Spinning Class – Behind the Scenes
Handspinning is Hard!
For many of our Spinning Class Participants, spinning was a walk in the Park. (Or so it looked like to me). Thank goodness that Maxine and I were sitting next to each other. It may have been what kept me from losing all hope. The fact that we both struggled and that I wasn’t alone was helpful.
I have many friends who spin on Twitter and I am an admirer and customer of many spinners’ shops on Etsy. Since I have an alpaca farm with tons of alpaca fleeces, I just thought that I should learn to spin. I wanted to learn to spin. I ordered Spin Off
and was saving up to buy a wheel.
Look at me and Maxine! So full of joy at the idea of spinning our own yarn. So excited. We can’t wait to make all sorts of dreamy yarns. So many ideas and possibilities…
Reality starts to set in. Wait a minute. This is hard.
This is how I experienced spinning. The “yarn” would just twist so fast that I couldn’t keep up with it. Drafting, forget drafting. Didn’t have time for that! It all went so fast then I spent 10 minutes making yarn backwards with all the twist I had. 2 seconds of wheel. 10 minutes unfurling the twisty mess. Argh!
Obviously, I found my first time spinning to be a FAIL. I kept trying to remember my alpaca fiber friends told me not to give up. And not to be disappointed with my first resulting yarn. (It looked like something my cat threw up.)
From what I have observed, there is an “AHA!” moment when it starts to click for you when learning to spin. I have SO not had that moment. They also tell me that it’s like learning to ride a bike, difficult until you just – get it.
I won’t give up. I believe that I will try spinning again. (Mac? Mary? I may need some private tutoring from you sometime!) But between now and then, I will need some spinners to help me create the yarns I envision. If you are interested in trading spinning for alpaca fiber – do contact me at katy (at) alpacafarmgirl (dot) com.
And by the way, I am so in awe of handspinners now. What they do is incredible, amazing, and NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS! Happily pay more for handspun. It rocks.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Oh you are toooo funny! love the pics and yes you WILL get it I’m sure. I was really ready to give up, thought I’d never spin and it just happened that it clicked for me whe I tried a Jensen wheel – not sure if it was me or the wheel, but we’ve been together ever since.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Maggie Casey’s book is simply the best book ever. I read it for weeks before I got my wheel. I also watched a bunch of Youtube…namely a gal’s named Rexenne. She made it easy! I waited 4 days after my wheel was set up to try spinning. I had a few WTF? moments…my husband said “tension” and I was like “aha!” and have been spinning ever since.
I never had an in-person teacher.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:55 am
great post! i’m still learning, but getting better at it everyday.
maya | springtree roads last blog post..Remnants of art day
June 18th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Love it. First yarn is almost always “designer” yarn. After you have been spinning for awhile and for some reason you want to make some real lumpy bumpy designer yarn, you will not be able to. Your hands and mind will just not allow it.
Another thing to always remember when beginning spinning or knitting (and I suspect a lot of other crafts where a learned skill is involved), you are not defusing a bomb, so relax!!
Mac
Mac McFatters last blog post..My Take on Recent News
June 19th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Love to see your trying the spinning-keep at it and things will come together. I taught myself on an Ashford Traditional and it worked out great. One super book I’d recommend is “Teach Yourself Visually-Handspinning.” by Judith MacKenzie McCuin. great close up pics of how to hold your hands and such. Lots of other good info too. Good luck, relax and have fun!
Kathi-fiberdances last blog post..Fiber Arts Friday
June 20th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Congratulations! You have made your first cat barf yarn! That is so important! It is the first step in learning to spin! Everyone’s first yarn looks like cat barf. Usually the next several yarns look like cat barf too. That is okay. Think of it like this: When you’re spinning, your hands and your feet both need to be doing what they do to make yarn. The problem everyone has when they start spinning on a wheel for the first time is that their feet are making yarn WAY faster than their hands are. The trick is to treadle as slowly as humanly possible and make yarn with your hands as fast as you can. The more you practice, the faster your hands will be able to go, and one day they’ll catch up to your feet.
~Rachel
http://www.SerendipityFiberArts.etsy.com
September 1st, 2009 at 5:38 am
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November 5th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
I’ve been spinning learning to spin on a drop spindle which has been hard enough. I can’t imagine using a wheel. I’d like to try it someday though!
ElephunksTrunk´s last blog ..Red and Gold hand knit scarf