The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Lesley Silvester on June 20, 2015, 11:06:50 pm
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I've just had my first angora goat fleece sent to me and I'm looking forward to spinning it. I've only ever spun sheep fleece before. Any hints, please?
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It felts very easily, so take care when washing, don't spin if it's hot and/or your hands are sweaty ;)
Are you planning on spinning it pure, or blending it with something?
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I'm not sure. I'd like to spin it on its own but I know it's not as easy as wool to spin.
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That sounds luxurious MGM. I'll be very interested in how you get on with it. Does it fluff up your nose like Angora rabbit? :spin:
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Well, I haven't tried spinning it on its own, but I think I'd comb it rather than card, and spin worstead from the end. The fibres are very 'grabby', so using a woollen prep and/or a woollen draw would be beyond me!
I'm currently spinning some dyed kid mohair with mulberry silk from Hilltop Cloud. The silk makes the mohair glide beautifully and it's an absolute dream to spin. But I am spinning it worstead - I'm not sure I'd be able to manage it woollen.
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Been thinking about this some more ; I think I'd be inclined to diz the combed fibre into a roving that's the size I want to spin, or pretty nearly, so I don't need to draft much, if at all, when spinning.
But try different things and see what works for you - and please let us know how you get on!
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I believe it's worsted I spin but I'm not too certain of the difference. Isn't woollen when you use the long draw method (whatever that it)?
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Longdraw is one type of woollen, yes. If you pull the fibres from their ends, that's worstead. Usually you would work from a combed prep for worstead. If your fibres are all jumbled up, that'll be woollen - so if you spin from rolags or a batt, it'll be woollen. There are all gradations and combinations in between - and lots of people who wouldn't agree with my definitions, lol.
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I'll add that worsted is a firm, possibly lustrous, well twisted, strong fibre, with all the fibres aligned along the length of the yarn. Woollen is light and fluffy with air trapped within the fibre, it's lighter and loftier than worsted-spun, and tends not to drape. The fibres are spiralled as they are spun off the rolag, not aligned like Worsted
As Sally says, most of us do something in between. I certainly don't do long draw, nor do I do very short draw, but again something in between to suit the staple length. I have a feeling mohair is normally spun worsted, but I've never spun it so I don't really know.
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I've been religiously spelling it 'worstead' (and putting up with that squiggly red line when the 'puter thinks you've spelled something wrong) after you telling me about how it was named after the place in Norfolk, FW, and then here's your post with it spelled 'worsted'! :-\ :D
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One of Jill's suggestions was to wash it in really hot soapy water to degrease it.
Then tease the locks open with your fingers or with a dog comb and spin from the locks.
I shall have to find some time to practise spinning it too. Won't be long before it's time to shear them again.
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I've been religiously spelling it 'worstead' (and putting up with that squiggly red line when the 'puter thinks you've spelled something wrong) after you telling me about how it was named after the place in Norfolk, FW, and then here's your post with it spelled 'worsted'! :-\ :D
In common usage, the village is spelt 'Worstead', the cloth is 'worsted' - apparently, from what I've seen. I too usually spell the cloth 'Worstead', but I gave into the nagging spell check - I'm so weak willed ;D :spin:
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:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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As a very novice spinner with angora goats and coloured ryeland sheep I really appreciate these comments. I have been spinning my angora from rolags and on the whole it seems to go ok but I struggle to rid of all the small knots/ seeds with carding once, so I'll try your suggestions.
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I need to finish spinning the merino/mulberry silk that I bought at Wonderwool this year as I have to make a baby shawl for September - yes, I know I'm leaving it a bit late - then I want to try the mohair. I'll let you all know how it goes.
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The hat. Love those goats. :goat:
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Oh that looks lovely! :thumbsup:
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Thanks it is the first time I have knitted from my own spun yarn, and the first time I've knitted a hat. So an old :dog:can learn new :tricks: :spin: :knit:
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Never too old to learn something new!
(But nothing will ever beat that first hat ;). Still wear mine every day
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Great hats.