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Author Topic: Types of Fleece  (Read 19064 times)

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Types of Fleece
« Reply #30 on: November 17, 2010, 08:09:04 pm »
Learning to spin is abit like learning to drive I think, once you've got the hang of it it looks soooo easy (and you wonder why you couldn't do it before...). It took me a few months to learn... and my initial efforts were used to line the bottom of the compost heap....

If you have a few sessions with your spinning friend it should help a lot...

morri2

  • Joined Jun 2008
Re: Types of Fleece
« Reply #31 on: November 17, 2010, 09:26:38 pm »
Yep!! Think I'll have to go and see Molly...or my fleeces are going to end up lining my compost heap too!! I am enjoying trying though - I'm sure, like you say, once I get the hang of it I'll wonder why on earth I struggled so much at the start.  :wave:

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Types of Fleece
« Reply #32 on: November 18, 2010, 12:22:26 am »
Hi Morri2.  It's worth spending some time playing around with pieces of carded, or uncarded, fleece just to see how it works, before you dive in and try it on the wheel.  Washed fleece draws better than unwashed, and the length of the fibres governs how far apart your hands need to be when you draw.  Did you try finger spinning first?
Don't expect to be spinning fine yarn straight off, but it will come to you after a while
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

morri2

  • Joined Jun 2008
Re: Types of Fleece
« Reply #33 on: November 18, 2010, 08:05:40 pm »
Hi! Fleecewife. I've been having a go at finger spinning, must admit I'm OK until it gets to the fold it over and make a 2 ply yarn bit and then it just seem to fall apart (not very good at this am I ???).  I have also had a go a Molly's wheel when I was first considering trying spinning a few weeks ago.  I was quite good too, but probably only because Molly had already washed the fleece and started the yarn off for me.  The hardest part so far has been starting the yarn off and getting into a rhythm with it - hence the need to hand turn the wheel.  Still, Rome wasn't built in a day so I'll keep practicing and trying to keep my patience!! Watch this space......:D

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Types of Fleece
« Reply #34 on: November 19, 2010, 12:55:15 am »
Hi Morri2.  Have you discovered the magic of how to join in new fleece onto the leader?  The little hooks of the fibres catch onto the twisting leader and hold the join all by themselves.  Once you have that bit under your belt, it doesn't matter how often your yarn breaks because it's so easy to rejoin.

I think it's well worthwhile to practice wheel control before you try to spin at the same time.  I grew up with a treadle sewing machine so have never had a problem with using the wheel that way, but if you are finding you have to turn it by hand, you cannot also spin at the same time, because you need two hands for that. Practice stopping and starting the wheel and treadling slowly.  It takes a while to learn to stop it just past top-dead-centre, but it needs to be there to be able to set off again hands-free in the right direction.  Another point is that if your wheel is not properly oiled then turning the wheel will always be difficult.  I oil mine every couple of days to make sure it runs freely.

With fingerspinning, don't worry if you can't do the folding in half bit (I hook the middle around one of the maiden uprights, a door handle, anything, then bring the two ends together that way).  The important bit is to learn about the fleece you are working with by drawing it by hand, seeing how far apart your hands need to be, how thick or thin the particular fleece wants to be spun, and things like that.

Don't try too hard with spinning - relax and enjoy it - let the fleece and the wheel do the work. Your hands are just there to guide the fleece to where it wants to go.  Too tense and it doesn't run freely.  I find if I'm tired or tense then I can't spin at all and would just rip it all back the next day anyway  ;D
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

morri2

  • Joined Jun 2008
Re: Types of Fleece
« Reply #35 on: November 20, 2010, 01:37:05 pm »
Hi Fleecwife!  Thanks yet again for your help!  The bit of yarn I managed to construct by handturning the wheel is, to say the least, at bit lumpy!! ;D  Definitely need to learn wheel control before I go any further, you are right on that for sure!  I am going to see Molly next week (if she's home) and get some more lessons.  What oil do you use for your wheel - is it three in one oil??

 

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