Shana
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Posts: 108
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Post by Shana on Jan 5, 2018 14:47:21 GMT
So I bought a spinning wheel...  At the moment, I'm simply enjoying being a beginner, learning constantly and trying everything. What's the one thing you wish you'd known/practiced/understood when you were first starting to spin? |
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Post by MTRuth on Jan 5, 2018 15:50:06 GMT
Good luck Shana! No help here, I don't spin but have fun.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jan 6, 2018 3:37:22 GMT
Just to relax and practice and try different fiber preparations. I used merino top for ages. Then I tried some rollags and I really like them for spinning. They draft so easily. I have other friends that like to spin from the fold and others that like batts or spinning locks and loose fiber. Give them all a try.
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Shana
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Posts: 108
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Post by Shana on Jan 6, 2018 14:47:33 GMT
Much thanks Ann! Right now I am just trying everything, specifically the fibers that I've collected-then-rejected for felting projects.
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Post by carole aka craftywoman on Jan 9, 2018 8:46:28 GMT
When I started out Shana, I found merino really difficult to spin, so I teethed on shetland wool, the only other advice I have is if you want perfect the shops are full of that, and people pay a fortune for art yarn!! the thick/thin yarn we all start out doing - the other piece of advice someone gave me was keep your first skein/ball of wool and see how you develop :-) good luck I am sure you will be completely hooked :-) if you have carders you can mix up fibres to make something easier to spin.
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Shana
Full Member
Posts: 108
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Post by Shana on Jan 9, 2018 17:23:52 GMT
When I started out Shana, I found merino really difficult to spin, so I teethed on shetland wool, the only other advice I have is if you want perfect the shops are full of that, and people pay a fortune for art yarn!! the thick/thin yarn we all start out doing - the other piece of advice someone gave me was keep your first skein/ball of wool and see how you develop :-) good luck I am sure you will be completely hooked :-) if you have carders you can mix up fibres to make something easier to spin. Thanks Carole, that's all very useful advice. I'm super excited about learning how to do the art yarns... part of the reason I decided to spin in the first place is because I WAS spending a small fortune for those fanciful yarns for my weavings (another "habit" I picked up in 2017). I do have a vintage drum carder that I use occasionally to blend colors for felting but I'm thinking it may be too beat up to card any fine fibers. Thankfully I have hordes of fibers to try. |
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Post by Shepherdess on Jan 10, 2018 0:56:19 GMT
Do you have a picture of the carder? and the cloth. being old isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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Post by carole aka craftywoman on Jan 11, 2018 8:22:41 GMT
Shana, sometimes I spin from the dirt with alpaca and the grease with sheep fleece, which means no washing and no carding, a bit of teasing with your fingers and off you go, it's fun to try out different approaches, so I wouldn't worry about your old carder, can't wait to see your first yarn :-)
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Shana
Full Member
Posts: 108
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Post by Shana on Jan 11, 2018 16:40:24 GMT
Thanks Carole & Ann! Dropbox photo - Carder Dropbox photo - YarnHopefully you can access these photos (fingers crossed). The carder is an old chain-driven Fricke with a stained but clean cloth. I use a shoe-shine brush to push the fibers down into the cloth when I'm carding and that seems to work just fine to make batts. The second photo is of my first two attempts at plys, neither of which have been washed/set. And I *might* have ordered an Art Yarn flyer and bobbin yesterday |
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Post by MTRuth on Jan 11, 2018 17:19:01 GMT
Your carder looks to be in good shape for sure even if it is old. Your yarns look wonderful, I'm no spinner but they look perfect to me.  |
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Post by Pandagirl on Jan 11, 2018 19:56:24 GMT
The carder looks in decent shape and your played yarns are lovely.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jan 12, 2018 0:29:47 GMT
I have that carder too. Mine has metal sides but otherwise it's the same Fricke. I have the course set like that and the fine set of drums. You may be able to get the fine drums. Have you contacted them?
the spinning looks great. Save it. Once you get good at getting it even you will decide to do some thick and thin and have a heck of a time doing it.
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Post by carole aka craftywoman on Jan 12, 2018 15:23:49 GMT
Beautiful yarn Shana, well done :-)
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Post by koffipot on Jan 18, 2018 13:10:09 GMT
Nice yarn Shana. As Carole suggests, Shetland is a good for a beginner as it's a 'sticky' fibre, whereas Merino is very slippery. Treadle slowly and take you time. Look forward to seeing more of your yarns. |
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