Sorry I can't resist that turn of phrase, espeically now that I have 2 wheels. My first, the Louet S75 was bought from a guild member just because the price was too good to pass up and sat for who knows how long until I decided to participate in Yarn Barn's Spinzilla team. During that time I realized when I borrowed my mom's wheel over 10 years ago, I should have properly tuned it up before spinning with it. Well you already know I'm firmly a spinner now. So this holliday season I will be balancing family time, sight seeing, weaving an spinning my wheels, after solstice mostly on my new Kromski Minstrel.

Mahogonay finish Kromski Minstrel (castle style) spinning wheel

Comments

Sun, 12/20/2015 - 01:42

Xylem

I have just picked up another Alpaca fleece to prepare and spin. After completing a llama fleece prior to this with the tedious job of removing guard hairs, this spinning will be like taking a holiday:-).  I've posted off all the woven Christmas towels so my weaving tasks are reduced and can exercise the wheels again.

Steve

Sun, 12/20/2015 - 15:21

mneligh

At a sheep-to-shawl in October I was given 2 1/2 fleeces.  The Gulf Coast native fleece is spun and the project from it mailed.  The full moorit Shetland fleece is all spun except for the shoulder wool.  The half fleece is also Shetland, white hair, black wool.  I plan to separate the moorit shoulder wool into hair and wool, and make a boucle yarn out of both parts.  Some will go back to the provider of the fleece.

Although my small loom is bare, on my big loom I have a white-on-white project of handspun swalesdale contrasting with handspun corriedale.  I am ripping out the first inch for a second time, first because of tie-up errors (5 four-shaft sets of blocks - 22 treadles) and then because of a threading error I thought I had fixed.  I usually don't mess up that much, but I fixed it the first time around in my test rows late at night, and it is very difficult to see the pattern when the light is wrong.

Over the holidays I will put aside my fleece projects and spin prepared fiber -- merino, ingeo, alpaca, merino/silk blend.  It's so much less messy.

Sun, 12/20/2015 - 17:28

SusanBH

I have an Ashford Elizabeth that I spin on for about an hour or two each week.  I'm not especially good at it, and I don't do it enough to improve a whole lot, but I enjoy the relaxation of sitting at the wheel.  I recently set myself a goal of learning to use a drop spindle so I'm practicing with that for half an hour or so every day.  I'll maintain both of these during the holidays, but if I step up any handicraft it will be weaving.

Sun, 12/20/2015 - 21:57

endorph

on getting back to the wheel during my long weekend. I have received some prepared fiber for Christmas and want to dive into some of it. I also hope to find room on the dining table to  set up my wool combs and prepare some alpaca I bought from a farm in Wyoming when I was home this summer. Since I have been knitting like crazy up ot his point I decided it ws time to get back to spinning for a bit. Besides I need to replenish my yarn supply!

Mon, 12/21/2015 - 12:09

Erica J

I am diligently oiling my new Minstrel a bit each day until Christmas. The dealer said when she got hers she oiled it every day for maybe the first two weeks, so this lets me look at it and touch it without actually using it until the day. :)

I'm also working on finishing the sandstone colourway worsted yarn I started on my Louet. 

Mon, 12/21/2015 - 12:55

barleycorn

I was wondering if anybody here spins longdraw with a DD system. I have been experimenting and Scotch tension seems to work much better for me as I can get immediate pull in when needed. I try to spin about 15 min. everyday over the holidays but it is hard to fit in with everything else that has to be done.

Mon, 12/21/2015 - 15:28

mneligh

I normally don't use my DD for that because the bobbin is tiny, but I have done so in the past and have a friend "the queen of cotton" who exclusively uses DD and mostly spins longdraw.

My favorite wheel for longdraw and almost all other spinning is my Louet S10, Irish tension.  It pulls like a racehorse.  The secret is in the fiber prep, which must be loose and open, not compacted.

I try to spin an hour a day, but frequently attend demos and reenactments where I spin for 1-2 days straight, 6-10 hours a day.

I've finished plying the fleece mentioned above, and have moved on to some prepared fiber someone gave me as a gift.

 

Mon, 12/21/2015 - 21:04

Erica J

I have just this evening been making great headway with my long draw. I am using a Louet with Irish tension, it generally doesn't need any adjustment of tension, but I'm looking forward to trying out the Scotch tension and eventually DD on my Minstrel. 

Maybe I should just dive right in with DD, but I plan to go Scotch tension then DD.

Longdraw is quite magical I must say!

Tue, 12/22/2015 - 01:17

Joyce (not verified)

I'm heading to my folks tomorrow and the wheel is packed.  Yesterday I went to the winter Farmer's market and picked up a small bag of washed Romney fleece that I'll try spinning from the lock.  I also have a new DVD on using combs so I'll be trying my hand at combing some of the fleece. My parents go to bed early so there will be enough to keep busy in the evenings.

Thu, 12/24/2015 - 00:59

mneligh

I am totally happy with my handspun corriedale and swalesdale concentric rectangles rug! It's white on white, more or less, with the twill line (woven on opposites) going the opposite direction from that of the rectangle outside of it.  It shows up, plus you can feel it.

I'm reporting on it here because it's a rug that only a spinner that loves and appreciates the difference between the two wools would dream up. Both yarns were spun semi-worsted, but the corriedale is much loftier, whiter, and shinier.  Still, a non-spinner can see the different blocks, especially if the light comes at an angle rather than straight on -- kind of like illusion knitting.  I can't imagine a photograph showing anything but plain white, though.

Thu, 12/24/2015 - 02:33

Xylem

mneligh - sounds like it worked as you planned. Always good to hear.  I've found that photo's can work with different lighting/direction. This I found when I couldn't see the pattern on my huck lace towels until I turned off my (bright) overhead light and saw it with just light from the window (to the side). I'd love to see some photo's as I also spin and weave and have experimented with Z vs S plying before spinning amongst many other variations.

Steve

 

Thu, 12/24/2015 - 06:24

Erica J

Great success, mneligh!

I finished spinning the sandstone yarn. I had a bit left on one bobbin, after plying and thought I'd have a go at chain plying. My first attempt has been a disaster, so I need to go back to the tutorial video to refresh my memory of the technique. :)

Happy holidays!

Thu, 12/24/2015 - 14:01

endorph

can't chain ply. Thought I might play with it using some fluff samples I have in my stash of various ilks. That way I won't be sorry if I screw it up!

Fri, 12/25/2015 - 15:46

Erica J

My first 100g spun on the new wheel! Suffolk is quite nice wool. Getting acquainted with my new wheel was really fun. This was my first real go with Scotch tension. I've learned a lot and am about ready to test out the double drive option!