love the dyeing bit. Are you going to use natural or acid dyes?
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Well done! :trophy: :excited: :spin: :knit:
Uneven and slubby is all the rage! (And anyway, who wants it so regular people don't realise you spun it yourself!? ;))
But yes, knitting with two balls together, two rows from one then two rows from the other, will merge differences between the two skeins into a nice textured FO :)
We shall, of course, require pictures... :eyelashes: :eyelashes:
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I have some acid dyes, but would prefer to do natural. I am going on yet another course about that! :roflanim: I so loved the mixed rainbow stuff somebody on here did - will have to look that up again!
It's great that as a noobie, I can get all this support from you much more experienced spinners and dyers! Thanks! :thumbsup:
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I am torn between acid and natural but the acid dyes are easier to use so generally I go for those.
If you feel like experimenting then injecting a water soaked ball of wool with different colours is fun.
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I have my very firs hanks of wool that I HAVE SPUN! How exciting is that? Now just have to dye them and get knitting.
My other half is being very rude about them being uneven and a bit slubby, but I don't care. (Although I am concerned that my second hank is much more even than my first! :excited: ). Perhaps I will have to knit it on alternate rows.
Or have featured more slubby parts as a textured band, say around the yoke and cuffs if it's a jumper, or the brim if it's a hat. :knit:
It's wonderful having your first skeins - well done. :spin:
OHs who are scathing about what we produce should be sat down at the wheel and made to produce better, and to have to clean the toilets every day :bunny:
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And a fun way to start is to use food dyes - dyeing with Kool Aid (a children's drink in the US) is a lot of fun :)
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My other half is being very rude about them being uneven and a bit slubby
He'll be laughing on the other side of his face when you've got a gorgeous totally homemade and much admired jumper and he's cold next winter. ;)
It's been great hearing about your progress, you've really inspired me. I'm still waiting for my promised semi-permanent loan wheel, but Sally, I'm abut to PM you about your spinning group now my beekeeping course is coming to a close... :excited:
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Good point SBTRiver! :roflanim:
I have borrowed an Ashford joy from my fleecemaster until next spinning group, and I am really enjoying it. I have found that it is much easier to spin with my better-prepared rolags though! Is there any difference between spinning with hand carded rolags and drum carded batts (and am I using the correct terminology?).
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I'm a bit slapdash with my hand carded rolags so for me the batts work better as I tend to put the fleece through the carder several times.
If you do both properly I don't think you should find much differencfe.
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I have my very firs hanks of wool that I HAVE SPUN! How exciting is that? Now just have to dye them and get knitting.
My other half is being very rude about them being uneven and a bit slubby, but I don't care. (Although I am concerned that my second hank is much more even than my first! :excited: ). Perhaps I will have to knit it on alternate rows.
Tell OH you were aiming for an ethnic look and ask him to demonstrate how to spin very even yarn.
I agree with SallyITN that it needs to look handspun or there's no point in spinning it.
FW love the idea of making OHs clean the toilet if they criticise. Unfortunately, my OH is very complimentary about my spinning so I have to clean them myself. ;D
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So excited - felt I had to share. :hug:
Got a Zwartbles fleece yesterday, and washed it and started carding and, as my loan spinning machine has gone back ( :-[ ) I did some on a Turkish spindle. Wow! What a difference it is to the Southdown I had before! Really crimpy and coarse but flows like a dream and got to a decent (and even) thread. Even more exciting - my new Ashford Joy will be with me next Tuesday! :spin: Woo hoo!
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I am jealous that you have an even thread already. I have been spinning for a couple of years now and mine is still hit and miss.
Good preparation really makes a difference though.
:thumbsup: for next Tuesday
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I am jealous that you have an even thread already. I have been spinning for a couple of years now and mine is still hit and miss.
Ha ha! When I say 'even thread', what I really mean is 'more even than the slubby stuff I did before' It's just a question of degree! Haven't plied it yet but I think it will be knitable for what I want it for.
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Mine, too, Sally. I just tell people I am aiming for the 'ethnic' look. ;)
BTW, I am selling my Ashford Traveller as I don't really have space for two wheels and I prefer my Joy. I'm asking £200 which is what it cost me but it would have to be collected as it's too awkward a shape to post unless anyone has any ideas.'
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Spinning group today. Sitting in the sun and spinning. Bliss. :spin: :sunshine: ;D
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I'm so busy in the veggie patch at this time of year I haven't had time to spin :spin: :( Also I'm nearing the end of a knitting project so am concentrating on that in the evenings.....AND I have to comb a whole load more fleece before I can spin it. All excuses I know, but I would love to be sitting spinning in the garden in the lovely sunny weather we're having :spin: :knit: :sunshine:
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Same here >:( Putting up sheep fences is a necessity, spinning a luxury. Next month the summer markets will begin -then I have time to spin again :excited:
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Mad Goatwoman of Madely , just out of curiosity is your Traveller double drive ? I believe a few are.
Greenerlife I'm interested to hear how you get on with the Zwartbles fleece, I have ordered one direct from the farmer.
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All Travellers are now double drive, and will do scotch tension too. But a lot of the earlier ones were scotch tension only.
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Greenerlife I'm interested to hear how you get on with the Zwartbles fleece, I have ordered one direct from the farmer.
