I started spinning wool last year when I took a 2 hour workshop at the NH Sheep & Wool Festival. Spinning wool into yarn is very relaxing and quite rewarding when your end product is some lovely spun yarn. The wool shown in this post is pale pink Alpaca, which is getting to be one of my favorites to spin! The yarn shown on the spindle above is single strand. I will have to remove it from the spindle and re-spin it in the opposite direction to ply the yarn and I will end up with 2-ply yarn.I now own a few drop spindles as I have learned that different weight spindles are required to produce different classes of yarn. I was lucky enough to attend the Spin Off Autumn retreat this fall. It was held in Manchester, NH, not too far from where I live. I was able to try out several spinning wheels to see which one I liked the best. I think that a Ladybug by Schacht might be my favorite so far. However, it will probably be a while before I get one. I have two little ones at home. I need to wait until my little girl is old enough to follow directions, so that she understands my spinning wheel is not something to climb on!
If you knit or crochet, I think that you would like spinning too! Check it out at the next local handmade festival in your area! Want to see some of my 2-ply handspun yarn? Click Here to see a post that I wrote last year.
13 comments:
Thank you very much for sharing!!! :) I went to an alpaca farm a few years ago up here in northern California and they had a big room (rooms?) where they do spinning, etc., and they were talking about that and explaining the process, etc.... My mom and I went so we could hang-out with some alpacas... lol..... LOL!!! I got to rub my nose with one which is how they like to greet people... lol....... This particular farm is known for that as well as growing and selling lavendar and it was the right time to pick lavendar so we were there for that, also... A lot of fun!!! Alpacas are excellent!!! :D :)
WOW I was JUST reading about spinners in medieval england spinning wool!! and getting all the grease out of it! it actually looks like it would really hurt your wrist! I would love to try it to be honest! thanks for sharing! :D
omg that's so cool!! i really want to try this one day.
What a cool skill to have! I'm in awe and love that shade of pink you have there too!
I have two little ones at home. I need to wait until my little girl is old enough to follow directions, so that she understands my spinning wheel is not something to climb on!
hehehe this made me laugh, that would be my first thought here too :)
I love learning new things!! This was great. Thanks for sharing.
Unique Cozy Treasures - I have always wanted to learn to spin. Good for you. Your yarn is beautiful. Love the pink.
Sounds like so much fun! My husband might kill me if I started making my own yarn as well as buying it.
I also knit but cannot afford another hobby! I'll let you enjoy for both of us.
Sounds like fun and this color is beautiful
Wow, that's really cool! But you gotta keep that pink wool away from me because I'd probably accidentally eat it thinking it's cotton candy! It does look delicious :)
Wow interesting... I have an alpaca farm up the road and the owner spins her own yarn for sweaters but have never gone over to it... must do it.
How neat that you spin your own yarn!! I need to start knitting again ... I have a bucket of lonely yarn to use.
Btw, thank you so fairy much for commenting on my blog last week. I hope you'll return to participate in Treasury Tuesday again.
Post a Comment