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nwspinner@toast.net
New Pal
2 Posts |
 Posted - 02/12/2004 : 12:15:42 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Da Stitcher
Because I can pay $10 for 10 pounds of roving to make 10 lbs of 100% wool yarn.
Becky,
Where do you get roving for $1.00 a pound and what quality of wool is it?
bj, first post to this forum |
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Knit2Relax
Gabber Extraordinaire
433 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2004 : 1:20:43 PM
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What wonderful answers to a question I have always wanted to ask. It sounds like a wonderfully relaxing and fun thing to do. You women never cease to amaze me with all of your cumulative talents!
Teresa
California
Knitting and More
http://journals.aol.com/knit2relax/KnittingandMore/ |
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EdieC
New Pal
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2004 : 1:44:56 PM
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| Spinning sounds facinating....where do you get the material to spin? |
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arachne.web@verizon.net
New Pal
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2004 : 2:38:21 PM
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I love my spinning wheels & my spindles! I love the whole process of picking out the fiber, deciding how I want to spin it & if I will use it as it is or dye it, designing the project I'll use and then seeing the finished product.... It's kinda magical. All those fibers, all random & messy, and then I have a garment or a table runner or a blanket. It's all about the whole process. It connects me to all those who have come before me.
Spinning is a very centering process. I can do it by myself & reflect on the day, or enjoy the woodstove & the soup pot. I can go to spin-ins with my friends & chat, shop and eat. I can take my drop spindle on an airplane (or a sock to knit or both). As much as I love knitting & yarn, I love spinning more!
Penny |
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Clara
queen bee
USA
4362 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2004 : 2:38:49 PM
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Spinning sounds facinating....where do you get the material to spin?
Oooooooh that's the fun part! You wouldn't believe the number of fiber sources there are out there, from the large and organized (Halcyon Yarn is one example) to the very small and custom-dyed (Copper Moth is an example). Then you have fiber festivals, where booth after booth is filled with gorgeous fibers to spin. THEN you get into dyeing and blending your own fiber combinations, which is rather like grinding your own special blend of flour for bread...
Oh I could go on and on and on...
Clara
Your friendly Knitter's Review publisher
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rjj18702@aol.com
New Pal
1 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2004 : 1:55:59 PM
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@Yes,Yes, Yes. I bought a spinning wheel, now I need some help using it.I love the feel of hand spun yarns but not the price.
Denise |
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k2togyo
Warming Up
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2004 : 3:44:51 PM
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Depends where you live... here in the SF Bay Area, there are a couple of stores that offer classes. Also check out Spin-Off magazine's list of spinning guilds... http://www.interweave.com/spin/resources/spinning_guilds.asp. There may be one nearby. If you're still stuck far away from live spinning teachers and buddies, there are several excellent videos available (I've heard good things about Patsy Zawistoski's video).
Nancy
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Lissa
Permanent Resident
USA
4942 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2004 : 09:57:24 AM
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Cheap fiber source? Other than the online shops, I have two words for you: E Bay! Great place to get small quantities of fiber to experiment with..
Lissa
Hey - I MEANT to do that! |
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Lyndall
Warming Up
66 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2004 : 4:10:43 PM
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Mariana: If you all have this "let's get down to earth and Nature" feeling, why don't any of you mention shearing the sheep? I don't think you're reallly in touch with all that if the wool is just off the animal.
Lyndall |
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megknits
Sustaining Member
USA
728 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2004 : 8:31:08 PM
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For me at least, it's not a "let's get down to Earth and Nature" thing. Some people really enjoy getting raw fleece and processing it all the way to the point of knitting a sweater from it. Not me -- I've tried scouring and handcarding a fleece and found that what I really like to do is spin, not prepare the fiber. I like to buy my fiber already combed or carded, and ready to go.
It's funny -- some people look at knitters and can't understand why we don't just buy a sweater from Target for $20 instead of spending three times that to knit our own. Others can't understand why spinners would want to spend all that time at their wheels when there are so many great yarns out there. And people (like me) don't get why people would want to spend a lot of time repetitively carding wool when prepared top is available. It all depends on where you fall on the spectrum.
I just love to watch the fibers slip through my fingers and turn into yarn -- it's hypnotic in a way.
Meg |
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Da Stitcher
Chatty Knitter
USA
216 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2004 : 05:31:35 AM
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I think each of us has our limit as to how far back the evolutionary chain of a sweater we are willing to go. [:D} I'm at the carding stage now as we are carding different colors together to make unique yarns. Way too much fun.
I want to start with a small amout of raw fleece and work up through the entire process just so I know how and can say I've done that. If I enjoy it, perhaps I'll continue.
