spinning class and other stories

The spinning class went well, though I have to say that it wasn't as detailed as I'd thought it was going to be. But on the plus side, we also learned carding (ok, but I still don't see myself buying raw fleece anytime soon), which I wasn't really expecting.

We started on the drop spindles, but that wasn't as much of a challenge because I've been spinning with a top-whorl drop spindle for a couple of months (thanks to Laura and Rosie at the last ample-knitters retreat). But it was a chance to use a bottom whorl. In fact, the shop that held the classes had recently sold so many of their spindles that we ended up working on hand-made spindles created from cds and dowels. (Plenty of places on the web show you how to make one those if you are interested. This one was the first that came up when I searched.)

I must say that I still prefer the top whorl that I've been using, but it was interesting to try something new. I also enjoyed working with freshly carded rolags. I still prefer the processed rovings and batts that I've been working with thus far, but, again, I liked getting to try new things.

In fact, in the interest of trying new things, I bought several 1-oz packages of different kinds of fiber to try spinning. The verdict thus far is that yak down, although soft enough, is the devil to spin, unless I'm just not understanding how I'm supposed to be doing it. I've put it, and the camel down that I haven't tried spinning yet but that looks very much like the yak down, away for a while. Maybe I'll try it again when I have more experience! The soy silk is easier to spin than the yak, but, boy, is it slippery. I think it requires a different strategy altogether. The cashmere, though, that's some good stuff. In fact, it's spinning up so soft and even that I'm wondering about just using it in singles, which I've never done before. I still have to "set the twist" I understand, and I'll have to dye it, since it's a bright white that I would never actually wear. But if the first oz comes out nicely, I might buy a second oz and try making a lace scarf of it.

I didn't get the chance to get the camera out over the weekend, but I'll see if I can't post some pictures in the next couple of days. The second part of the class is next Sat, when we'll work on a bit more wheel-spinning, plying, and dyeing. I'm looking forward to it!