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HENthusiastic

I've had my first spinning lesson!

By HENthusiastic, in The Nesting Box

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HENthusiastic Chatty Chicken

HENthusiastic

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I've just had my first spinning lesson today. I loved it! :dance: She said I picked it up really quickly. I cant wait to get my own wheel. I might be getting a second hand one for my birthday :pray:

 

When Ive got my alpaca fleece I'm going to go back for another lesson and take the fleece so she can show me how to do the whole process :D . Apparently, unlike sheep wool, its going to be possible for me to do the whole process by hand! I'm so excited!

 

Look at my first efforts:

 

wool001.jpg

 

A little lumpy in places, but I'm well proud :)

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HENthusiastic Chatty Chicken

HENthusiastic

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:D Thanks guys!

Plum: my fingers werent at all sore. I was only spinning for about an hour. (Its only a small ball of wool) and it was very soft.

 

Lesley; wow, I'm impressed. My spinning lady said that sheep fleece has to be sent off to go through a washing process before you can card it. Is that wrong? Is it a lot slower using a spindle? How long do you think it takes you to spin a whole sheep fleece?

 

What do you do with your? I'm hoping that if I get competent at it that I will be able to sell my alpaca yarn :D . So yes, Cooperwife you can have some for a scarf :wink:

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HENthusiastic Chatty Chicken

HENthusiastic

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That's great news HEN. There was a spinning wheel going on our local freecycle the other day.

 

:doh: I would have had that :doh:

 

*begins to form an orderly queue for alpaca wool*

 

:D

 

Once I get good enough to produce a decent yarn I am hoping to sell it. The hope is that they will cover their own costs :)

 

How fantastic. Mind you don't prick your finger when you get that spinning wheel!

:? is that something from a fairy tale?

 

 

I've just been told of a 2nd hand wheel for sale thats just about within my price range and about an hour away :dance: .

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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That's great news HEN. There was a spinning wheel going on our local freecycle the other day.

 

Why didn't you say!!! - I'm bored using a spindle!

 

The spindle is slow compared to a wheel. I've never had a problem with washing fleece well enough to spin - although it is time consuming, I don't send them off.

 

There is someone on the River Cottage forum who will wash, card and spin any fleece for you. I'm tempted to send some of ours to be done. I only spin small amounts these days and then weave them on a small loom. I might finish a wall hanging one day :wink:

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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Great articles Sha - the shhep fleece one has instructions for an American washing machine - they all use top loaders so it's not as easy using a front loader. I put mine in the bath and it takes all day to keep rinsing and washing.

 

I must make a drying rack though - that would help. I usually spin it in the washing machine and then drape it all over the fence :roll:

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HENthusiastic Chatty Chicken

HENthusiastic

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Gosh, I'm lucky I dont have to do all that with the alpaca fleece. A friend with sheep has asked me to do some spinning for him. He says he's always wanted to have one of his own sheep fleeces spun. I'll get him to do the washing stuf.

 

I'm off to see a wheel for sale tomorow :dance: . But its not my birthday until June 18th.... so I should be good and put it away until then. :eh:

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