Do any of you spin your own yarn?

[shirlthegirl43]

I wash all my fine lace knitting with lukewarm water and a bit of ecover washing up liquid - does the job just great

[Headfry]

oh dear, oh deary me ......wish I had not opened this tread (like the pun?) I am thinking I might like to try too! ....... noooooo I must resist - I dont have time for things as it is ..... but just a little go would not really hurt would it?

[Jacksprat]

od dear, oh deary me ......wish I had not opened this tread (like the pun?) I am thinking I might like to try too! ....... noooooo I must resist - I dont have time for things as it is ..... but just a little go would not really hurt would it?

Oh no, I want to as well!!!

[shirlthegirl43]

od dear, oh deary me ......wish I had not opened this tread (like the pun?) I am thinking I might like to try too! ....... noooooo I must resist - I dont have time for things as it is ..... but just a little go would not really hurt would it?

Oh no, I want to as well!!!

LOL, make a spindle - use an old CD, 15mm dowel (abut 12 - 15" long, small cup hook in top end and a rubber grommet to hold the CD onto the dowel. Youtube has lots of videos on how to spin with a drop spindle and fluff is quite inexpensive.

[Headfry]

Shirl - Thats not helping, no that's really really not helping

[shirlthegirl43]

Shirl - Thats not helping, no that's really really not helping

I believe it is called 'enabling'. Something to pass the time on a wet or windy day when you can't enjoy gardening

[Polly Fouracre]

Shirl, I will have to have the whole fleece carded whether or not and you will be welcome to a portion.
The sheep seem to be carding their own fleece by walking up and down through the blackthorn trees.

[shirlthegirl43]

Polly that reminds me of a police horse I met when I was at the Horse of the Year Show many years ago - the copper had trained it to walk past him while he held up the grooming brushes

[Hilary B]

Depends whether you want a 'woolen' or a 'worsted' fibre. If I remember rightly, a worsted is produced when you spin directly and a woolen when you card. (I could have this the wrong way round - I've had a few sleeps since I learnt to spin!) Woolens are softer, worsteds more hard wearing.

The technical difference (I was told) is in the direction and closeness of 'twist'. Softness is mainly due to the quality of the fleece. My shetland spinnings were soft enough!

[Flummery]

Carding done the traditional way makes a 'rolag' where the fibres go round and round the clump of fleece. Combing or spinning straight from the fleece gives you straight fibres so it spins closer if you see what I mean. That's how it makes a different fibre.

[shirlthegirl43]

I now have a spinning wheel and a whole shetland fleece (still in the grease) so I am having lots of fun trying to get the hang of it all

[Flummery]

Fun's the word Shirl. I find it a very calming experience too, when you get the hang of it and establish a rhythm.

[shirlthegirl43]

At the moment there is lots of stopping and starting. I am just not very good at drafting

[Flummery]

It comes - remarkably quickly!

[shirlthegirl43]

I just managed to keep the wheel going for over a minute!