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Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Class I Am Taking Is...

Beginning Spinning!  No, not the stationary bike type of spinning, but spinning wheel spinning!  It's something I've always wanted to do.  Class began with the eight of us dividing up a fleece.  We each took our fleece portion home and washed it.

We learned how to tease it and card it

and form it into rolags, as light as smoke.

Then it was time to spin.  We started on drop spindles (that wasn't pretty!), and now we're using spinning wheels.  My yarn has fat spots, thin spots, slubs and kinks, but I'm spinning!


Our group has a wide range of experience.  There's only two of us in Beginning Spinning that are ... beginners!  Everyone else has their own wheel, and one lady is in a guild.  The good thing about being a wheel-less beginner is that you get take a variety of wheels home and see which you like best.  I started on a Lendrum wheel, and now I'm using a Ladybug.  I have two more wheels to go, and lots more to learn.  I LOVE class!


15 comments:

Ruth said...

That is so cool. I would love to try that one day.

Dreaming said...

My mom used to spin. I loved watching her - there is something magical about the rolags (?) turning into yarn. Are rolags and roving the same thing?
I can't wait to hear more about your lessons! I just may have to take a field trip to come watch!

in2paints said...

Looks like fun!! Dumb question, but where does the fleece come from? Can you buy it in the store unwashed and "raw"?

Terry said...

Ruffles, try it sometime!

Cyndi, David likes to watch spinning too, "except for the grimaces"!

Becca, a good place to buy a raw fleece (for a beginner like me) is your local fiber/sheep/fleece festival. You can buy a judged fleece so you have an idea of quality and suitability for your project.

Texan said...

How fun!!! Then you will need some woolie babies LOL ...

fromsophiesview said...

This sounds so cool Terry...we are knitters here and appreciate everything you say about lumps and bumps etc. Actually they give a project texture...so don't frown or be upset....there's someone out there who would love a skein of wool all lumpy! Can't wait to see more!!!
Ron

sonia a. mascaro said...

Looks fun, Terry!
My Mom was a talented weaver, but she did not spin.
I posted many works of my Mom on my blog.

I hope you have a nice weekend.

Funder said...

Looks like FUN! I'll stick with needlepoint, but I love reading about all the fiber arts.

Carly said...

neat!!! I don't think we have anything like that around here...

Alison said...

Your yarn has character! Do you knit? I can't wait to see you wearing your own creation.

Lori Skoog said...

Do you read Punkin's Patch? It's by a friend of mine in Kentucky who has sheep and does it all. If you do not follow her, find her link on my Journal under favorite blogs. You will love it.

Inger said...

My first thought was that all that white stuff looks exactly like what comes off Samson. It must be so much fun to learn something you have wanted to learn for a long time. The yarn looks good to me and this is only the beginning. I wonder if you will add sheep to your ranch....

Rob-bear said...

Back in the days when we had a loom, we were only using a drop spindle for some textured materials. Otherwise, we used pre-spun wools and cottons.

Jim said...

I missed this post! So you are a spinner now! I have always been fascinated with this process and look forward to more 'reports'! No pressure....

thecrazysheeplady said...

Ack! Somehow I missed this earlier. Good job!