Good spinning course in Melbourne, VIC Australia

[flicstarstudios]

I recently purchased an old, pre-loved spinning wheel at the Ballarat Swap Meet and then, of course, had to find some classes to learn how to spin.

I was surprised to find that there wasn’t a lot of choice! In the end I signed up for the 5 week Introduction to Spinning course run by the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria. And I’m glad I did, because it is excellent.

5 Wednesdays, 6-9pm. The teacher, Victoria, is really great. Held at the Guild rooms, it is a lovely environment, surrounded by fleece and like-minded women. Yes, we’re all chicks – although I’m sure they must get men sometimes too.

I am only 2 weeks in, and already I can spin 
We learnt to ply last week, and our homework was scouring. We started with raw fleece, so that was fun to see it go from dirty to clean.

Next class we are learning about non-sheep fibres, and I think week 4 we do some dyeing.

It is really fun, as a felter, to become a bit more intimate with fibres. Working with fleece from the raw state, handling the staples and flicking out the vegetable matter. Learning about the different sheep and comparing the crimp in fine and coarse fleece. I am learning a lot.

If you live in these parts, and have ever thought about doing this course I can really recommend it.

[Shepherdess]

Sounds like a great course that lets you touch on all part of spinning. It sounds like you are having a great time. I hope she told you to keep your first spinning. It takes a lot of effort to make similar yarn on purpose after you learn to spin fine and even.

[Karen]

Sounds like your having a great time with this, I purchased a (pre-loved) one a couple of years ago although i dont think this one was that loved lol Hubby's taken it apart (a couple of times) and it still doesnt really want to work properly, i should actually go to our spinners group and see if they can help, I'm just on Philip Island so if all else fails i could come to you lol I actually prefered to use the drop spindle but that could be because i was always fighting with the wheel lol

[Shepherdess]

A wheel that doesn't work right is no fun. We are lucky to have a guy in our guild that is very good at fixing wheels. He has several great wheels that he has restored.

[flicstarstudios]

Yes! Our teacher does keep saying that we should keep our "art yarn" because it will be hard to do it like that on purpose when we get better.

I didn't like my wheel at first, especially because I get to use a lovely new one during lessons. Going home to my old one was no fun. And it was so old and dusty, I thought it had come to the end of its life. Or perhaps a problem with the user?
But it's amazing what a bit of sewing machine oil can do - now she runs like a dream. I'm glad I persisted.
There is still a bit of a squeak when it all gets going, a bit of wood rubbing on another bit of wood that I haven't quite figured out where it's coming from.

I think I would like to try a drop spindle too. Is it harder/easier or just different?

[MTRuth]

I haven't used a spinning wheel but did use a drop spindle. I basically taught myself and it wasn't too hard. Ann's the spinner though.

[zed]

I have a photo set on flickr for starting out on a drop spindle www.flickr.com/photos/zedster01/sets/72157623335404369/

It's only the very basics