Rumplestilskin is my name

What a lucky fish I am - I got a surprise birthday present - a spinning wheel!! Now I wish I had paid more attention at Woolfest as I was mystified about how to use it (I still thought the wool went round the big wheel, duh!).

I went over to The Wool Clip in Caldbeck to buy some wool tops and when I got there I realised I had no clue just how much I needed and how indeed to make sheep into wool.  Serendipitously the lady I asked was a Spinning teacher not a spinning Teacher and she suggested a lesson may not be bad thing.

She was a very nice teacher (and there is something reassuring about a Spinning teacher with the name Woolcott, like Mr Bun the Baker) and with her expert help after a couple of hours I managed this:

My first 2 ply yarn

 which she (kindly) said was VERY ACCEPTABLE for a beginner.

So I made this yarn using 2 separately spun strands and then PLYING them together - ie 2 ply. Now don't be put off by the fact it veers alarmingly between finger thick and nanometre thin- this is a much prized effect that beginners produce with ease and expert spinners struggle to produce - I think she called the thick bits slub and she seemed quite happy about it. Or maybe she was just being nice.

So off home I trotted with my bag of Rolags (!) and spun some pretty fine yarn.

First spinning on my own wheel

Only when I tried plying it (whilst watching the Watchmen) I got all twisted up and made some dreadlocks. I have since watched a video of PLYING and realise I forgot some important things.

 

At this rate I will be making spider silk by Christmas.