[quiltycats]

I recently began spinning, using an Ashford traditional, keeping Ryeland sheep gives me a supply of wool, though I was lucky enough to be given 3 alpaca fleeces in lieu of a stud fee (no intention of charging so the fleeces were a big bonus)

I am absolutely hooked, and combine spinning with quilt making as time consumers. Now that I am sure I like it I too, really lust after a drum carder and keep looking out for second hand ones. My problem is I don't knit  so what to do with the spun wool. Not being a knitter Im not sure how best to describe my wool..double knit? two ply? how do you know exactly how thick it should be?  I seem to get a consistent thickness but have no idea what it equates to in knowledgeable kitting parlance. 

http://quiltycats.blogspot.co.uk/

[Fleecewife]

Hi there quiltycats and welcome to the world of spinning 
 
You don't have to knit to spin - you could learn to weave, or crochet, or to use a pegloom.  You could also sell your yarn especially if you hand dye it      Or of course you could learn to knit    it's great 
 
The usual way to describe handspun yarn is as wpi - wraps per inch.  You wind your yarn around a ruler or special measure, with each wrap touching but not squashed up against the next one, then count how many wraps there are to an inch.   You can also give an idea of its gauge by yardage per pound, but wpi is so much simpler.
 
Second hand drum carders are a bit like hens teeth but you might get lucky.

[jaykay]

Just as FW says re uses of yarn plus thickness.

If you join your local Weavers, Spinners and Dyers guild, you may find someone there who could lend you a drum carder or even who might be selling one.

Personally I have decided I will have to save up for a classic carder

I also got back into knitting (ie I knew how to do it, but didn't) because of spinning  and am now hooked on that too.... so much to do, so little time 

[Bionic]

My local guild has a drum carder that they lend out but I decided to take the plunge and buy my own from Classic Carders. I am very pleased with it and can get through so much more fleece. I found that hand carding was a real chore.
Please do give knitting a try although you may have to perservere to get the tension right it will be worth it in the end.
I have recently been given some alpacca and have decided to try some felting with it (went on a felting course last Sunday  )
Sally
 

[Lesley Silvester]

Quiltycats, I would like to help out and so am offering to take any wool you spin off your hands.  I won't even charge you.   

Those classic carders look good and they're not as expensive as I thought they would be.

[Anke]

Classic Carders - brilliant, good (and personal) service and even more important (for me) British made. You can even choose your wood!

[jaykay]

The pennies are going in the piggybank 
Sadly, new tyres, a car service, an oil delivery and Christmas coming up, are all emptying it 

[quiltycats]

Fleecewife, thank you for the info, that helps a lot, as for the knitting ..... once I find the rossetta stone of knitting patterns maybe I will manage it.

MGoM umm thanks for that very kind offer, soon as I have imported this bridge from brooklyn some guy has been selling me I will sort that out 

Classic carders should be paying you guys commission!! I will have to save up ...thanks for the welcome!!

[Lesley Silvester]

MGoM umm thanks for that very kind offer, soon as I have imported this bridge from brooklyn some guy has been selling me I will sort that out 

 

[Dans]

oh great, now I want one of those. It's on the Christmas list (combined with birthday). Am hoping Santa is nice 

Dans 

[Mammyshaz]

Dans is that the bridge in Brooklyn or the classic carder 

I'm still wanting a set of hand careers to use on the fleece I have acquired feather than the dog brush 

Quiltycats I'm just getting back to knitting ( not that I've done much. Just bits now and again over the years) due to getting a spinning wheel. There are knitting groups out there but I'm finding my spinning guilds the best place for advice and am going to try an alien needle soon ( circular for those in the know )  I didn't know such things existed until a few weeks ago at a guild meeting.

It maybe worth you  joining a local guild. I've found them invaluable.

[Dans]

Dans is that the bridge in Brooklyn or the classic carder 

That's the classic carder but the bridge might be more likely

I keep telling myself I'll get one if I save. Then I remember the small matter of the wedding I'm having and the smallholding we are hoping to buy. Dog brushes it is!

Dans - yet to venture to her local guild but really should.

[Bionic]

Dans,
Perhaps you can put the drum carder on your wedding present list 
Sally

[Dans]

Dans,
Perhaps you can put the drum carder on your wedding present list 
Sally

Oh I have been tempted. It's the same as a toaster really. Toaster makes toast for us both. Drum carder helps me spin which helps me knit which clothes us. It could work right??

Dans

[Lesley Silvester]

Worth a try, Dans.