Recently I visited RiverPines. She showed me some of her yarn, and I was simply blown away. Llama, sheep, angora. All luxurious, but the angora particularly. Just so fine and soft.
She does SOME wheel spinning, but her angora is mostly done on the drop spindle. Fast, easy, and she can take it with her in the car, while waiting at a Dr. appointment, walking down the street, sitting out by the river....ANYwhere!
Since making a drop spindle is easy peasy, I'm thinking I'll try working with one again. (I love my wheel, and never got used to a drop spindle) They can be as simple as a slightly tapered dowel with a drilled stone slipped down it as a whorl; or something that's made on a wood lathe out of exotic woods. Top or bottom spinning. Originally, drop spindles had the whole at the bottom, and a notch in the top end of the spindle..you spun with the whole at the bottom. There are now spindles with a small hook on the bottom of the whole, which you spin on, then reverse the spindle and wrap the yarn around it.
anyway...do we have any spinners here? What are you thoughts about spinning angora? Do you like variegated yarns (just grab whatever chunk of wool comes to the top of the pile) or do you spin it all one color? I'm just curious about all kinds of things wooly today
(I've been combing the angora into wool, but REALLY want to give the drop spindle a , er, whirl )
She does SOME wheel spinning, but her angora is mostly done on the drop spindle. Fast, easy, and she can take it with her in the car, while waiting at a Dr. appointment, walking down the street, sitting out by the river....ANYwhere!
Since making a drop spindle is easy peasy, I'm thinking I'll try working with one again. (I love my wheel, and never got used to a drop spindle) They can be as simple as a slightly tapered dowel with a drilled stone slipped down it as a whorl; or something that's made on a wood lathe out of exotic woods. Top or bottom spinning. Originally, drop spindles had the whole at the bottom, and a notch in the top end of the spindle..you spun with the whole at the bottom. There are now spindles with a small hook on the bottom of the whole, which you spin on, then reverse the spindle and wrap the yarn around it.
anyway...do we have any spinners here? What are you thoughts about spinning angora? Do you like variegated yarns (just grab whatever chunk of wool comes to the top of the pile) or do you spin it all one color? I'm just curious about all kinds of things wooly today
(I've been combing the angora into wool, but REALLY want to give the drop spindle a , er, whirl )
