Any spinners!??

[sayyadina]

I'm learning to spin, and I've finally had success with it. Tried last year, but I got frustrated & gave up on it. I tried again a couple days ago, and I managed to make a skein in 2 days.

Two good fiber mills for alpaca are NEWAIM & Flaggy Meadows. NEWAIM is in Maine, and has made us some very nice huacaya alpaca yarn (http://www.newaimfibermill.com/). I haven't used Flaggy Meadows, but I've heard they're good for making Suri alpaca yarn and their prices for felt are quite reasonable (http://www.flaggymeadowfiberworks.com/).

I got a Louet Victoria at the NH Sheep & Wool festival a few years ago. Its a very nice wheel, though I've had a bit of trouble with it, as a beginner. I did spin on a Louet S10 before and had better luck with it.

This website has a lot of info about spinning. http://joyofhandspinning.com/

I'm finding that its easier for me to spin from a skirted huacaya fleece than with the huacaya roving I got.

 

[Heavenly Springs Farm]

I started spinning last fall. I love it.

 

[jambunny]

I love to spin and knit. Just type spinning on the computer and you should find some sites. I don't have any carders but would like to. It will be cheaper this year to take it to my friend's mill. She has a wonderful Alpaca mill Sageridge in Wyoming. I am sending cross bred and Navahoo churro to her this year.

 

[mossyStone]

We just got our pygoras this past weekend, I will be learning to spin
Now all i need is them to grow more fiber LOL

 

[valmom]

I have a wheel that I learned to spin on (that got packed away 6 years ago when we moved and I haven't the space to get it back out). I never tried a drop spindle- I didnt' think I was that coordinated- before last month. I bit the bullet and bought one with some (absolutely GORGEOUS) silk/alpaca mix roving. I did it! Sort of came out thick and thin like when I started wheel spinning, but it worked. I am thrilled and now have to card some of my sheep fleece I have stored and get spinning again.

It doesn't have to be expensive to start spinning- bulk fleece is cheap if you clean it yourself. Hand carders and a drop spindle, and you are set to go.

 

[jambunny]

That is known as specialty yarn! I know spinners who do that on purpose, just don't tell.

 

[valmom]

I keep telling myself that the slubs are a good thing- makes the yarn more interesting

But, it seems funny that when you're learning you want to have "perfect" yarn, and when you get to using it you want the beginner yarn.

 

[angelib1]

I got wool already in the rope form (called What?) and I bought a used wheel needs a string around the wheel and maybe more (bobbin?) thingys. guess I'm not ready to start spinning yet.

 

[valmom]

The wool in rope form is called roving.

Since I am not mechanically inclined, I am finding the drop spindle is great- nothing to break, wear out, or get loose. I think I would actually dread getting my wheel back out after 6 years of not using it. If you know the model of your wheel, you could probably find the parts on line for it.

 

[nogoatsyet]

Using a drop spindle is fun! That is what I have too. I wanted to buy a pretty one, but the super basic one was only like six dollars so I got that and it works fine Some day I wish for a wheel though.