Fleeced Out

The week of fleece washing didn’t accomplish as much as I was hoping, but I did get a pretty sizeable pile of fleece washed. And while there is still a whole garbage bag full of dirty fleece, I think this will keep me busy for a while.

I actually got a pretty fair amount of this carded, but the carded got used in another project before I took any pictures of it and is now hanging out to dry. I did decide to break out of my usual “rolag” carding method and turn the carded fluff into these nice little balls of homemade roving. Not quite as smooth and buttery as store bought, but it’s fun to use and spins nicely.

The pink and purple are from cochineal dyed fleece. Yes, I still have that fleece laying around. Two nice chunks of it.

Something Called “Yarn Weight”?

Whew. It’s been a while since I’ve posted about any personal projects. And as a result, quite a few posts have racked up, so hold onto your hats!

I finished spinning these lovely skeins. They’re from the Iowa fleece (the same fleece I’m working on washing) and have a great feel to them. I spun them on the Walking Wheel.

The only problem is that I didn’t pay very close attention to the size of the singles as I spun. A little “weight shift” occurred between the skeins. Keen-eyed yarn lovers may notice I have one skein that is thin for the most part, and two that are mainly thick. (I say mostly and mainly because they were “fun” yarns. The kind I don’t grapple with tooth and nail to get the lumps and inconsistencies out.) I’m itching to get these into a dye pot of some kind, but I don’t know what for. Lately all my yarns have been spun and dyed with certain projects in mind. This lends itself well to the careful and responsible use of all and sundry fluff.

But I really just want to slap those babies into the kettle and have fun with them.

Finis

My, this last week has flown by. I blogged daily, and there are still some things we didn’t get to! Wonderful things like preparing your own fiber and dyeing your own yarn. In the weeks to come I plan to set aside one post a week to focus on more tutorials. It’s going to be a wild ride, so hang on!

I hope The Beginner Series proved helpful and encouraging. Remember, those posts are nothing but a brief overview. They leave plenty of room for you to learn new things and discover on your own. There’s a whole world of spinners and spinning out there. Techniques waiting to be taught, friendships to be shared, and new fibers to try. It’s waiting for you.

With the blessing of a seriously addicted spinner, go, spin, and learn.

~Rebekah

Drafting, Plying, and a Balanced Yarn

Beginner’s Info: Part 7

There are two different things meant by “drafting.”

“Pre-drafting” is loosening up the fibers before you spin so you’ll get a nice, airy, easy-to-work-with yarn. Here is a good video on fluffing up the fibers in a roving.

Regular “drafting” refers to how you handle the fibers that are being spun.

Drafting While Spinning

Here is a great text/image rundown on the main types of drafting while spinning. There are also videos down the side, but it’s kind of hard to see what she’s doing.

I also found these videos for long draw and short draw on wheel. Short draw is easier, in my opinion, although I love long draw. The short draw video doesn’t have any audio besides the background music, so you can mute it if you wish. The text gives a pretty good explanation, but I want to give another here.

Yarn: The Creation 2

Beginner’s Info: Part 6

This is the wheel version of spinning tutorials. You can find the drop spindle one here.

Let’s Go

If you learned on a drop spindle you’ll already have the basics of spinning down. All you’ll have to do is learn to operate the foot pedal while moving your hands.

However, if you decided to go for the big stuff first you’ll want a little more background.

The following videos are helpful for both complete beginners and drop spindlers. It’ll let you get a feel for how a wheel works.

The Videos

This is one from Paradise Fibers. It is the second half of a two-part series on setting up and using a Lendrum wheel. Lots of good things are covered, and you can get a feel for how a single drive band works.

What Am I Looking At?

Beginner’s Info: Part 5

So, you’ve decided to get a spinning wheel, you lucky you. Spinning wheels are the sports cars of the fiber world. There’s just this aura around them. A feeling of mystery which can be very thrilling, but when it comes to picking out a wheel it can get in the way.

I’m going to try to sweep away some of the fog and reveal the spinning wheel in all its grandeur.

Parts Of A Spinning Wheel

First off, what are the different parts of a spinning wheel? Here is an excellent picture with handy little arrows. (If you’re wondering, it’s on quite a nice website. Feel free to explore.) Now, the business end is the “head,” which refers to the bobbin, flyer, orifice, and bobbin whorl. That’s where the yarn is actually made. When I first started researching spinning I had a vague idea that the fiber had to go around the big wheel – wrong. The big wheel is the power engine for the head. And your foot is the power engine for the big wheel, which brings us to the first option to be considered.

Choosing a Drop Spindle

Beginner’s Info: Part 4

To my mind, a drop spindle is the cheapest, easiest, and most versatile way of getting into spinning. There is something so cool about being able to make yarn with a piece of carved wood that hovers in midair. But, although I love them to pieces, drop spindles aren’t for everyone. They require the ability to raise your arms until your hands are on a level with your head and hold them out there for longish lengths of time. Sound too strenuous? I’ll cover wheel types in the next post.

But, for those of you who don’t mind a little productive exercise, a drop spindle provides the perfect opportunity to learn how to handle fiber and twist without worrying about bobbin tension, wheel treadling, and the price tag. (Did I mention I love drop spindles?)