Learning to Spin - Flax

[yewberry]

I've never heard of a distaff before, i'll need to look into it.
A while back my sister picked up a couple of spinning wheels from an oppshop and mine's still sitting around since I have no idea how to spin and I think a drop spindle or distaff might be better to start with.

A distaff is used in conjunction with flax (and maybe other linen-like plant fibers, like hemp), isn't a spinning apparatus on its own. It just holds the fibers in alignment for spinning.

I'm not sure drop spinning is really any "easier" than wheel spinning, but it certainly gives you a feel for spinning in general (drafting, twist, etc.). It's also a lot more affordable than springing for a wheel right off the bat.

Brina

[Wickerman]

Whoops. I was going to post pics of a primitive distaff:





So find thee a forked branch and off you go!

Brina

Not sure where you are in the US, and I suppose that any national forest would do, but if your close to Arkansas, I have a lot of small Ash on the farm that would work wonderfully. The reason that I am offering is that a while back I bought the wife a huge floor loom, with the impression than some of the crafty folks in the area could teach her to use it. In short they all flaked out and now we have this loom that we don't know how to use. Spinning would be the first step of course. I also do wood working, so If you have plans for a wheel, or can point out where I could get them cheaply, I could help you build one. I raise meat sheep, which don't need to be sheared, they just shed in the spring, the staple is not long though, and the fleece has a lot of guard hairs in it, don't know if it would work or not.

[yewberry]

The reason that I am offering is that a while back I bought the wife a huge floor loom, with the impression than some of the crafty folks in the area could teach her to use it. In short they all flaked out and now we have this loom that we don't know how to use.

Caveat: I'm not a weaver. But if I were, I'd probably learn via YouTube. I learned to knit that way, and I can't overstate the usefulness of being able to replay a given section over and over (and over) again until I figure it out. I'd find it difficult to ask an actual human being for that kind of repetition.

Spinning would be the first step of course. I also do wood working, so If you have plans for a wheel, or can point out where I could get them cheaply, I could help you build one. I raise meat sheep, which don't need to be sheared, they just shed in the spring, the staple is not long though, and the fleece has a lot of guard hairs in it, don't know if it would work or not.

There are wheel plans available:

• Very detailed free plans for a castle-style wheel
• Plans for a Saxony-style wheel ($14)
• Plans for an electric wheel ($6)

It might be worthwhile for you and your wife to try out a few models and see which features you prefer. I love my double-drive wheel and have never been crazy about Scotch tension spinning, but lots of people disagree and love their Scotch tension wheels. There are also wheels that operate both ways. I don't know in what area of Arkansas you live, but you may be able to find a local spinners or fiber guild. Most wheel spinners are thrilled to show off their wheels and give basic instruction in their operation. I bought my refurbished antique wheel on Craigslist for $150, but that was after a lot of shopping around and eventually jumping on a fortuitous bargain.

As for the quality of wool you get from your meat sheep, there are lots of uses for courser wool. Any lined or not-next-to-the-skin projects are well suited to this kind of wool. You'll definitely want to remove as many of the guard hairs as possible. This helps with both the ease of spinning and the quality of the finished yarn. You'll probably also want to purchase or build hand carders, a drum carder, or wool combs to process the fiber prior to spinning.

[Wickerman]

Caveat: I'm not a weaver. But if I were, I'd probably learn via YouTube. I learned to knit that way, and I can't overstate the usefulness of being able to replay a given section over and over (and over) again until I figure it out. I'd find it difficult to ask an actual human being for that kind of repetition.

Thanks. There are supposed to be local guilds, but so far no one has attended their meetings and so forth. I guess they are too busy elsewhere. They meet, or so their fliers say at some of the local craft stores, but when we show up, we find that we are the only ones there. I will check out the U-tube thing though as well as the plans.