
- typically, less expensive than dyed wool roving and fine wools
- available in a variety of natural colors
- open crimp, likes to be spun into a visible yarn (LOL as opposed to frog hair) -- easy to spin worsted weight singles
- reasonable staple length, 4-6 inches, usually. Most people when learning will naturally keep at least a hand's width between their hands and adapt to the 6-9 inch separation needed to most easily draft these fibers.
- wool also is easier than non-wool fibers because of the scales on the surface of the wool -- it grabs onto the other fibers and helps keep them together. Mohair, silk, alpaca, cotton don't have these (kinds of) scales and won't grab.
So, whatever you choose -- Romney, BFL, or some other fiber, pick something you'll have fun with, are willing to sacrifice some of (the pile of bits & bobs around me when I was learning how to join -- I laugh at the memory!), and that will help you keep going through the learning process.
Your hands have to learn as much as your head does, ditto feet on a wheel, eyes, and arms. Remember to take breaks and to spread your learning out over time -- give yourself at least a month to get through the wall of learning something totally new, if not longer, even.
Happy spinning!
2 comments:
I am so glad I found your site. I had seen all the beautiful yarns people were making through flickr. So I bought a Louet wheel on ebay. 2 problems, I live in Israel where there a very few spinners to learn from. I dont understand all the technical details of the wheel, ie; ratios etc. And availability of supplies all has to be brought from the States. I have lots of roving, I agree about learning on Romney and Correidale (I also liked). I want to spin sock yarn. I am getting better but sometimes I am spinning too loose and the yarns seperates and gets away from me. Anyway, maybe you have some ideas?
@emesdikchic: thanks for asking these questions!
I've tackled the first one, I hope, here: How do I use the ratio on my spinning wheel? (let me know if that's off the mark)
And I have the second one on the yarn separating on my draft list. But the short answer is, add more twist -- if it's drifting apart, it doesn't have enough twist in it.
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