Spinning, Spindles, Spinning Wheels

duckling10 · 23-11-2011 9:23pm #1

Hi,
is it possible to have a thread devoted to Spinning, Spindles, Spinning Wheels, fleece, fibre, and other matters related to hand-spinning please?
I live in Limerick and have a spinning-wheel and some spindles. I don't have a lot of free time but i do enjoy spinning when i can manage it, so I would love to hear from other spinners in Munster, Ireland, the world...
regards
d:)

Tiriel · 24-11-2011 2:08am

It's all yours! Would love to watch or get a lesson sometime, memorizing and inspiring how it all works.

Jellybaby1 · 27-11-2011 2:18am

Watched a man doing spinning at the RDS - fabulous!

eorna · 04-12-2011 1:53pm

Great idea,
I did a one day course in spinning and loved it. But my father thought it was a great idea and took it up himself - now he has a spinning wheel and has got very good at it. We have sheep so wool is no problem, but it is alot of work cleaning it etc. So if I ever get a go on the wheel I'd love to do some more. ....might just have to buy my own

.

chicwithstix · 18-01-2012 11:32pm

I have been handspinning on a drop spindle for several years. There is a monthly spinning group in Dublin and I think Cork spinners are planning to start a group as well.

skuldintape · 23-01-2012 5:10pm

I'm in Galway - we don't have a spinning group but a few people at the Galway Stitch'n'Bitch group (myself included) have spindles and/or wheels. So far I've just bought bits and pieces of pre-combed and washed wool on ebay or in This Is Knit in Dublin. I'd like to get a decent amount in one color sometime soon so I can spin enough for a proper project.

ladhrann · 28-01-2012 8:34pm

duckling10 wrote: »

Hi,
is it possible to have a thread devoted to Spinning, Spindles, Spinning Wheels, fleece, fibre, and other matters related to hand-spinning please?
I live in Limerick and have a spinning-wheel and some spindles. I don't have a lot of free time but i do enjoy spinning when i can manage it, so I would love to hear from other spinners in Munster, Ireland, the world...
regards
d:)

This is great news I didn't know there were any handspinners in Ireland. There is a blog dedicated to sources for fleece, yarn, cloth and resources for knitters, spinners and all those interested in textiles and indigenous products.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&om=0&oe=UTF8&source=embed&msa=0msid=109346388584006145117.0004583063beb00fa09e1&mid=1244622830

http://woollyway.blogspot.com/

Also I feel its very useful to approach a craft activity from first principles. i.e. the origin and quality of the base material, i.e. the fleece and the yarn then spun from it. So many knitters in particular, knit using synthetics or blends instead of investing in pure new wool. In comparison, who would ever get a handmade suit made out of polyester?

For those wh source their own fleece can you tell me where you got it, what sheep breed and how you process it? I've heard that the creamy/yellow colour of fleece from Irish sheep makes it harder for it to take colour, is this your experience? Only Kerry Woollen Mills to my knowledge use Irish fleece in spinning yarn.

duckling10 · 22-02-2012 1:46am

Hi all,
well, I am slowly getting around to a bit of spinning here and there, work and family take up so much time.
I got my wheel over a year ago, it is probably from the 80's and it is secondhand, from Holland via Germany. I love it! It is sturdy, plain in looks, and came with 3 big bobbins. It can even tolerate curious children treadling on it occasionally.
I was sent some wool with it, when I got it.
Then I went to Kerry Woolen Mills last February (2011) and I asked to buy wool for spinning. I was taken into the back of the actual mill room, to an area where there were sacks of carded wool on the ground, in different colours. I was given a strong clear plastic bag (like a bin bag size) and allowed to choose as much wool as I wanted from the different colours and then back in the shop I paid by the weight of the bag. It was very reasonable in price and there was lots in it. I still have most of the bag here! Next time I think I will probably call them and just ask for what I want and they will post it to me, that would save me the journey! Look on their website to see their range of wool for spinning for sale.
I have looked at the ETSY website also and bought some lovely wool from an Etsy seller based in Tuamgraney, Co. Clare, i think it's called the Woolly Gathering.
I have also bought wool to spin when on my holidays in Sweden and from This is Knit in Dublin, as well as which I sponsor a sheep in Sweden and I have bought wool from the shepherdess there. But postage from Sweden was not funny....
Eorna, can you send me your contact details again please, if you are still selling wool, I might organise to buy some later this year, please?

