Spinning

The original form of spinning is to roll the fibers with the palm of your hand on your thigh.

Hand rolled cotton.

Home made drop spindles. The spindle on the left is a Low Whorl Spindle, The right is a High Whorl Spindle. The idea is to suspend the spindle from the fibers to be spun and then spin the spindle. This, for us at least, was not as easy as it sounds. But whatever works for the spinner is OK. See www.joyofhandspinning.com for instructions on building and using drop spindles.

Remember that whatever works for the user is OK. The cotton is spun, then unhooked from the top of the spindle and wound unto the spindle under the whorl. The fiber is again hooked to the top of the spindle and the spinning continues.

MCGA member Jerry has loaned us an antique spinning wheel from Germany. We have ordered a Spinning Wheel Maintenance Kit from www.spinnerschoice.com. The contains a new belt, spinning wheel oil, and extra flyer hooks. After we have installed the parts in the kit we will try our luck at spinning.

Well, we tried the spinning thing. I can't even get the wheel to keep going in the same direction! I have decided that learning to use a spinning wheel takes a lot of patients and a good instructor. I think I'll just grow the stuff and let someone else try to do the spinning. 

Music: Spinning Wheel