Finally, after months of frustration...I FINALLY spun some Angora wool and some sheep wool on my drop spindel!!! I spun about six yards last night....now I'm even more fired up about saving for that Ashford Traditional spinning wheel because I KNOW I CAN DO IT!!!!!!!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), November 01, 2001

Answers

WEEEEEEEE-HAW! Good for you! I bought a set of mini-combs, a drop spindle and a Navajo lap spindle at the Taos Wool Festival last month. Can't wait to try it on my mohair, after the snow starts flying and the fire's going in the stove. Ay-dios. dh in nm

-- debra in nm (onegoatgirl@yahoo.com), November 01, 2001.

Congratulation! I have never been patient enough to spin much with a drop spindle. I went straight to my wheel and never looked back. One thing I discoverd is that mohair and angora (bunny) are not something you want to begin with. Wool is easier to learn with. I found out the hard way. I bought an angora (goat) fleece and washed, carded and spun it all before I ever tried wool and once I tried wool I realized how much I was torturing myself!!

-- Patricia Ramsey (WOOLSPIN@AOL.COM), November 01, 2001.

Hey Suzy..I am so proud of you!! You want some of Gideon's fleece? (mohair) I found last falls fleece and realized I hadn't touched it yet. I will send you some. It is fun to spin too. It is so fun that you are loving this. It will just get easier and easier and funner and funner....(funner is probably not a word...but heck..I say it all the time!!)

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), November 01, 2001.

Good for you, Suzy! You have to understand, though, that you've taken the first step on a road that will lead to bags full of fleece being stuffed into every available corner, Woolery catalogs becoming your new "wishbook" and the family dogs' coats being evaluated for their yarn potential...not that I'd know anything about that, of course...

-- Christine (cytrowbridge@zianet.com), November 02, 2001.

Hi Suzy,

I'm glad you stuck with your task. How rewarding it is when you finally get it!! I have been spinning for quite some time now. I spin on a Majacraft "rose" and love it. The movement is alot smoother than an Ashford. When I bought my spining wheel I had done alot of research on them and spun on quite a few different ones to see which I liked the best. I good web site to look at for used and new ones for sale is the fiber house cleaning page. http//together.net/~kbruce/kbbspin.html Also have you tried finding a local spinning quild. We have a fantastic one. I learn most of my information there.

Good luck

-- Toni in Utah (tmevans66@hotmail.com), November 02, 2001.

I just bought a loom from those pages. I think I would rather buy from them then ebay as the people who are offering the equipment are knowledgeable about it not just someone who bought it at a garage sale for a cheap price and wanting to make a few $$$ on it.

Guess someday I'll get into spinning but so far I only weave. Sally

-- sally stanton (mallardhen67@hotmail.com), November 02, 2001.

Good for you! I had kind of a mini-lesson on spinning at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountainburg, Arkansas last month. It really made me want to learn more.

This weekend I had occasion to pet a camel. His hair was so SOFT! Have any of you heard of spinning that?

-- Mona in OK (modoc@ipa.net), November 02, 2001.

Congratulations.

I, too, have just learned to spin and absolutely love it. I tried the drop spindle first and for some reason took to it like a duck to water. (I think it is because I had a good instructor.) Then I went on to learn on a spinning wheel. Whole nother story. LOL I was getting frustrated with trying to keep the wheel moving in the right direction, nevermind trying to get my hands right. My instructor gave me the greatest hint. She said to go get some already spun storebought yarn and just practice with it getting used to what my feet do to make it go in the right direction. Once I get the hang of that so that they were doing it right without my having to think about it, then I put on the fleece and spun like I knew what I was doing. I was so thrilled. I have ordered my Ashford Traveler and am waiting for it to arrive (first of December because I have special ordered it.) I love spinning. Guess I have a good excuse to get sheep now!!! Keep us posted on your progress.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), November 02, 2001.

Mona, yes, camel hair or fleece can be spun. Makes a beautiful warm soft fabric, usually used for overcoats, and known as (I hesitate to use the term - Afghan coats). Camels are part of the, guess what? Camelid family. Also includes llamas, alpacas, and vicunas. In theory, the fibre is not as fine as some wool, and shouldn't feel as soft as it does, but it is long, so it doesn't have as many prickly ends for its bulk as does shorter wool fleeces.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), November 02, 2001.

I just love that AHA! moment when everything clicks. You're on your way now! (Did you get that closet cleaned out yet?)

-- Sandie in Maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), November 03, 2001.

Hi, Camel belly wool is just about perfect and naturally medium brown in color, just wonderful, dog hair from a groomers works well also, don't plan on getting it wet, though, people understand, if you smell like a wet sheep, but not if you smell like a wet dog. Afgan dog, english sheep dog, work great...

-- lacyj (hillharmony@hotmail.com), April 27, 2002.