BYC Spinning Fiber

[GardenGal]

Lucky duck with the alpaca! I've read that since alpaca doesn't have lanolin you don't have to wash it. I just spun up a mess of alpaca that hadn't been washed and it was just beautiful.

I talked to a lady who's processed a lot of fleece, and she actually prefers not to use a drum carder. She said that way she doesn't lose the character and curls in the fleece. I'm going to give that a shot.

 

[peepacheep]

I have a Judith MacKenzie dvd where she shows how to use carding combs. They look like a good option for a Lincoln fleece I have. I was told at the time I bought it that the long fiber would make a huge mess in a drum carder. Has anyone tried these combs?

 

[michickenwrangler]

DBF and I are starting a fiber farm with Angora goats. I have spent the last hour online looking at spinning wheeils, spindles, looms and books, any recommendations for a newbie?

Thanks

Space is limited, so I'd want a good quality table top loom. The woman who I'm buying goats from said an S-10 was a good spinning wheel but I forgot to ask her about looms. She also mentioned an S-51 and an S-71?

Any help is appreciated. I just want to be educated before I buy

 

[peepacheep]

I have a Louet S-10 spinning wheel. I tried out a number of different wheels and was familar with the model when one came up on Craigs list. It has been a great first spinning wheel.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Hi folks.

My neighbor works at a horse rescue & they were given a young English Angora rabbit. It was abandoned after Easter, and they were concerned for him as they are a horse rescue & not well versed in rabbit care.
He is home & cozy with us now, and I have gotten the matts under control from his previous owners' neglect.

I wonder if any of you have English/any Angora rabbits, and what kind of brushes you use to groom them.

I have several brushes, but wonder if the tiny metal bristle comb (that is very effective) is doing any damage to the fiber's crimp...? Any tips would be appreciated.

This guy's coat is one of the thickest I have ever seen, he is extraordinarily furry compared to some Angoras I have been around. Even after a good haircut. He is a darling, and coming around to trust after his tough start in the world. I am told he was an Easter bunny, and then left in an apartment when the family moved. He was found by a prospective tenant who brought him to the horse rescue. We are giving him extra love & snuggles to make up for it.

 

[CaroleM]

I was taught to use hand carders on everything, which has worked for me so far. They are easy, but need care and some concentration. The alpaca, when I get around it starting it, I will card, (having picked out the really rough stuff first - you all know from which end I'm talking about!), the fleeces first and make neat little rolags. That is when the 'fun' will begin - 5 cats and 1 working spinning wheel - if, of course, they haven't managed to 'steal' most of it first.

I also have a full sheep fleece to process. I am washing it slowly, a handful at a time, and being so careful about the water temp. My only problem at the moment is drying it and managing to keep most of it away from fast and very curious paws. Four out of my five cats are totally convinced that everything Mummy does definately needs lots of feline help. No good shutting them out - Edward can open doors and Phoebe is now pretty good with windows Of course, the kittens Thomas and his very small litter sister Tabitha can manage to get themselves into everything and everywhere, with nothing being safe from them.

If the 'Spring' weather continues much longer - gales and lashing rain - I might yet bring forward everything I have lined up to do in the autumn and winter. It could be an idea to light a fire and settling down with all those 'cold days' jobs rather early in the year! (Oh yes, we do still have drought orders in palce in many parts of England, despite the weather of late - ground panned due to prolonged lack of the wet stuff, so now it seems to be running off rather than soaking in, leaving the ground water levels still very low).

 

[ninny]

So I am getting 5lbs of raw alpaca fiber in the next week or two. I have no carders of any kind so I am borrowing my friends drum carder. However, she uses it for wool. Is this going to be a probelm? I'm worried about it not being fine enough. I have dog brushes to use as hand carders if I need to. I have read both to wash it and not to wash it. Any tips? I have never started with raw fleece before. Also has anyone ever built a spinning wheel? I have drop spindles but I would like a wheel.

 

[Adenium]

Just wanted to say hi to you all - I didn't know we had a spinning thread! I love how much of a one-stop-shop BYC is becoming. Gardening, knitting, composting, spinning....chickens!

I have a Schacht wheel that's been woefully underused - I stopped knitting so much as I had lots of wrist and hand pain from a repetitive-motion job. Seems sad to spin all that wool and not use it! I had a nice bag of blue face leicester wool that was so clean and soft. And I had gone to the Rhinebeck festival with my sister-in-law and purchased a fleece several years ago now that we never ended up carding! Now you ladies have re-inspired me. Must pull out wheel........

I need folks like you for neighbors. I used to pack up my wheel in the passenger seat of my car and meet up with spinning friends, however they're now a little far for a drive. Looking forward to sharing your creations here.

 

[bnjrob]

So I am getting 5lbs of raw alpaca fiber in the next week or two. I have no carders of any kind so I am borrowing my friends drum carder. However, she uses it for wool. Is this going to be a probelm? I'm worried about it not being fine enough. I have dog brushes to use as hand carders if I need to. I have read both to wash it and not to wash it. Any tips? I have never started with raw fleece before. Also has anyone ever built a spinning wheel? I have drop spindles but I would like a wheel.

See if your friend has different carding cloths for her carder - she may have one that has the tines closer together to work with your alpaca. If not, try it out and see how it works - might be surprised.

I was advised by an alpaca owner and several more experienced spinners, to wash the alpaca fiber prior to spinning. They said that even though it doesn't look dirty, it still is. One of them said that she had some less than desired outcomes from not washing alpaca fiber prior to spinning and dyeing it. I tried washing alpaca in the washer - felted too easily. Washing in the sink did a good job - and they were right, it was really a lot dirtier than it looked on the surface. I didn't have any special wash - just used the gentle shampoo I had.

I have hand carders - I went with a mid-range for tine placement and it has done fine for both alpaca and wool.

 

[BonneTerreChick]

I wash my Llama fleeces. I am not sure about the alpacas, but it is probably similar to my Llamas. They are brown which covers up a multitude of dirt. They have acutally created several "holes" for dust baths around the place. Its a very odd sight to see a 300+ lb animal on its back, wth its feet in the air, rolling around! Then they get up and do this wild sort of rambling dance, we call it the "happy dance". Its almost like they're wobble heads, but they wobble at the head, neck, legs and mid body! Between the dust baths and "happy dance" its good for quite a giggle! The dust baths keep away the bugs so all is good.