I guess we are lucky in that we can do "it all." And, if we are in a hurry, we can run to the store and buy "ready made" whether it's in the shape of yarn or a sweater! 
Becky
da_stitcher@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tucson_socknitters |
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Debbie Mo
New Pal
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2004 : 11:20:40 AM
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Reading your posts reminded me of something I once thought I would like to do someday - own sheep, spin my own yarn and knit with it. Funny, but dying the yarn wasn't something I thought of as part of the process until today. Getting just the right shade of a color would be so exciting.
Of course, it will remain a dream until I can retire, because I barely have enough knitting time, let alone time to care for sheep! And my DH doesn't mind a cat or two, but I think he might draw the line at sheep!
Debbie Mo |
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k2togyo
Warming Up
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2004 : 11:27:08 AM
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Meg -- nicely put. Your post reminded me of a friend I used to work with. She couldn't understand why I didn't just go buy a sweater. This same lady was really into photography, and had recently gone to Europe and had taken quite a few photos, and done them up into nice albums. So I asked her, "well, why didn't you just buy postcards?" She got it.
Nancy A
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Lissa
Permanent Resident
USA
4942 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2004 : 8:54:27 PM
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Let's not forget that our dear Jen also sells gorgeous spinning fiber of many breeds - largly the endangered and rare breeds. WWW.spirit-trail.net
Lissa
Hey - I MEANT to do that! |
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cdenehy
New Pal
Australia
13 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2004 : 10:26:31 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by Phaedra28
Personally, I started out thinking spinning was a useless skill.
Ditto, but then I have done almost every other fibre related activity from batik to couture sewing and knitting is only the latest. (I haven't yet succumbed to weaving but it's a possibility). Spinning is very soothing and there's a lot of fibre out there that yarn companies will never provide for you. Custom colours, varieties of blends that can't be found or are too expensive. Once I discovered how easy it really was I want to do it all the time. The down side is that you are adding to the stash by spinning. I doubt I'll ever start with raw fleece but there's enough roving available to start a new stash (did I say that?). I am currently in love with some milk-chocolate coloured Corriedale that is going to become a jacket.
Carol in Canberra
Fibre keeps me sane and happy when everything else falls apart. |
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Da Stitcher
Chatty Knitter
USA
216 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2004 : 07:27:57 AM
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Reading over these posts, we seem to "justify" our spinning alot. Why do we find it hard to admit we like spinning because we like it? There doesn't have to be a specific reason to like it, does there?
We don't justify the pleasure of eating or special moments with our mate(s)  . We do it cuz we like it.
Becky
da_stitcher@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tucson_socknitters |
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k2togyo
Warming Up
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2004 : 08:18:31 AM
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Justification is a reflex you eventually develop. Non-spinning knitters ask "why can't you just buy the yarn" and non-crafty people ask "why can't you just buy the sweater."
And often, my response is, "because it's fun."
Nancy A
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talmithe
New Pal
20 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2004 : 10:36:59 AM
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Because it is fun and sensuous, definitely. And there is something so satisfying about "spinning straw into gold" -- though a fleece isn't like straw! But taking somehting not useful and making it beautiful and useful. Even as a beginning spinner, people are so amazed that I made something, the more Urban your environment, the more amazed and admiring your neighbors are -- as if you'd connected with some magic -- and, of course, you have. At the last party we had even the men were gathered around the spinning wheel passing around samples of the yarn (luckily my better attempts were out) and begging for socks!
To me the main thing was that nice yarn is WAY to expensive for me, and especially when I want to experiment with it. Even my first singles made Xmas scarves so beautiful people kept saying I should sell them. There just isn't anything like spinning for pleasure and satisfaction.
talmithe
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GaiaDea
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2004 : 01:55:06 AM
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I like to make things with my own two hands, and be able to step back, look at it, and say "I made that."
For me, Its just that simple. I do these things because I want to. I suffer from chronic depression, currently unmedicated due to the love and honesty of my DH, and the satisfaction I get from making things.
I craft jewelry in silver and precious gems, I sort-of knit, sort-of crochet, paint, write, sew, do both carpentry and masonry, and plan gardens (I have a black thumb--I can plan a beautiful garden, but don't let me plant it!  ), and practice animal husbandry on various species that have included herps, aves, rodenta, canine, feline, equine, porcine (never again!), picine, etc. With the exceptions of animal husbandry, carpentry, and masonry, I am entirely self taught.
I like to spin.
Trish |
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Josh A.
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
561 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2004 : 08:55:03 AM
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Wow. Spinning is the answer to expense it seems. Better yarn, cheaper. Sign me up.
Josh A.
N. California -> Rochester, NY |
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