Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns

FatCat

First off apologies that I have never ever posted in this part of the forum before or given praise to anyone else's spinning attempts Embarassed

I've looked a lot since yesterday, and it all looks fabulous! And lots of really helpful tips and questions and links too which have been so useful - thank you all Very Happy

So anyhow, yesterday I got a surprise package in the post - a present from my mother. It was an Ashford student spindle and two ounces of fibre - one natural and one purple. I'm saving the purple until the weekend, but I had a go last night with the natural. So, this is my first attempt - what do you think? I'm quite pleased with it Very Happy

It's a bit overtwisted but that will sort itself out when I wind it off, won't it Confused

And it's lumpy here and there too Embarassed

I've only gone on what I can find on the internet, here and elsewhere, about how to do it so any feedback and tips would be gratefully received! Oh, and where are good places to shop for fibre? I have a feeling that I'm going to need more Embarassed

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pictish · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:25 am Post subject:

What a lovely surprise!!! Razz

Your yarn looks fantastic for a first attempt Shocked

I think you amust be related to CJ in some way Laughing

Can't advise much on fibre as I just get mine (when I buy it which isn't very often these days Rolling Eyes

) from Twistfibre cos I can look, feel and buy!! But Wingham Woolwork do cheapish plain stuff for practising on dyed and undyed. About £3 100g is what I pay for dyed merino at Twistfibre.

When you feel more confident there's obviously some lovely hand dyed (I haven't gone down this route yet). Wildcraft are gorgeous!!! And ComeinSpinner on etsy - Davis is now called Southern Cross - but he's based in NZ so postage might be expensive!!! Gorgeous colours tho Razz

Also YY of course and Posh do fibre.

It depends how seriously you want to take it I suppose. I would have words with CJ anyway - she knows the best places I reckon Wink

She can definitely advise on spindles too which I can't.
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Ali xxx

Glynis · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:15 am Post subject:

That looks great! Very well done indeed Smile

What a wonderful gift your mother has sent - does she appreciate the dangers of such a move?? Laughing

Oh and here's a place to look too
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5104354

Glynis (who know what she is talking about in this respect Embarassed

)
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Yes I can!

FatCat · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:40 am Post subject:

Thank you! LOL at me being related to CJ, I don't think so! I think I might have just had a lucky first spin attempt Laughing

And all the links Shocked

Oh my word, so much fibre, too much choice, thanks! I'm trying not to do my usual thing, have one go at something and then go mad and order loads of stuff for it Rolling Eyes

(see my sock yarn stash for example of this trait Embarassed

). I might be sensible and see if I can really do it again before I order more. But that Wildcraft site is awesome Shocked

And your etsy link too Glynis, wow! Thanks!

I do have some questions, if anyone had the patience to help me?

So, getting this off the spindle, I can just wind it onto something else?

I've read in places that you need to set the twist - do you always have to do that? If so how? And what happens if I don't?

Does anyone have the direct links to things on n's blog about spinning? In the earlier posts in this section from last year she mentions links she's put up, but I can't find any of them now Confused

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Glynis · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:58 am Post subject:

I have only really just started myself, but I have removed the singles from the spindle by sliding it up the shaft and onto a plastic drinking straw. You can create two spools of singles and then ply them together.
If you push kebab sticks through the straws to create something for the straws to spin on and then create a "cradle " for them to rotate in (think shoebox with holes punched in the sides) it is possible to spin them together to ply.
Youtube is great for pictures of people doing these things Very Happy

PS My plying was awful because I had put too much twist in the singles Sad

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Yes I can!

FatCat · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:31 pm Post subject:

Thank you Glynis. I'll do a spot of poking around the internet for pics etc, the shoebox idea sounds really good too. And I hadn't thought that the twist in the singles would affect the plying, that's a bit of a worry. Sorry yours didn't look good after all that work. I'll have to see how mine goes. Thank you so much for all the help Very Happy

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cazzie · Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 4792 Location: Northants

Ooops wrong thread - now re-posted in correct one!
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Cazzie

Wildpurl · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Posts: 1701

Yay! FatCat is spinning too!

Yours looks good for a first go and no mistake - nice and even. There are always slubs in to start with, I wouldn't worry about them too much just now - at least that's what my spinnig teacher said. If you want to remove them, you unwind to where they are (making sure not to let the twist unravel) and hold the yarn about one inch away from the lunp on either side. Twist it in the opposite direction so the twist comes off and gently pull apart till it is the thikcness you want. Then let the twist run back into it.

Re the setting the twist, if you dn't do that then the yarn will be unbalanced and will unwind as soon as you let go of the ends. I think as Glynis says that the best way for a beginner is to ply two singles together. There is a whole class on spinnig singles and setting the twist.

Also, Dinae showed us how to finish the yarn after plying. Wind the plied yarn into a skein and tie the ends off so it is stable. Put some water that is hot, a bit too hot to keep your hand in, into a container large enough for the skein. We used Eucalan as you don't have to rinse it out - Socktopus sells it. Plunge skein into water without agitating. Leave for five minutes, then lift out, squeeze out water carefully. Snap the skein once at each end and then whack it gently twice. Roll in a towel to remove remaining moisture and hang to dry.

This makes quite a differnece tohow it looks btw, I don;t know if you tried this Glynis, but it may be that your yarn is fine and just needs finishing.
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http://purlsinthepool.blogspot.com

Ravelry ID - Wildpurls

Auntie Noo · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:49 pm Post subject:

It looks fab for a first go FC - really even.

n sells fibre..... I wouldn't look though if I were you! Wink

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Claire

RavelryID:~ Auntienoo

FatCat · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:55 pm Post subject:

Thank you! I wasn't sure whether it was good or not very - it's really difficult to tell when you've never done it before and there's no-one around to ask in person. You lot are brilliant, I'm so glad I've got you all Very Happy

Thank you for all your lovely comments Very Happy

Carola, that's brilliant, thank you so much for all the advice, much appreciated. I might well try plying at the weekend when I've spun up the purple fibre too. (Social life? What's one of those then? Rolling Eyes

)

Hmm, guess I won't look at n's site just yet then Laughing

Maybe in an hour or so .... Rolling Eyes

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