The Poultry Keeper

gwylltcymru · Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:01 am Post subject: spinning?

as i want to get alpacas when im older,
i want to learn how to spin the fibre myself and i was wondering if its easy to spin.
alpaca fibre is easier than sheep ive been told as theres no lanolin?
just wondered if anyone did it and could give advice as this forum seems to have the most diverse range of members ive known(and thats a good thing)
alex

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6919 Location: isle of lewis

there is a link to a forum where there is stuff on spinning further down on this thread ,as i wanted to learn to spin last year ,as nonies boss gave me some fleeces rather than burn them ,pleased to report they are ou of the car on and are siting in the corner of the bedroom waiting for me to learn Embarassed

,there is a video about learning to spin ,wonder if that would be of any help
suz

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1325 Location: Leicestershire

Hi

Spinning is quite easy to do if you have a decent wheel, I can't speak about anything other than sheep's fleece here as I have no experience, but I do have a woollen jumper which I spun and knitted myself, so I've done a bit, the worst part is carding the fleece, I borrowed a drum carder, but you have to spend a long time teasing the fleece out to remove all the extras - bits of straw, grass, muck, hayseeds etc otherwise they end up in your fibre. You need lanolin in the fleece to help it run smoothly through your fingers - it's lubrication really, but if the fleece has been washed or doesn't possess any of its own you can add it in the form of olive oil - it will wash out. You sound quite young as you said you wanted to do it when you were older, quite frankly the whole thing is a fairly tedious and time consuming process, but also fairly pleasant & laid back, you may be better off getting it spun professionally, there must be mills in Wales where you could get it done. Buy yourself a Country Smallholding magazine, there will be addresses in there, but if you definitely want to hand spin then as I said at the beginning - get a good wheel. I may come back with website address for that - depends if they've got one or not. Have fun Wink

Itsybitsy

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1325 Location: Leicestershire

Hi - it's me again. I can't make head nor tail of the web address, but they are called Timbertops and I just typed that into Google & it found them about 2nd down on the list Wink

Lots of Ashford ones for sale on ebay - they work!

Itsybitsy

Loudmouth Schnook · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:15 pm Post subject:

www.scalpaylinen.com/

This is a link to a lady on Scalpay who spins and weaves. We got Solo, one of our first Indian Runners from her (she does chooks, ducks and sheep!) and our Hebridean ram lamb called 'Hector'. If you contact her, I am sure she will be a mine of information. She teaches spinning as well!

fluffly_fifer · Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 411 Location: Fife, Scotland

I went to a short course on spinning some time ago & it was fairly easy to pick up. Must say very relaxing too.... the Sleeping Beauty story isn't that far from the truth probably. Laughing

mojo · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:35 am Post subject:

should be ok for a scottish sweater for xmas then from the fair isle? of lewis

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6919 Location: isle of lewis

i was taking to my nieghbour yesterday ,they where telling me the the women from here and i believe the shetlands could knit while carring the peats home walking Shocked

,and you never went anywhere with out your knitting Alex was saying you always knew when people came to visit the knitting neddles could be heard clacking from outside the kitchen window as they all sat round knitting and chatting Very Happy

,only went round to ask where a house was ,stopped for tea and cakes Very Happy

suz

mojo · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:54 am Post subject:

Trica says no crofter would have enough sheep to get enough wool to make me a sweater.................ah well back to simpsons sweatshirt

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6919 Location: isle of lewis

deb's oh has i think over the 150 mark sorry to be cheeky Embarassed

,
i'd better go and move my muck heap before i get into trouble Rolling Eyes

suz

mojo · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject:

oh good if he saves the fleeces for two years you should have enough ...now get that midden sorted

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6919 Location: isle of lewis

on a sunday Twisted Evil

suz

mojo · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:40 pm Post subject:

animals dont stop pooing cause its sunday you know

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6919 Location: isle of lewis

aaahh but picking it up has to be done on the monday Wink

,i could do some planting for the poly that's going up this weekend in the caravan so noone sees me but i've run out of compost Rolling Eyes

suz

mojo · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject:

dont tell us.we live in arural area where its frowned on to hang out washing on a sunday as for actually working ...............they just lean on the gate and go tutt tutt tutt ................yet and this is the odd thing the farmers are out cutting the hay and silage as tho there is no tomorrow....oh well if you choose to live here you must obey the unwritten rules