We went to the East Coast for a week last week and it centred a lot around wool, sheep and of course knitting.

We visited a farm where of course the kids had to keep the sheep happy :hihi:

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/Wheezy_photos/06-06-07_1128.jpg

We called in at a castle where the lady happen to be spinning...

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/Wheezy_photos/DSCF1306.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/Wheezy_photos/DSCF1313.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/Wheezy_photos/DSCF1315.jpg

And I got a few bargains from charity shops, ie wool and needles plus the odd "propper" wool shop where I started yet another cardigan for my little girl and finished the back, along with other bits and bobs.

All in all, not a bad woolyday. :D

What a responsible mother you are - introducing your kids to the glory of wool at such young ages. They look genuinely interested in the spinning. Well done you for organising a great woolyday.

We went to the East Coast for a week last week and it centred a lot around wool, sheep and of course knitting.
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All in all, not a bad woolyday. :D

Looks like a nice and relaxing woolyday and the weather was great as well :)

So - that's 2 spinning wheels on the Father Christmas list then. How much will they charge to spin an alpace fleece -pre-washed of course :hihi:

This is where I launch my spinning wheel hire service then, reasonable rates, local delivery, first 200g of fibre thrown in, Actually that seems a cracking idea so maybe I'm not joking.

Do you have a whole fleece Jill or just part of one and what did you want it spinning in to?

This is where I launch my spinning wheel hire service then, reasonable rates, local delivery, first 200g of fibre thrown in, Actually that seems a cracking idea so maybe I'm not joking.

Do you have a whole fleece Jill or just part of one and what did you want it spinning in to?

Actually I am hoping to get some fleece from the local alpaca farm. It may be that they prefer to have it spun themselves but I will check with Sarah this weekend. Watch this space!

Jill

This is where I launch my spinning wheel hire service then, reasonable rates, local delivery, first 200g of fibre thrown in, Actually that seems a cracking idea so maybe I'm not joking.

Do you have a whole fleece Jill or just part of one and what did you want it spinning in to?

We nicked a bit of fleese off the barb wire at the farm W4B. Not sure if it'll make a jumper though :suspect:

I didn't get the chance to spin, as they were only letting children have a go :( . The lady in the picture was very good with them, and told them that carding was done by children of all ages as a full time job and when they got older, they did the spinning too. Our kids came away with a length of yarn they had spun and were really proud of it.

Do you have a special stool W4B? She said she had had one made and it was a 3 legged one. Us parents had to hold onto the back (Health and Safety Regulations) as it only had 3 legs and was a bit unsteady on the grass. There was a bit of a debate though as to why the carpenter had put the two legs to the front and the one at the back. What's your view? :confused:

So - that's 2 spinning wheels on the Father Christmas list then. How much will they charge to spin an alpace fleece -pre-washed of course :hihi:

That's a lot of pennies for Father Christmas to spend this Christmas. Don't forget he has all the other children to cater for too, and if he spends all his money on my two, there wouldn't be much left for anyone else! :suspect: You have to be realistic here, one wheel between them would surfice after all, I can only use one at a time once they are fed up with it after the initial unwrap ;)

You can buy spinning stools or chairs, if you go here (http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/kromski_wheels.htm)and go down to the bottom of the page there's one. Me, I sit on a dining chair and it works for me. My son has no interest in the spinning but loves the drum carder, it has a handle on the side to turn and he likes that. My husband also likes the drum carder, I can't work out what the attraction is myself.

You can buy spinning stools or chairs, if you go here (http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/kromski_wheels.htm)and go down to the bottom of the page there's one. Me, I sit on a dining chair and it works for me. My son has no interest in the spinning but loves the drum carder, it has a handle on the side to turn and he likes that. My husband also likes the drum carder, I can't work out what the attraction is myself.

For the ignoramusus like myself, what is a drum carder? Do you not card your fleese like my son was doing in the picture? :o

Just seen one on ebay at £92.00, wouldn't want to get my hair caught up in that! :cry:

I sometimes do card like your son was doing. I'm all for using child labour wherever possible, especially in this case because I don't like it overmuch. When I had three fleeces waiting on being carded I decided that it was a good time to invest in a drum carder. It's the same process as with hand cards but marginally less boring. I'm not very good with hand carders (inexperience) but I can turn a handle.