I am going to be spinning at a very small local Community Expo in a few weeks, demonstrating spinning for the parishioners. I am both delighted and terrified! I am just a beginner, but I can spin, so I'm hoping all will go well. Everyone will know me, but I don't know if that makes it worse or not.

I found the Ravelry website to be great for information and asking questions, you get great feedback, and almost immediately, if you are on one of the busy forums. There are forums for Irish Spinners and Irish knitters and Crochet in Ireland and local forums for knitting groups in Limerick, Cork, Dublin, etc.
I have some handspun yarn ready to wash and then maybe take photos of and share in here. Anyone else want to share where they are at in their spinning journey?
duckling:D

alkro · 21-01-2013 7:39pm

chicwithstix wrote: »

I have been handspinning on a drop spindle for several years. There is a monthly spinning group in Dublin and I think Cork spinners are planning to start a group as well.

Would you know where and when the spinners group in Dublin meets?.

Babamc · 29-03-2013 1:03pm

Hi,

As far as I'm aware, the spin in takes place on the balcony of the Powerscourt Centre every third Sunday in the month.

If you give This is Knit a ring they'll be able to give you more details.

If anyone knows of any spinning wheel lessons in or around Dublin would they post details here? I have someone who is going to teach me to spin with a drop spindle.

Many thanks
Áine

KayPea · 16-10-2013 7:03pm

Hi,

A complete spinning novice here. I am coming to this from a Viking living history point of view. There are 2 questions that I have. (Though I am sure to have a million more)
Firstly, would cleaning the raw wool in well water that is high in iron and manganese and filtered through a salt filter, affect the wool?
I believe that alkali can cause the wool to felt and metals might colour the wool???
And secondly, where could I purchase a set of wool combs (preferably Viking style) not too expensively?

Yours hopefully
Kay

Babamc · 17-10-2013 2:44am

Hi,

I'm not sure if I can completely help you, I'm pretty much a novice myself when it comes to spinning and dyeing yarn

I am unsure whether or not an alkali can felt wool, generally you need heat and/or agitation to felt wool. As for the metals; again this I am unsure of, I know copper can act as a mordant and will change the colour of the fibre. I do believe that most heavy metals can change the colour and/or affect the end result of the dyeing process.

Mostly why I posted here was not my 'advanced' knowledge of spinning, dyeing and mordants

nor do I know where to get viking style combs but I have been following and have had a chat with a lady who spins and dyes and is also into viking re-enactment and has a blog with lots of very useful info on it regarding historically accurate viking spinning and dyeing. Her blog is: http://vikingladyaine.wordpress.com/

I hope this helps and good luck!

KayPea · 17-10-2013 8:09am

Thanks Babamc!

All help is greatfully accepted. I believe Viking style combs are hand combs with a single row of teeth, not too fine.
But in truth any type of combs would be could. I am only trying to get a general idea of what goes into making yarn as they would have in Viking times for my own entertainment. Will I let you know how I get on?
I will go and check out VikingladyAine next !

Kay

duckling10 · 18-10-2013 7:54pm

Hi, Kaypea,
I agree with Babamc, that to felt wool, you would have to use changes in temperature in the liquid that the wool is in, and agitation, to felt wool.
I don't know if washing the wool in well water that is high in iron and manganese and filtered in a salt filter would affect the wool if all you are doing is washing it. However if you are dying wool, that may have an affect on how the colour works out, as Babamc say. coz some metals can act as mordants and may affect the dye.
Have you tried the various History forums in Ravelry, absolutely wonderful sources of info, also the Beginning Spinning forums, etc,
if you want I could ask in there for you, but it is free to join and a wonderful place for spinning info,
gotta dash now,
talk again soon.
Combs are very expensive, look at Derryaun Crafts online to see a price for new ones. Also Winghams wool in UK.
people on ravlery sometimes sell off their combs,
sorry for typos, gotta dash, visitors downstairs

