You spin me right 'round baby!

This winter a dear internet friend of mine convinced me that my life wouldn't be complete until I lent how to spin my own wool for my knitting projects. She had started the year before and I had been drooling over her spinning and dyed roving. Being one that loves to be able to do things from scratch and seeing it as a way to save money in the long run (gorgeous yarn can get expensive!)

I arranged with a lady from church to show me the basics (she has been spinning pretty much as long as I have been alive!) and she got me going with a spindle but I wasn't feeling the joy it just wasn't fast enough. So I hit up ebay and found myself a second hand Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel circa 1975. I started playing with it and as I couldn't wait til my next lesson I started watching Utube videos showing me how to work my new baby. By the time I had my next lesson I had filled two bobbins. Gail was impressed and after showing me how to ply declared she didn't really need to show me any more, I had it down and just needed to practice.

That was back in May and I'm pretty proud of the way I have come in my 2.5 months of spinning.

This was my first bobbin

My first plyed yarn. It was spun from roving that I dyed myself in an old crock pot.

Trying my hand at dyeing and spinning raw fleece. I love the candy stripe affect of this yarn!

My second attempt spinning my own handdyed roving. I think plyed it with a grey merino fleece that I washed and carded.


This yarn is from a sheep called Joe. He is a Finn x Corri x EL x BL and is a twin! His wool is lovely and such a pleasure to spin. I have knitted this lot up but you'll have to wait til my next post to see what I turned it into!

I'm excited as my uncle who is a sheep farmer has promised me a whole fleece when they shear in September. I think that will keep me busy for a long, long time!