Friday, 6 February 2009

spinning

A week or so ago I posed the following question to my friend on Stitchin Fingers

So my question is, although many of you have tried many different fibre techniques, Is there one that you have never tried that keeps calling to you. You know, the one that gets you watching every time you see someone demonstrate it.

For me, it's seeing someone sat at a spinning wheel, my fingers itch to have a go. Closely followed by those big looms that bang and clang :-)

Spurred on by this, I had a rummage in my cupboard and found a drop spindle purchased in Scotland several years ago, played with once, failed to make anything that stayed together and promptly abandoned!

I then hunted down video clips on You Tube, adapted the method so that I used my bad arm as little as possible and played,and played, and played...................

So take one spindle

spinning 014

add fibre

spinning 010


make some wonderful texture

spinning 007

eventually something that resembles wool

spinning 003

knitable

spinning 009

try again and again, eventually a little more control

spinning 011

produced this

spinning 016


thanks to my friends for replying, many of them also had ambition to spin-) Abigail, Hanane, Tatting Chic, Sita,Pam,Jenny,Helen Suzanne, Neki,Ati, Pippa and Margaret

So, what new craft would you like to try?
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11 comments:

  1. Unknown6 February 2009 at 19:03

    they look wonderful,very impressed especially with your bad arm hindering you. I have had one of those spindles lurking in the cupboard for years after failed attempts at making anything usable, think I need to go U-Tubing

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  2. Ati 6 February 2009 at 19:28

    Sue your yarn looks great! I love the purple color, it looks so even and warm and cosy :)

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  3. Anonymous6 February 2009 at 20:17

    Well, I have never tried spinning before (thinking that you had to have a spinning wheel), but, after seeing your work, I desperately want to try it. Thanks so much for giving me yet one more thing to try.

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  4. Julie6 February 2009 at 22:05

    Your spinning and knitting look wonderful. I think I would like to try weaving if I had the chance. I like weaving papers or fabrics through each other so it would be interesting to use a loom.

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  5. Jenny7 February 2009 at 03:07

    I am most impressed! Extremely usable yarn which knits up beautifully. And all with an arm in plaster! You rock!

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  6. verobirdie7 February 2009 at 08:49

    Very impressive! Those yarns look gorgeous.
    Given the chance, I'd try felting.

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  7. hippopip7 February 2009 at 20:49

    Well done ,I am most impressed,I am still trying to think of a want to do.

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  8. acereta8 February 2009 at 14:38

    Looks great! I remember my grandma spinning! She died several years ago... When I was a child it was fun to look at her spinning, but she just used white and grey wool. She taught me knitting, but not spinning...

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  9. Weird8 February 2009 at 21:59

    I am impressed - spinning with your arm in plaster and then managing some wonderful yarn like this after only a short time, that's great! It took me a lot longer to produce something worth looking at ;-)
    I'd really like to try naalbinding (no idea whether this is the correct english word - sorry!= and tablet weaving some time. I should really give it a try.

    Best,
    Weird

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  10. Suzanne Earley9 February 2009 at 13:56

    I'm thinking I need to find a drop spindle and search out those youtube videos and other websites, too. that looks really cool!

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  11. neki desu9 February 2009 at 15:56

    yes, yes, felting!
    saw a gorgeous knitted scarf, very oopen and then felted

    neki desu

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