KayPea · 19-10-2013 2:40pm

Thanks Duckling10,
I will especially check out ravelry.
I am in the middle of making my own combs...we shall see how that goes.
As to the salt/iron/manganese laden water, it does indeed felt wool. My m-i-l had the other half of the fleece and used the same technique. She has lovely, silky locks and I have a fuzzy mess. Oh well, live and learn.
It doesn't help that our water filter system went on the blink mid-wash and drew even more salt and crud into the water system than usual!
I'll try again soon...in her house.

Kay

Edit:
Have done a bit more research...iron damages the wool fibres. Now I know.

duckling10 · 20-10-2013 8:40pm

oh dear, that's unfortunate, that the iron does damage the wool...
would you be able to collect rainwater, maybe you already have a rainwater butt outside and you could collect water from it to wash your fleece in future? or ask a friend or neighbour for some of their rainwater? just a thought....
re combs, I have bought an Afro comb and a very strong 'shower comb' which might work as wool combs for me, but of course they are still in the packaging, and not tried out yet. I use my hand carders to prep wool. I also tease out the wool by hand before i card if it is a raw (washed, natch) fleece, i mean, one i am prepping myself from scratch, not purchased.
I am not sure yet if i need combs, most of the wool i have works well with carders. I do have a small amount of Spelsau fleece, which has an outer hairier coat and an inner downy coat, and I believe I should use combs with this to separate the two qualities and then card the softer wool. it is definitely hairy and i am in no rush to rush in and make a mistake with it, so i just keep practising with the easier stuff for now.

KayPea · 21-10-2013 1:01pm

Afro comb...Now why in blazes did I not think of that? Though I am half way though making the combs so I will finish them in any case.
I won't try carders for the moment because the Vikings seemingly used combs and heckles to prepare their wool.

As to the water, there certainly is plenty of rainwater about. A butt is definitely a plan...and a fire circle, and a very large cauldron. The neighbours already think I'm a bit mad for my spin drying antics (I cleaned the wool in a basket with holes in, and then started the drying by spinning on the spot in my garden holding the basket. American wool workers use the spin cycle of their upright washing machines after all)
The spelsau fleece sounds lovely. Good luck with it. I'm sure it will come out lovely.

And as for my ruined wool, I will comb it to get rid of any grot and use it to stuff some naalbinded toys.
Waste not, want not

Kath

duckling10 · 21-10-2013 3:30pm

ah good, i'm glad you have a way to use up the fleece, naalbindning is something that I have been thinking of doing, but not quite gotten to yet.
i'd be interested in how your handmade combs turn out, the Vikings would have made their own combs, so that is very authentic of you to make them yourself too. (Afro combs are of course not Viking-authentic!)
Do you attend many Viking Living History events? I amn't able to commit to that at present but it is certainly very interesting to read about it, VikingLadyAine's blog is very interesting to read, and there are lots of History linked forums on Ravelry too, look at the groups I have joined in Ravelry to see some of them, my Ravelry username is LizLimerick, and of course, there is a group for Fiber Prep and surely also a group for making your own stuff, like combs, etc. I just can't access Rav at the moment from work, to check for the names of the groups.
Yes spinning the wet wool around in a net laundry bag is also an option, might be easier on the arms than spinning the basket?
I also use the 8 minute Separate Spin cycle in my washing machine to get most of the water out of my wet fleece.
Ooooh, I can just imagine myself in a long brown or blue tunic at a Living History Viking event, washing and combing wool and spinning with my spindle with a yew shaft and a stone whorl!
what scandinavain/norse type language/greetings do ye use?
Hejdå! (means goodbye in SWedish)

KayPea · 21-10-2013 6:56pm

Well if you are interested in learning naalbindning I'd be happy to teach you in exchange for some nice homespun yarn! The combs currently look like this....

