Getting started spinning.

your site is all about something i really want to do :O how did you learn to spin? where do you get the raw wool? where can someone get a spinning wheel? anything else that could be helpful to know? please answer this into my inbox so i’ll see the answers for sure!! your site has lots of lovely stuff :)

This is a great question, I hope you don’t mind me publishing it on my blog as well so that it can help out other people who have the same questions.

1. I had the luxury of  working in a yarn store that also sold spinning wheels and materials. I got really excited about it and just taught myself from watching others and from a few tips. I started on a drop spindle and then got frustrated with that and moved onto an actual wheel. When our store went out of business I was able to actually get a wheel for myself.
   
   I struck out with luck, so for most people-I would recommend that they first do a search for local yarn stores. Not Michael’s or JoAnn’s. Small knitting and crocheting businesses are always the best start, even if they do not carry spinning materials. They will usually be able to point you into the right direction locally. Some yarn stores will carry spinning supplies and they may be able to give you a class right there.
   
   If you are in an area where there is no local yarn stores I would turn to the internet or the library. There are a few great dvd’s on spinning and a wealth of videos and tutorials online about learning to spin. If you are teaching yourself at home I would recommend beginning on a drop spindle.  On Etsy there are a lot of kits that features a drop spindle and instructions and some fiber that will really help you get started.
2. When you are looking for fiber to get started you want to search for “roving” or “top” sometimes a search will lead you to “fleece” and that is not what you want. Roving or top has been cleaned and processed and is ready to spin. Fleece has literally just come off the animal.
   
   My favorite places to find fiber are either at my local yarn shop-(Fibre Space if you are in the DC/Virginia area….) or on Etsy.  
3. You can find spinning wheels at certain local yarn stores. There is also a wealth of spinning wheels available online-they usually ship for free.
   They are usually anywhere between 200-1,000 which is also a good reason to start with a drop spindle.
   
   You  really want to be able to try out different wheels before purchasing though, I love my wheel but to others it may not be the perfect fit. You can use Ravelry to connect with other spinners in your area and that may help you out as well.
4. Other tidbits:
   >usually 4ounces of wool is enough to make a good amount of yarn for a small project-like mittens or a hat.
   >Keep an eye out for festivals that may be in your area. Rhinebeck in New York, Maryland Sheep and Wool…even some farmer’s markets have wool from their own animals.
   >Ravelry is going to be a great resource for you to meet other spinners!
   >Don’t get too frustrated and have fun! Spinning tests your patience more than most things I have ever tried, but it pays off in beautiful unique art.

Good luck! I hope all of this helped…

 

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