A few questions

[Piper0110]

Ok, I've been reading a TON of information and I've got some questions. I apologize if I'm using incorrect termonology - please correct me!

 

Predrafting - do I want to basically predraft down to fairly thin roving? A bit thicker than I want my yarn?

 

Starting - Umm... if I don't have anything in my house but acrylics, how do I make a leader? Can I make one from acrylic? Though now that I write this, I think that I may have some wool that I recycled from a sweater somewhere in my stash - would this be a better option? Obviously, once I've spun my first yarn, I won't have this problem anymore.

 

What kinds of tips and tricks do you guys wish you had known?

[Woven N Spun]

Predrafting...basically what I do is take my roving in my hands and place them about a foot apart or so and gently "snap" the roving apart a few times. This will loosen the fibers. you don't want to pull too quickly or hard as you will end up breaking the roving, but what you want to do is separate the fibers a little. they tend to become compacted after being rolled up. You do not have to make it thin unless you want to. Depends on how well you spin from your draft. If you spin from the fold, that's a slightly different story.

 

As for the leader...anything will work. All you are doing is using something to tie the fiber on to the bobbin. I have used crochet thread and twine when I didn't have anything else. I have used the same leaders over and over and over again. When they get too short to use I snip and replace...but I have gotten many bobbins use out of each one.

 

I wish i would have learned spinning from the fold much earlier. I have been able to make more consistent thinner singles from it and the color combos (when using space dyed/hand painted roving) are much better and don't tend to get muddied.

[RebeccaVelasquez]

if you are going to be spinning from a wheel -

i HIGHLY recommend this video:

 

Spinning, basics and beyond

 

 

here is a link to all the spinning videos, there is also a drop spindle one... though i've never seen it

[HollyM]

Acrylic works fine for a leader, I've used it plenty of times. I do like a wool leader better because I tend to spin onto the leader rather than tying on. Personal preference though, acrylic even works for that, it just doesn't "grab" as quckly as wool.

 

Tips... practice practice practice!!! Don't get hung up being afraid to do it wrong and "waste" your roving. I did and it's silly. Try several different types of wool. It's amazing the difference in how they spin, how they "cooperate".

 

I personally find wool "top" to be more difficult to spin. It can be very slippery which can be difficult to deal with when you are first learning. If you can find something with a little more grab (slightly kinkier wool...no not *that* kind of kinky) it should seperate less on you. I like Blue Face Leicester, Border Leicester, Cormo, Cheviot.

 

Oh!!! Here's a great tip that I got from one of the ladies in my spinny group. When you first try to spin on a wheel, get a skein of cheap yarn and "spin" the whole skein. You will get the feel for treadling and how the bobbin pulls in without having to concentrate on drafting. The same idea might work with spindle spinning I guess, never tried it though.

 

Good luck!

Holly

[xantha]

I wish i would have learned spinning from the fold much earlier. I have been able to make more consistent thinner singles from it and the color combos (when using space dyed/hand painted roving) are much better and don't tend to get muddied.

 

It's funny you say that because a lot of what I've read says to try the long draft for thin singles... so that's what I was working on. Then I decided that I would try spinning from the fold to see if I could do it, and suddenly I was spinning consistently thin singles much better than when I was long drafting.

 

I like spinning because I always feel like I'm getting better at it.

[Tiggzie]

Uh, what's spinning from the fold?

[xantha]

Check out Linda's demo over at Grafton Fibers.

 

She has a plethora of great information there!