The Vikings would have traded with the North Africa so Afro combs are not beyond the bounds of possibility. Just a little unlikely :-D

I was part of a reenactment group but I gave it up because the club was more interested in eventing than in the crafts and skills. And the crafts were my main interest really. I must confess that I did really enjoy naalbindning in the fresh air and teaching interested people was a lot of fun.
The group I was in used whatever Old Norse greetings they could find.

I haven't had a moment to look at Ravelry yet but I will try to look this evening. (I have 2 little girls with colds and a bad case of rain induced boredom)

duckling10 · 22-10-2013 12:29am

i might just take you up on that offer, ie naalbindning lessons in exchange for handspun wool!
good luck with the combs, i've found a few blogs with DIY combs on them, which could be interesting, might even try it myself, in these straitened times...
what fleece(s) are you working with at present, if i may ask?

KayPea · 22-10-2013 3:43pm

The fleece...um...random sheep. Nothing unusual, just standard cream coloured wool. My friend put a request on boards (farming section) for raw wool and got some from a local farmer. We weren't too concerned with sheep type as it was just an experiment to see if we could learn to clean and comb wool, and maybe teach ourselves to use a drop spindle.
As with any craft, it isn't until you start looking into it more, that you realise the complexities. I've gone through the "give it a bash" stage, and am now in the "This is much more complicated than it looked...Ah, what the hell, this is fun anyway" stage.

As to naalbindning lessons... if we can work out a when and where, you are on.

duckling10 · 23-10-2013 11:07am

i'm in limerick, i just can't see how i'll get to Wexford, so I might have to be content with chatting to you about the nålbindning, and teaching myself from youtube vids and from ravelry and online sites, luckily I can read the scandinavian langaugaes so that helps when most of the stuff about nålbindning is in Swedish or norwegian
there is a ravelry group for nålbindning and also Living History group as well as Medieval Textiles group, I stayed up till half 1 the other night reading these and surfing for stuff on Vikong craft suppliers etc......
and how is the spindling or spinning going?
have you a drop spindle or wheel or both?
i just love my spinning/spindling time, i don't quite get enough time at it, but just seeing the wheel or the spindle makes me happy!

KayPea · 23-10-2013 1:18pm

Hmm, Limerick to Wexford...not a handy commute really. I will let you know if anything brings me to your neck of the woods and see then. Learning it from Youtube is definitely possible but not easy. I taught myself that way but it took many hours of tying my thumbs together before I sussed it. On the other hand, in person, 20 minutes will teach someone the basic feel of the stitch making. Once you have that you can teach yourself the rest easily.

I have been lusting after several books on nålbindning, so I am jealous of your Swedish/Norwegian... Though I can kind of read French,
Dutch and a bit of German, the Scandinavian languages are still a mystery to me (esp. Finnish :-))

It will be next week before I can get my hands on some more fleece to clean, or use my friend's vice to drill my combs so progress on the spinning is slow. There was a series of Celt workshops a month ago and I went to the spinning, dying and weaving one. It was so lovely! The tutor gave us a basic "stick and round lump of wood" spindle to bring home which worked very well for her. I understand how to do it but my hands don't know yet, if you know what I mean. More practice needed. She also taught us the basics of using a spinning wheel. That took lots of attempts but on my last try, when we were packing up to go home...it suddenly worked for me and my hands knew what to do.
I find most kinds of hand crafts very relaxing. My mother never sat with her hands empty and now I know why.

alkro · 19-12-2013 11:30pm

Hi Aine,

If you are still looking for spinning lessons, please get in contact with me. I teach spinning and traditional knitting.

All the best

Alexander

Babamc wrote: »

Hi,

As far as I'm aware, the spin in takes place on the balcony of the Powerscourt Centre every third Sunday in the month.

If you give This is Knit a ring they'll be able to give you more details.

If anyone knows of any spinning wheel lessons in or around Dublin would they post details here? I have someone who is going to teach me to spin with a drop spindle.

