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RobA
Permanent Resident
2373 Posts |
 Posted - 11/21/2005 : 11:38:14 AM
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Hi,
I am a brand-new, well, can't really call myself a spinner yet, but I am trying to learn to spin. I had a lesson yesterday at a friend's house, and she has lent me a wheel (that I will probably buy from her). I am learning about fibers, and understand that some fibers are easier to spin than others. For example, I think I understood that longer fibers are easier than shorter ones like merino (and I don't general choose to knit with merino anyway). So what have you started with?
Rob http://roberta.typepad.com/robknits/ |
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SpottedTApps
New Pal
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 11:55:37 AM
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I think a nice combed wool top. They slide easier in your fingers and won't frustrate you like some rovings will.
Shetland is a dream to spin if you can get your hands on some.
Good luck!
See my new spinning blog! www.freewebs.com/spottedtapps |
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jaymeKnits
Permanent Resident
USA
1326 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 12:11:25 PM
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I've heard and experienced the opposite. Combed top is too slippery and gets awa y from you. I would say stick with a medium staple, undyed wool roving. Jacob is good easy one to start with.
Jayme |
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RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 12:21:10 PM
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Try EVERYTHING. Jayme spins beautifully and prefered roving. I spin beautifully and prefer top. Try every single fiber you can get your hands on. If you like it, order more, if you don't like it, try it again when you're more comfortable with what you're doing!
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
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Lissa
Permanent Resident
USA
4942 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 12:22:50 PM
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The advice I hear most often is the same as Jayme's. Other good breeds for beginners are Romney, BFL, Wensleydale, Coopworth. Tops are usually harder BECAUSE they're more slippery, and short fibers, such as merino, tend to slip too quickly through new spinners' fingers and the top breaks off in their hands. Then again, there are some people who learned on merino top and loved it, so no everyone has the same experience.
Lissa
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a
revolutionary act. -- George Orwell
Oh, and I now have a blog:http://knittnlissa.typepad.com/knittnlissa/ |
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jaymeKnits
Permanent Resident
USA
1326 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 12:29:11 PM
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Actually I prefer top now but I when I started everyone said roving was easier so that's what I started with. I do agree that trying multiple fibers is a great way to discover what you like.
Jayme |
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KnitRedSox
Chatty Knitter
170 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2005 : 5:50:54 PM
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| I had great beginner experience with BFL (Blue Faced Leicester) - though Jacob should work just as well. Have fun! |
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RobA
Permanent Resident
2373 Posts |
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spinningbunny
Warming Up
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2005 : 10:31:52 AM
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I agree that this is completely individual. I have taught people who took to roving easily and others who fought with it until they tried top and were then instantly successful. It really depends on you and what you like or interests you. If you want to try top early in your spinning career perhaps corriedale before merino would be easier.
I remember that the third fiber I tried was angora. Plucked angora at that! It was my carrot all along so I learned quickly as I love the stuff. Not that the first singles were all that even just that I did learn to twist properly and add fiber often as I had motivation for it.
Buy a few ounces of this and a few ounces of that and play play play.
Have a hoppin'in day,
Susan, the bunny's spinner
http://www.spinningbunny.com |
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mygomi
Warming Up
USA
93 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2005 : 12:59:08 AM
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I learned to spin about a month and a half ago. My first fiber was coopworth, which was pretty easy to learn on, had good "stick". But I quickly tried all sorts of different fibers and learned a bit from each. I really like blue face leicester for its softness and general ease of drafting. I loved trying silk/merino, quiviut/alpaca/merino, and soy silk/alpaca/merino. I tried camel down early on and it was tough tough tough but fun and rewarding. Like climbing a mini Everest. ;) As Susan says, play play play and you'll find what you enjoy.
Monica
My new blog: http://twoleftneedles.com |
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Andy
Seriously Hooked
USA
774 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2005 : 11:19:53 AM
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My "first" was Wensleydale top, nice and long, soft and kinky, but great to wear next to the skin. However, I liked a carded Lincoln-Romney cross even better. It was more coarse, but I did worsted style spinning and it came out smooth and shiny, for socks and weaving a skirt.
Give Coleridge credit for saying that people most often err in what they condemn and are nearest the truth in what they allow.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/shuvani11/
Andy-wommon |
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GaiaDea
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2005 : 03:13:52 AM
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I honestly think the best answer to what fiber is best to learn on is whichever fiber you like to touch the most. You will be handling this fiber a great deal while you are learning to get it to do what you want. If you are using a fiber you don't care for, it makes the experience less fun, so use what you like!
Just my 2 cents! 
GaiaDea |
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