I bought mine direct too (£6.50 - what a bargain). I am, as you can see a complete novice, but the fleece is massively different from the Southdown I have been spinning. No doubt I am learning a lot. The Zwartbles is really crimpy and much much more coarse, but also it does make carding much easier and the actual spinning is good on a drop spindle. I can't imagine it would be easy to spin a fine wool, but that is good, because ideally I would prefer something a bit chunky. I'll let you know when I have done some on my new Joy - I have it now - but it's still packed in its box! (I really want open it now, but I have to go get feed and wash my chickens bottoms! :roflanim: )
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Mad Goatwoman of Madely , just out of curiosity is your Traveller double drive ? I believe a few are.
It's Scotch tension. I've never used a double drive wheel. What difference does it make?
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Well - my Joy has arrived just as my other half is away for a couple of days. Spent hours and hours spinning my new Zwartbles fleece last night...I may not get away with that again... :excited:
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So I take it you are getting joy from your Joy ;D
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Greenerlife :thumbsup:
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So I take it you are getting joy from your Joy ;D
Weird because I wrote a reply and it has disappeared?
Anyway the answer is yes - it has improved since the one I borrowed! it has weird spring loops rather than hooks which are much easier to manage on the flywheel, but I think I understand it.
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Ok - got my first skein of washed, carded, spun wool, which I have just plied. Should I now be washing it again to 'set' the ply before knitting? (Really excited now - really, really really happy with how the Zwartbles has turned out)
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Ok - got my first skein of washed, carded, spun wool, which I have just plied. Should I now be washing it again to 'set' the ply before knitting? (Really excited now - really, really really happy with how the Zwartbles has turned out)
Glad you've enjoyed yourself and are happy with your yarn :)
Yes you should wash it now to set the twist.
Wash and rinse, gently squeeze the water out ; you can roll it in a towel and walk on that but do not wring, and/or spin it in a spin-dryer or salad spinner to assist drying. I put the skein over my two arms and snap my arms apart very sharply a few times, then rotate it by 90 degrees and repeat. Sometimes I thwack the skein against the wall.
Then hang it up to dry. :)
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Some people weight their skeins when they are hanging up to dry. I never used to but have tried it recently and think I got a better yarn.
I weighted it with a bottle of kitchen/bathroom cleaner. One of those with a trigger gun as the trigger just fits nicely over the yarn.
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AndynJ - I do both types of spinning! ;D
Many thanks Bionic - fingers crossed I am getting a niddy-noddy for my birthday next week - my skein is a bit short as I used my elbow to wind it! I would wash it today, but it is tipping down with rain here today (and tomorrow >:( )
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AndynJ - I do both types of spinning! ;D
Many thanks Bionic - fingers crossed I am getting a niddy-noddy for my birthday next week - my skein is a bit short as I used my elbow to wind it! I would wash it today, but it is tipping down with rain here today (and tomorrow >:( )
If you are desperate to wash it (I always am too) wash it then put it in a salad spinner if you have one. I then put it on a hanger over the bath. It doesn't take too long to dry.
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I usually roll the skein in a big towel and then squeeze by standing on it, then hang on the airer, and it drys quite quickly.
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I wrap my skeins in a big towel then squeeze it for a while against my pinny, turning it round as I go. I don't walk on it - takes me ages to spin a big skein so trampling on it seems disrespectful ::) Same with hanging it on the line - too windy to be sure it wouldn't blow away.
I then spread it out on one of my flat jumper dryers which I perch on top of an airer in the boiler room. I too find the skeins don't take long to dry, although it varies a bit with the fleece type and how tightly spun it is.
I never weight skeins as I feel it takes the spring out of the yarn, but I do snap it as SallyiN does. :spin: :knit:
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OK - going to wash it now. Do you use just hot water (already washed fleece in hand hot) or would you add some kind of detergent. (I was thinking some Ecover delicate)
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Personally I usually wash hot with a bit of Ecover; if there was any grease left in the fleece as I span, then very very hot with plenty of Ecover to get the last of the grease out. (Unless I'm leaving it in for waterproofing.)
But if it's very clean and you just want to set the twist, then it doesn't need a huge amount of heat. I'd still use a little soap though - I've been experimenting with rejuvenating fibre with a wash, and a bit of heat and a bit of soap do both seem to be required.
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Brilliant! My other half now completely thinks I have lost the plot! ;D Spinning wool is bad enough, but spinning it in a salad spinner?
It really worked well and is now drying on my airer. I may even start knitting...
Thanks for all the help and encouragement all!
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I have a rather nifty salad spinner, I do not use it to spin salad ;)
I was telling one of my friends I'd bought a big pasta pot from Tesco's. (Shhh! I don't go in Tecso's!) She was very surprised :o, saying she had never used a pasta pot and was amazed that I felt the need of such a thing to cook pasta.
"It's not to cook pasta!" , I replied, rather scathingly, perhaps. "Have you seen the size of the steamer section?! I can get hundreds of grammes of fibre in there!!!!" ;D
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I put wet washed skeins or fleece into a pillowcase and tie it up tight then put it into the wash machine on spin only cycle. After that it gets hung somewhere to finish drying.