Learning to card and spin wool

You can learn so much in a morning. Today it was how to card and spin wool. I have never really had a burning desire to spin wool.  I am a quilter, I like to sew, I make clothes, I learned to crochet when I was a kid and love it still. But recently I have fallen in love with alpacas and the possibility of having a pet that can help make clothes!  My friend Sunny is working with her alpaca wool almost daily and really knows her stuff. She is generous with her time and knowledge.  If you find a friend such as she, don't take it lightly. These are gifts from above. 

Anywhoo, back to the morning.  We moseyed over  to Sunny's wool room.  A delight full of bags of fur blankets, a wall of weaving for a new shawl, wonderful sweaters, boleros, yarns ...it is though ancestors past have landed right in her  home... in the middle of a field with alpacas out back talking to milk goats with heritage geese walking around bossing the hens. 

She introduced me to her carding machine. It takes raw wool , opens the fibers and at the same time discards any dirt and  lets go of any naps.  You can use two paddles or dog brushes but this is a work wonder! (and much quicker)

After she rolls it through the machine she rolls it onto a paper towel roll. 

We are ready to spin.  This is her yarn she spun earlier. 

She shows the difference lamb's wool and the alpaca above. 

She has an antique walking wheel and explains how those before us spun. It must have kept them in shape!

Then she introduces me to a double treadle spinning wheel.  

Before I even touch the wool to spin I need to get the feel of the wheel. I learn to push the pedals in a meditative rhythm.  Back and forth, back and forth.  It wasn't easy. You don't just step on it and go. You have to get the rhythm just right... back and forth , back and forth. 

And then we begin.

I was clumsy. I had chunks here and there, thin and then fat spinning of newly created yarn. No problem, we consider it "artistic" yarn.  You tend to lose yourself into the back and forth of your feet and the feeding of the wool. You have to get it just right or it will twist up on you or the wool will just break off.  

Getting into the zone . 

But after a while, I got it... and then I don't but I kept going. 

I have a very long way to go but with the help of friends and family, I am slowing getting addict to spinning. 

peace, health, and happiness