Just finished tearing through the house for the 5th time since reading your post.
I collected wool from all of my current sheep this year to have tested. I put them in a box, waiting for the wool of 2 new sheep I was getting. Can’t find it anywhere!! =(
Yeah, the registries all promote the historical micron size and the iffy use as orchard cleanup. Most Babydolls no longer have the fine wool, they became a pet breed and meat to some, so the wool was forgotten about. And many orchard owners have gotten upset out west with the sheep, since they assumed the sheep simply would not eat the leaves or stand on their hind legs, etc. Many people can keep them in orchards, but there’s rules and guidelines to it.
Anyway…This year is the first time I decided to try using their wool. I used to sell whole fleeces for free or very cheap. Their quality of wool has gone up a lot and now I sell it at a good price, still very low though. Some of my new sheep have bad wool and I’m hoping it’s grom feed and not genetics. I’ve bought others and when in my care, their wool improved. Have 2 from last year that their wool was blah, but better this year. Got 7 new ewes this year, all could improve some.
I took special care to get those samples…Really hope I find them…But can just wait for next year.
I’ve read that the micron count can be different year to year and that’s why most don’t bother to measure what their flock has.
My mother-in-law met my flock last month or so. She wanted to take some home with her, lol! Most people love them when they see their adorable smiling faces.
I’m a bit of a perfectionist, lol, so I can’t help it. =P
Websites make them look so thick and large, so I keep bouncing around about which to get. I’ll check local craft stores, prefer seeing things I buy in person anyway, lol.
I’m not a part of any other wool related forums. I’ll look into that one, thanks. =)
I know Ravelry can be daunting … it’s Huge and full of so many things … patterns, groups, events, place to put your stash, et al … so I found a few felting groups for you
Once you make a rolag, can you use a drop spindle to make yarn? If so, once it’s on the long shaft (idk it’s technical name) can you just start knitting with it and such or do you need to do something special so it doesn’t unravel?
Made a drop spindle to see if I even could figure it out before buying one. Crappy, but doable, then DH distracted me and I missed a weak spot and wool pulled in two.
Ordered one on amazon.
Did a ton of searching and it seems like you cold soak then dry to set the yarn? Double ply it and then wrap on a spool, soak, dry and should be set and a little stronger than the single.
I usually do not ‘set the twist’ (what the soak/dry does) before plying. Any time you ply, you are adding strength to the yarn. The more plies, the more strength.
When you spin planning on plying, you need to add extra twist in the singles because when you ply, you do so in the opposite direction and some of the initial twist comes out.
Anything you want to know about drop spindling … Abby Franquemont … she grew up in the Andes spinning. Her parents were renown fiber artists. She is a master spinner. She is also a sweetheart and is happy to answer questions when she’s not off on a teaching tour. She has a few youtube videos and a book, [U]Respect The Spindle[/U].
People will tell you the first month or two of spinning is the hardest. For some it is, for others it is not.
Once you get your spindle, try to spin at least 10-15 minutes a day to build up drafting skills & muscle memory.
Remember, there is never, ever only one right way to do anything in the fiber arts! You will find the technique that fits you … and it may change for different fleeces.
You may want to try a wheel some day, you might not. Don’t let anyone ever tell you a wheel is somehow better than a spindle. It isn’t … it’s only a different tool to obtain the same result. When people say that a wheel can spin more yarn faster than a spindle what they are really saying is they are not proficient on a spindle. Anything you can do on a wheel, you can do on a spindle … and I have yet seen a person carry a wheel and spin at the same time like you can do with a spindle!
I’ve been known to carry a spindle with me and spin yarn while waiting in a line some place. Sure, it gets stares and occasional comments, but what a great way to talk to folks about the fiber arts!! (Did I mention I was a Fiber Enabler? :teehee: )
Forgot to update yesterday.
Practiced more yarn while waiting for my felting needles yesterday. Then when the needles showed up, I made a sheep. Looks like a dog though…since my sheep don’t have horns. =/
Today, I’m waiting on my drop spindle to show, so I’ve been using my 2nd prototype spindle to make more yarn. On my 4th rolag into yarn. No pics of that though.
Drop spindle came in! Cat was annoyed with the flash,lol.
Then other pic is the second diy I was using, kinda really liked it, since the clip holds yarn in place and holds a loose end if need be. Will have to get a clamp for the real spindle.
And last pic is of the yarn on a tube made from that diy spindle. I had a weird moment where it turned into string by accident, lol!
Only have a few rolags left, will go back to felting something after I run out of rolag.
I think it looks more like a sheep than a dog! We are our own worse critics …
I’ve never seen anyone wrap yarn on a spindle like that. Usually, the yarn is wrapped completely around the ‘stick’ (or spindle) portion of the drop spindle like these:
That helps maintain the balance of the spindle allowing it to spin longer. When you want to put your spinning down, simply wrap your leader yarn around the hook a few times
Yeah, I keep forgetting to move the previously hooked yarn and wrap it on the stick. Then again, I only watched one video on using a drop spindle to get the general idea, but I didn’t pay attention to what they did once they ran out of arm length, lol.
The last rolags made 58ft of yarn, looks like I forgot to get a picture of it on the cpvc I’m using to set it before moving it to the cardboard tube. So pic is with the others rolled under it.
Easier to use the rolag for felting, too. So I guess I’ll be busy making tons of those now! Lol
Bigger issue is that I don’t like knitting, so IDK what all do with all the yarn… =/
Check out Abby Franquemont’s youtube channel for drop spindling. She [I]is [/I]the queen!
What to do with the yarn when you don’t like knitting? There is crochet, or weaving (search weaving without a loom … there’s even a book) or needle felting embellishment!
Or you could drape it artistically around your home and call it decor …
