Any spinners!??

[mnblonde]

Just like everything else sinning just takes practice!! I HATE the drop spindle myself! i had grand dreams of growing my own fiber-until i had to wash and card the fiber~~~UGG~~ not for me-i send it in to be washed and made into roving!! Check antige malls,thrift stores,craigs list ect for wheels-i bought mine for 150$ it was 15 years old and i have had it and used it for 10 years-a lovely traditional Ashford--if you have ?"s let me know!!

MNBlonde

 

[freemotion]

Just like everything else sinning just takes practice!!

Comes pretty easily to some people I know.....

(Couldn't help it....some typos are just too funny!)

 

[MrsCountryChick]

 

[JoieDeViveRabbitry]

Well, I am now spinning up a storm... I just purchsed a little wheel, the HitchHiker and I am taking spinning lessons from Louise Walsh, master spinner and creator of the Giant Angora...
I am over the moon!

I made some YUMMY two ply 50% royal purple BFL and 50% steel French Angora...
It's all dry and ready to knit, I am trying to find the perfect pattern for some little wispy thing to go around my neck... It's my homework for spinning class. She told me that if I had plyed by next class that she would let me spin Cashmere.

My best friend is sending me Qiviut or Musk Oxen fiber to spin for her to knit gloves for her Mother who is allergic to alot of fibers. I am excited to spin that to say the least!

Let me tell you... After spinning on a drop spindle for over a year, going to a wheel feels like FLYING! I am getting SO much more done!!

 

[jessica117]

Hi all! I've been spinning since I was a kid. Currently I'm using a drop spindle because I don't have a wheel of my own right now. I am working on building my own version of a Babe wheel (the ugly ones made out of PVC) and if I ever get it finished I'll post pics. My hold up at the moment is saving up to buy a flyer assembly (though I could probably build one... I'm going to go the easy way )

As to carding, my mother has a drum carder but I still prefer my hand cards. Of course roving, when available, is my favorite

 

[jen6265]

Hi! I just joined the forum, I am a self taught spinner, I learned on a drop spindle then went to the wheel. I've spun husky hair, angora rabbit, corriedale, border leicester, and the wool from my own shetland sheep. I teach a beginning spinner class where we make our own drop spindle from a cd (google "drop spindle with cd") and learn to spin with that.

I process my own wool like Ohioann said, with a flick card and then spin the locks. Lot cheaper and just as effective as the drum carder. I have a drum carder but only use it to blend wool and to make batts to sell.

I think its great that so many people are starting to spin their own yarn, keep practicing! Only 15 minutes a day and you will become proficient very quickly! Also, look for a local spinners guild, they are very welcoming and love newbies!!

 

[freemotion]

I have to report something exciting I found out today...you can get new pads with the little bent wires to refurbish old hand carders for $22 for the 72 tpi and $24 for the 90 tpi and $4.95 S&H from www.howardbrush.com.

I have my grandmother's carders and I will be getting new pads for them. New carders are around $70, so this will be a significant savings, and I can still use the handles that Memere held and maybe even someone she loved before her. If you don't have such a precious memento, you can buy old carders for $10 or less. In my search online to see if mine had any value before I rip them to pieces, I found that only I think they are precious. So for about $35, you can have essentially brand-new carders!

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

i'm about to buy some angora goats and i'm so excited to get started!!! just got directions for the cd drop spindle and will be looking online and at antique stores for all the fiber toys!
so excited! :bun
i'm gonna be shearing them myself with old style sheep shears.
what all should i be looking for? here's what i know to look for:
*carders
*drop spindle
*spinning wheel
and i've always thought about all that wasted fur from brushing my moms husky... that may be what i first start with
any tips for first timers?
i just found a guild that's sorta near me. i'm gonna email them and see what they can teach me!
thanks!

 

[kitchwitch]

I just got my sheep this spring...and the lady I got them from gave me a bag of the wool, from spring shearing. I am going to be learning to spin..but can not find a relatively inexpencive set of carders. Anyone else spin?? Is it as easy as it looks!???

I have to say, the OP made me giggle about looking for inexpensive carders. I used to be the same way until I realized that as far as the fiber arts go, that carder's are already one of the cheapest tools you'll buy!

Mine are $56 ashford carders that I love. Compare that to $400+ wheels, $500+ drum carders and the massive investments that could be made for dyeing and you'll see what I mean

 

[genuck]

I just started spinning last year, still getting the knack for it. I have bought some nice roving but am scared to spin it and ruin it. So I do most of my practice on white wool and have saved the undercoat from my old pyre and pyre/kom cross. I also let my poodle grow out to about 4 inches and am sending that off with the sheep's wool to be processed. I'm still on the drop spindle until someday hopefully I can get a wheel! They pyre hair is sooo soft and warm.