Craft Group Sevenoaks

Spinning

There are various types of spinning done by politicians, D.J.s and craft persons. I do the latter and find that it a very rewarding occupation and the yarn produced can be used for knitting [which is making a come back] and weaving to mention the two most usual. In order to spin one needs a drop spindle which is a stick with a whorl on the end to provide the momentum to put the twist into the yarn, and, having mastered that, a spinning wheel, which increases production dramatically.

Various fibres can be used to make a good yarn such as sheep's fleece and as there are about 48 breeds of sheep in the British Isles there is plenty of choice both in texture and colour ranging from white through shades of fawn, brown and almost black. Apart from sheep's fleece there are the exotics such as silk, camel down, alpaca, llama, mohair from the angora goat, and rabbit, dog, cat, etc. etc.

It is a good idea to join a spinning group, such as a Guild of Spinners, Dyers and Weavers and most counties have one, or a local group. Then one obtains all sorts of useful information such as where to obtain fleece or where to buy ready prepared fibres known as tops, or rovings, which are long rope - like strands where the 'raw' fleece or other down / fibre straight off the animal's back is cleaned, carded, so that all the fibres are lying in the same direction, and ready for spinning.

I find it more fun to prepare the fleece myself, but have fallen into the trap of becoming a "Compulsive Fleece Buyer," that is seeing different types of fleece and thinking 'I'd like to try that'. Be Warned!

Eileen Turner