This afternoon I went to a By Gone Days event that my newspaper was covering and I got to sit in the corner with a wonderful woman who was spinning on an Ashford traditional spinning wheel (just like the one I hope to get by Christmas!) and ask her question after question after question for about two hours! she was so patient and nice and I learned so much!

She also invited me to join two fiber guilds in the two big cities that are on each side of our county so I will likely join although I want have time to go to all their meetings....but I will join to get their free spinning info and classes!

My poor brain is boggled now from all the info I tried to cram into it this afternoon! I'm going to check on my Angora rabbits now and "tell" them all about what I'm going to do with their fur!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), October 27, 2001

Answers

Suzy, I learned to spin several years ago. I met a spinner at a fall festival. She invited me to join her spinning guild which I did. Her guild members taught me to spin and I love it. I spin mostly in the winter as I'm busy with the garden and livestock babies in the spring and summer. Be careful it's habit forming (in a good way). I have a Ashford Traveler which I love but I think that if I had it to do over I would get a Ashford Traditional. If you plan to take your wheel with you get a Traveler as it fits in your car easier than the Traditional. Ashford makes the best.

Now on to the rabbits. I raised Angora rabbits at first however when you spin pure angora wool it flys everyplace. It bothered my eyes and nose and I'm not alergic to it. I have found that if you keep a couple of sheep or an angora goat it's much more cost effective that keeping several rabbits. You can add rabbit angors to you wool if you want. I still have rabbits but not angora ones. How long have you had your angora rabbits? I found that the wool upkeep was just more than I could handle especially in the summer and if I let it go til fall and winter boy what a mess. I used scissors to shear my angora goats in the spring and fall. It makes the best yarn. I have crocheted several sweaters from my hand spun wool and there is nothing warmer. I've also made mittens and have tried socks .

Enjoy your new hobby.

Linda

-- Linda (awesomegodchristianministries@yahoo.com), October 27, 2001.

You'll love your Ashford. I've had one for over 35 years. I ordered mine from New Zealand but they're quite available here now. The main thing is to just do it. You learn a lot as you spin, then talk to other people. Enjoy.

-- Rosalie (deatline@globalsite.net), October 27, 2001.

Your experience is what I have found to be universal among the fiber arts "family". I am a member of two guilds and I love sharing what I know with anyone interested enough to ask. Welcome to my obsession!!!!

-- Patricia Ramsey (WOOLSPIN@AOL.COM), October 28, 2001.

Yes, I've found spinning to be addicting also - and in a very satisfying way. It's a soothing thing to do, and spinning encourages a calm way of thinking over rough spots in the road of life. It's also a link with unnumbered generations of women who have gone before me. I _really_ enjoy my spinning time!

I spun with a drop spindle for about a year and ended up wrecking my left shoulder - repeative motion injury. That forced the issue of getting a wheel and I bought a Babe's wheel about five months ago. Since then I've been spinning thinner and thinner yarn, finally getting down to lace weight wool.

Do you buy wool ready for spinning or get fleece and process it yourself?

Just LOVE to talk with other spinners!

-- Carol - in Virginia (carollm@rockbridge.net), October 28, 2001.

Suzy, I have been spinning about 16 years.I started with a Ashford Saxony and now have probably 15 different types of wheels. I like the Louet the best. I found the best way to learn to spin is first to use a drop spindle. You get the feel of the wool. Use a long fibered wool as Border Leicester,Lincoln,Icelandic or Romney or like sheep first.Shorter fibers take more twist. Angora is slippery and takes practice to spin. It does blend beautifully with other fibers especially kid mohair or Border Leicester.Welcome to the world of fiberart. If I were you I would subscribe to Spinoff by Interweave Press . It is an excellent publication that you will look forward to each issue.Good Luck,Terry

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), October 29, 2001.

so HERE's where the spinners are congregating! So glad to find you all.

I'm what they call a "born again spinner," learned as a kid and returned to it as an adult. Remembering my old skill, I thought I'd get a really nice fancy wheel like a Kromski or fancy double-drive Timbertops. Thank goodness for the information out there today, which explained the different kinds and parts of a spinning wheel. Never thought I'd follow the herd, but after sitting down at an Ashford Traditional I realized the wheel was solidly wellmade and clearly designed and easily manipulated. No wiggling this or jiggling that. I'm already knitting (something pointless but satisfying) from my first ball of 2-ply homespun! Spin on.

-- brooklynsheep (robbins@informinc.org), October 29, 2001.

Count me in too! My obsession with knitting led to spinning which led to weaving, and now I have outgrown my space so much, I had to buy land in Maine on which to build my weaving cottage to hold it all! (of course the cottage isn't built yet, that's my springtime project!)

Enjoy, but clean out those closets, you'll need the space soon enough!

P.S. are you selling any of your Angora Fiber?

-- Sandie in Maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), October 30, 2001.

How exciting...I can hardly wait until you get yours and we can swap spinning tips. Mine is an Ashford Traditional too...have had it 10 years. I didn't realize there were so many spinners on this forum. How fun!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 30, 2001.

I just recently bought a Ashford Country Spinner to produce that bulky yarn. Has anyone had any experience with this wheel. I have been too busy to set it up and spin lately. Are homesteader spinners going to meet on this site. I hope so. I feel spin/weave/felt is the ultimate homestead skill.Terry.

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), October 30, 2001.