Many thanks
Áine

duckling10 · 13-01-2014 12:30am

anyone doing any spinning these days?
i got quite a bit done over christmas but of course i am not organised yet to put up the photos.
I'm feeling in the need of meeting up with other spinners, or just chatting in here about spinning, so if you're lurking , just jump in and do chat!
yours in fiber!
d

nekuchi · 16-02-2014 8:58pm

Just wondering if anyone can give an indication on the price of a raw sheep fleece? Does the breed matter? I imagine something like the fleece of the Galway breed might be more expensive than the average? Any ideas?

duckling10 · 16-02-2014 9:22pm

Babamc wrote: »

If anyone knows of any spinning wheel lessons in or around Dublin would they post details here? I have someone who is going to teach me to spin with a drop spindle.

Many thanks
Áine

Hi Aine,
if you need help with any lessons re spinning, on a spindle or on a wheel, a great place to start is on youtube, where you can find many tutorials on spindling or spinning,
the next place to visit is of course ravelry, where the beginners spinners forum has experienced people who willingly will answer any questions on spinning, as well as beginners helping each other out, etc,
if you can you could join the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, check out www.weavespindye.ie, they had a spinners meeting today in Powerscourt SC in Dublin, I believe, and they will probably meet again, maybe once a month?
Anyone in the Limerick area, can contact me for details of a few spinners willing to meet other spinners around here.:)
d

duckling10 · 16-02-2014 9:27pm

nekuchi wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone can give an indication on the price of a raw sheep fleece? Does the breed matter? I imagine something like the fleece of the Galway breed might be more expensive than the average? Any ideas?

I would love to know the answer to this myself, I have not really bought a fleece from an Irish source yet.
Breed would/could matter. I imagine that if the sheep is bred for meat, then the fleece is just something the farmer might want to get rid of, but the wool might prove to be coarse and not great from a handspinner's point of view, depending on what you want to do with it, of course.
On the other hand, if the sheep was bred for its fleece, that sheep farmer will be much more aware, one hopes, of the fleece quality and may well charge more.
There was a lady on here selling fleeces a while back, eorna was her name i think, lets see if i can point you in her direction. yes, look back at post 4 on page 1 of this thread, that was eorna posting, pm her to see if she is till selling fleece, if you want.

carrighead · 25-03-2015 1:54pm

hello, i would be interested in learning to spin my own yarn but at the moment i would not be able to afford a wheel. is there a cheaper option, i noticed that they are all 200e+. and also how big are they? is there a compact version? i also came across using a hand spindle, is this a practical way to spin. i will only be doing it for my own pleasure and not to sell. i am based in cork, would there be somewhere to go to get the fleece here? blarney woollen mills maybe?

thanks a mill
carrighead

duckling10 · 25-03-2015 11:18pm

hi carrighead, just a quick reply to get you started:
can i just point you in these directions:
drop spindles are easy to make,(dowel plus CD plus rubber bands) or cheap to buy, look up Abby Franquemont vids on you tube to see expert advice on getting started.
you can buy a begginer drop spindle from This is Knit in Dublin, or online, from 10 euro, not incl postage.
buy fiber from This is Knit or The Constant Knitter, or Craftspun, all online.
ask Blarney mills by all means, if they sell fleece to hand spinners.
Check out website of Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners Dyers, www.weavespindye.ie, group meetings contacts listed here: http://weavespindye.ie/group-meetings/, there is a group in Cork.

ask Vibes and scribes on Bridge St Cork if they sell spindles and spinning Fiber.
Check out www.ravelry.com, sign up for free and join any group you want or just lurk, and read about other's experiences, in Beginner Spinners, or Irish Spinners, etc.
Use the internet and youtube to look for and try out the ideas there, till you find a video you like and get on with.
Great suppliers in UK too, but postage can be expensive. World of Wool, or Winghams Wool.
ask again if there is anything more.
Keep an eye on adverts.ie. or donedeal.ie for wheels being sold secondhand.

carrighead · 25-03-2015 11:21pm

duckling10, thanks so much

i can't wait to get started, i have too many hobbies that cost a lot

so it would be good to get properly hooked before i start investing the mula

thanks again xx

Spinning, Spindles, Spinning Wheels

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