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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: Sailorliz
Date: 12-11-2004, 07:02 PM (1 of 13)
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Are there any spinners on the board? I just completed spinning classes and purchased a wheel. I love it. I still am not very consistent. My yarn is looking like the novelty yarn that you buy, with bumps in it. My instructor said, once you get good at spinning, it is hard to make that type of yarn. So far I have been spinning different types of wool, but I do have a bit roving with wool and Llama. (sp)? I'm going to try that next. 
Happy sewing/quilting/crafting
Liz Visit my photo page http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sailorlizmi/albums |
User: Sailorliz
Member since: 07-20-2004 Total posts: 386 
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From: MaryW
Date: 12-11-2004, 09:09 PM (2 of 13)
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Watching someone spin just mesmerizes me. I love it. To think that you can spin your wool, then knit something is really quite something. It would be the same as weaving fabric, then sewing it up into something. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: Hogmami
Date: 12-11-2004, 10:06 PM (3 of 13)
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Liz, If you ever get down this way, there is a lady in Suttons Bay (the other side of Traverse City) that has a shop. She spins her yarn there and also does weaving on a big machine. It is very interseting to watch. Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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From: Sailorliz
Date: 12-12-2004, 10:33 AM (4 of 13)
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Mary, Yes, some people relate spining to meditating. I haven't gotten that far with it, yet. It is like anything new that you are learning, sometimes it can be frustrating for me. I can't spin for an extended amount of time, as I'm stopping to fix mistakes or to take out the lumps. Watching my instructor it looked easy to do, but I found out it wasn't. You have to have good, eye, hand, and feet coordination. My wheel has a double treadle. I was thinking about the treadles on the old sewing machines and what that must have been like to sew with. I'm also considering maybe next spring to take a weaving class. I thought that would be fun, to make my own material and sew something to wear. Carolyn, Yes, I love visiting knitting shops, along with quilting and sewing stores. A woman from work and I took the spinning classes together. We took turns driving on Thursday nights after work, to Alpena. It was a 120 mile round trip, but it was worth it. The lady that taught the classes, also has a shop, that she sells her spun yarn and teaches all kinds of classes. She also has a big loom in her shop that she weaves on. It is very interesting. The man that helps her in the shop, he does most of the weaving. I guess men like to watch spinning also. Our instructor said that whenever she does craft shows, she takes her wheel with her. She said the crowd gathered around her are mostly men. But, they don't ask questions about the fibers or the yarn that she is making, but about the mechanics of the wheel. LOL I will email you, when I know I will be heading to TC. Maybe we can rendevous at the mall or somewhere. 
Happy sewing/quilting/crafting
Liz Visit my photo page http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sailorlizmi/albums |
User: Sailorliz
Member since: 07-20-2004 Total posts: 386
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From: Magot
Date: 12-12-2004, 11:54 AM (5 of 13)
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I have a friend who spins but she hasn't got her wheel out in a long time. When we used to have a farm at school she would buy a fleece from our own sheep. She always said that her hands were never so soft as when she was spinning - all that lanolin in the wool I guess. Must be fun having seen the sheep as a lamb and chosing the fleece from one that you know (we only ever had about 6 sheep)
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: sewingrandma
Date: 12-12-2004, 05:40 PM (6 of 13)
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I have a SIL that use to spin. They raised sheep for food, so she learned to spin the wool and knit hats, scarves and mittens for the housefull of kids she had. They also had a long haired dog and she even spun it's hair too. You'd be surprised at how nice the dog hair turned out, especially when it was knitted into the scarves. I'd thought it would have been scratchy but it was very soft.
Brockie
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User: sewingrandma
Member since: 03-06-2003 Total posts: 432 |
From: kaykay
Date: 12-13-2004, 07:40 PM (7 of 13)
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a wheel, tho it's been some years since i've sat down. Used to raise Ramboulette sheep-very fine wool. I still have a few things I made from their wool, scarves, shawl, some colored wool caps. I might suggest, if the wool you are trying to spin is dry, (i.e. not this year's shearing, and the lanolin has dried,) trying spraying your roving with a 1/2 & 1/2 mixture of olive oil and water. This will make it draw out more evenly, and hence a smoother yarn. Wonderful on the hands,too. Gosh, I haven't thought of that relaxing activity lately, but I envy you the time and opportunity to enjoy this most peaceful of pursuits. Enjoy!!! Kerry Originality is undetected imitation
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User: kaykay
Member since: 02-12-2002 Total posts: 33 
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From: Sailorliz
Date: 12-14-2004, 07:49 AM (8 of 13)
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Kerry, I'm not for sure what year shearing it is, as she allowed us to pick a 1 lb. ball of roving, when we finished our class and purchased the wheel. I have the name of the fleece at home, (I'm at work) and I don't remember what it is called. She hand dyed it. Does dying the fleece cause it to dry out? Would it hurt it to just spray it and try to see if it spins better? Thanks for the suggestions. I'm a real newbie to this. I do work a full time job, but I've experienced the "empty nest" syndrome. My baby went off to college this year, so I find I have a lot more time on my hands. 
Happy sewing/quilting/crafting
Liz Visit my photo page http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sailorlizmi/albums |
User: Sailorliz
Member since: 07-20-2004 Total posts: 386
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From: kaykay
Date: 12-15-2004, 09:39 AM (9 of 13)
Just a "spritz", you know.BTW, our youngest just left, too. I can relate! 
Originality is undetected imitation
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User: kaykay
Member since: 02-12-2002 Total posts: 33
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From: MaryW
Date: 12-15-2004, 02:08 PM (10 of 13)
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What is roving?
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: kaykay
Date: 12-15-2004, 03:17 PM (11 of 13)
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Liz, mind if I jump in here?? And correct me if I'm wrong, it's the little "sausage" of wool , all combed out & smooth, that one pulls and end out of. Think of a skein of yarn, not yet twisted into a fiber, (til it is spun)that has an end coming from the middle of the wad. Right?? This is what becomes the strand of Yarn. Ta Dah!  Kerry Originality is undetected imitation
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User: kaykay
Member since: 02-12-2002 Total posts: 33
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From: Sailorliz
Date: 12-17-2004, 09:31 AM (12 of 13)
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Kerry & Mary, No problem jumping in. I might not be on the board as much through the holidays. Our daughter (the baby) is scheduled for brain surgery as she has a cavernous malformation. She wanted to finish her first semester in college before having the surgery. She was only diagnosed with it this past June. We just got back (from traveling to the Univ. of MI hospital) for her last of the pre-operative tests. Anyway, back to the roving. Yes, what Kerry described is what it looks like. http://www.alpacanation.com/fiber/03_view_fiber.asp?name=10759 Happy Holidays Happy sewing/quilting/crafting
Liz Visit my photo page http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sailorlizmi/albums |
User: Sailorliz
Member since: 07-20-2004 Total posts: 386
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From: MaryW
Date: 12-17-2004, 12:35 PM (13 of 13)
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Liz, I will be thinking of your baby over the holidays. This sounds like quite a delicate surgery.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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