I come here to read posts about yarn. NOT to be thrust back into high school-level arguments about who said or did what in the PAST.
Let's all grow up, ignore people whom we don't like, and get back to the yarn stuff.
--Anastasia
Who is so sick of half of the posts on the group being related to this subject she's tempted to just leave. She'd miss the yarn talk, though, if bickering remains the primary function of the group, she's outta here.
So don't read the stuff that isn't interesting. Killfile is a marvelous thing.
So don't post this crap in a header marked "Ravelry"
I'm outta here.
You're welcome, by the way, for the info on that tatting thread you asked about a few weeks ago in your very first ever post to the group.
Enjoy your self-righteous indignation.
I've never posted a threat about tatting. I wouldn't need to. I know how; I know resources. If I had asked for help/resources, I would admit to such.
I've been here, albeit lurking to some extent, for some time. I have posted in the past, far earlier than "a few weeks ago". I tended to post about Shetland shawls and lace knitting, mostly.
I've watched and prayed as Mirjam endured bombings of her home. I've watched and prayed as our friends and loved ones have fought through illnesses and frightening deployments.
I may not be loud, but I'm here, quietly knitting away, and thankful for what the newsgroup has given me in the past: a place to feel accepted simply due to my love of working with yarn.
I'm not being self-righteous. I'm being pro-active. And I'm tired of the sniping childish behavior.
I may have posted under several names (Teacher Gal and Anastasia being most prominent), but I've never EVER done a thing to be considered a troll or in any way detrimental to the group.
I only want to go back to the reason I joined in the first place: to feel a shared commitment to the love of the art of working with spun fibers.
I BEG you; let's stop being so petty and snippy and FOCUS ON YARN!!!
I'm done with focusing on the negative.
Anyone got any tips for someone learning to use a drop spindle? I've got a huge amount of what I believe to be a brushed "top," a spindle, and a book. I'm still a little hesitant, but I'd love pointers!
Anastasia
--who's up far too late, but is willing to do anything to salvage her friendship with this group (even if they don't know they're friends to her)
"Teacher Gal / Tasialue" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@o38g2000hse.googlegroups.com:
i'm probably the last person to take advice from on drop spindling, as i'm not very good, but... ;)
is your brushed top in rovings or a batt? you need to seperate it into slivers, which i find easier to do from roving (although all my llama is in batts) and how heavy is your spindle? i was told a 2.5-3 ounce spindle (fairly heavy) is good for beginners. i think mine is quite light. that said, i prefer a wheel ;) lee
A heavy spindle is good if you want to spin ship's cable :-)
Mary
"Mary Fisher" wrote in news:47348106$0$763$ snipped-for-privacy@master.news.zetnet.net:
hey, that's what i was told... i didn't know anyone really weighed their spindles. my spindle is a round of wood big on a dowel. :) but i do like bulky yarn... how do i sping that? ;) lee
It's the whorl which is weighed. Because we make them (that is, Spouse makes them) for a wide variety of experience we do try to give the spinner what s/he wants. One of our friends has Spouse make them without any whorl, the spindle itself has a bulge (see pic link below) as well as in a variety of usually polyphant whorls. She teaches spinning and sells ours on. She's a very skilled spinner and makes the finest linen thread from flax fibre, she used to just push a bead onto the spindle. She's also recently done a Master's degree in mediaeval textiles and has discovered that whorls were usually discarded once the weight of yarn on the spindle made them unnecessary. The yarn itself became the governor - which is the only function of the whorl.
It really is quite fascinating. This friend has always been antagonistic to the large diameter wooden whorls which are often sold in beginners' kits, she says they're modern, an invention of the Victorians. I've certainly never seen any archaeological finds of anything so big. Interestingly, many finds aren't even perfectly round, once you've tried spinning with an uneven whorl you realise that they don't have to be perfectly round :-)
Mary
I have found that some things are best learned by sitting down with a person who does the thing well -- tatting and spinning come to mind! I have also found that people who do the tatting or the whatever are often very generous with their time and expertise. Why not go to a good craft show or historic reinactment festival and see who you find? If all else fails, ask around at church!
You and me, both! I had a drop spindle many years ago, but no one to show me how to use it. Now I am in a place where I could find someone, but I have no time. however, it IS on my list of things to do. If you get any tips, I will use them, too.
Higs, Katherine
The top (still don't know if that's the right term) is in batt form. I guess the "trick" of it is figuring out how to balance the timing of the process, the tension of your fingers, and the speed of the spindle? If that's the case, I can see this is going to take a loooooot of practice!
I don't know the weight of my spindle, although it's pretty heavy; I'm assuming it's the beginner's model. Louet makes it, and it's got cute l'il sheep printed on it.
Anastasia
--who just may try and tackle this elusive skill over her Thanksgiving break in two weeks...
It took me about 5 minutes to learn but I can already spin and own a couple of wheels so know the feel and the look of the wool as it's spun - I always think that trying to learn to spin with a spindle is the hard way to learn spinning.
Have you split the batt into thinner strips and eased it out or are you trying to spin from the full fat batt? If you haven't split it, then I'd suggest you do so and then ease it out as your drafting will be easier if you do that. Also if it's a heavy spindle then you should aim to spin thicker yarn. You need a very light spindle for fine stuff.
Fran
Have you spun that mix I sent you yet?
It looks like a spurtle, the Scot's porridge stirring stick. Which is n't a criticism - it could be a multi purpose tool.
She teaches spinning and sells ours on. She's a
Do you know where she gets the flax from? I can't get any in this country and would like to try spinning some but need a source.
she
I was spinning at a party not long ago (I knew it'd be last for hours so took my wheel). A very nice young man came up to me to chat and told me about his friend who is 'the' world expert on Asian spinning whorls. Sounded very interesting, but I did wonder how many years it had taken her to become such an expert in such an arcane field.
Must be thinking of someone else....I've only given my address out to one person on the list, and I don't think it was you.
Also, I'm certain I would remember receiving fiber in the mail, and I didn't get any.
'Sall good, though!
Anastasia
--who's off to bed to warm up! Chilly 34 degrees Fahrenheit here!
No, all the spurtles I've had and used have had a straight, thicker 'stem' and a decoration of some king (*usually a thistle shape) at one end.
Have you Googled? It's not difficult to get here, I buy sliver by mail order but for my wick I had a car full of tow samples given to me in Ireland.
I'd like to know who she is.
At our silver wedding party - many years ago, a shepherd friend brought his wheel and Spouse had his too, the sitting room was quiet with lots of people watching and learning and practising. The dining room became louder and louder according to the amount of champagne flowing.
Guess which room I was in!
Mary
Hi Katherine and others When I started wheel spinning, I was pointed to a web site with some video's about it all, and noticed that there is also video's on spindle spinning.. this maybe helpful for the ''look and learn'' part of spindle spinning. Of course this was a long time ago, and I don't remember the actual site now, however I am found a couple listed here which may be of help to you all...
You Tube has this video of drop spindle spinning
I know there are plenty of DVD's and Video's to buy or hire from libraries too so maybe this would be another source of info to look for.
higz Cher
OMG lol...never thought of it quite like that...makes a good rug yarn though for weaving.. higz Cher
"FarmI" wrote in news:47354438$0$23915 $ snipped-for-privacy@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au:
no, it's right here in a basket next to my desk where i admire it daily... (sooooooft!) i think i'll go talk to Marci at the Elegant Ewe about a private brush-up lesson on the wheel & spin it up this winter though. you said you made socks with yours? what pattern? did you put nylon in the heels & toes? lee
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