You can also card to blend already processed fibre, I made a wool/alpaca/silk blend for socks or you could blend different colours of the same fibre to make a heathered yarn. At the moment my main concern is turning the rural smelling fleece in the garage into something clean, soft and spinneable.

You can spin the tufts of wool from barbed wire fences, when we were in Scotland last I made a respectable yarn from it using a skewer and a small potato. If it's been in the rain for long enough it should be clean and not too greasy.

..... when we were in Scotland last I made a respectable yarn from it using a skewer and a small potato......


????? A longer explanation may be required at this point :)

I had previously tried to make a spinning implement with an egg beater (it was a wet week..) but that was doomed from the start as I needed one hand to hold it, one hand to turn it and that gave me nothing left for the wool. Drop spindles are easier, they've been around since forever and they are tried and tested technology. You need a potato of appropriate size for the yarn you intend to make (a little new potato for laceweight) and the rounder the better. If it's a strange shape it will wobble when it spins. Stick the skewer through the spud and there you have it, a drop spindle. Top whorl = potato at the top, bottom whorl = potato at the bottom. I've also spun on the small wooden wheels and wooden axles that come home from school fastened to the bottom of cardboard boxes as wheels. They spin really well but are very light and so suitable for fine yarns. There are several sets of instructions on the internet for making drop spindles from old cd's but I've never made one (I use old cds as pigeon scarers)

If civilization ever dissolves, I can keep your feet warm armed with a bamboo skewer, a small potato and a sheep. The only problem is that I couldn't knit with the skewers because I'd snap them.

I had previously tried to make a spinning implement with an egg beater (it was a wet week..) but that was doomed from the start as I needed one hand to hold it, one hand to turn it and that gave me nothing left for the wool. Drop spindles are easier, they've been around since forever and they are tried and tested technology. You need a potato of appropriate size for the yarn you intend to make (a little new potato for laceweight) and the rounder the better. If it's a strange shape it will wobble when it spins. Stick the skewer through the spud and there you have it, a drop spindle. Top whorl = potato at the top, bottom whorl = potato at the bottom. I've also spun on the small wooden wheels and wooden axles that come home from school fastened to the bottom of cardboard boxes as wheels. They spin really well but are very light and so suitable for fine yarns. There are several sets of instructions on the internet for making drop spindles from old cd's but I've never made one (I use old cds as pigeon scarers)

If civilization ever dissolves, I can keep your feet warm armed with a bamboo skewer, a small potato and a sheep. The only problem is that I couldn't knit with the skewers because I'd snap them.

I felt fairly certain this would result in a drop spindle but was somewhat thrown by the potato. (I'm obviously not anywhere near approaching expert status in the area of drop spindles - a bit nearer total beginner would cover it :D). Is there any chance of a demo at the next meet. I am fascinated by this - particularly the effect of the different size potatoes. I think I have some inkling of how that would make a difference but it would be good to see it in action. Isn't it wonderful how everyday items can be made into something so useful. Who needs this technology stuff???? Oh - perhaps we do so we can be part of this forum....:and search the internet for all fibre related thingies.....

Hmmm, this discussion has got me interested in spinning now. This is bad for three reasons :1. money, 2. space, and 3. time.
I have summer vacation from uni coming up, which would help with number 3... No, no, I mustn't start anything else!! :help:

Drop spindle = £2.70. Space taken up - next to none. I made my first 4 pairs of hand spun socks on a drop spindle. (Disclosure - I ended up with 3 spinning wheels, a drum carder and a biiig heap of fibre)

Not that I want to talk you into it or anything

W4B would you be kind enough to give a demonstration on Wednesday at the meet? It would be like at a WI. I've always wanted to join a WI but not felt good enough :( . You've really got me interested now, and I want you to prove to me how easy it is! Plus, I want to crochet perfectly too straight away, and pick up as neatly as my Mum. Oh, and could you bring a big dollop of PATIENCE with you, cos I'm clean out of that :rolleyes:

:) OK, maybe I'll try with a drop spindle then. Especially if there's to be a demonstration!
Time may still be an issue - if I start spinning, I won't have time to knit the long list of projects-in-waiting :hihi:

Here's the fleece off the barb wire and the spun yarn from the kids. Spider for a boy, butterfly for a girl:

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/Wheezy_photos/DSCF1360.jpg