One of the things I did at Bendigo was park myself in front of a spinning wheel and attempt to make my fingers do that thing that spinners always make look so easy.
As you may have guessed from the above, it didn’t go so well. The words “lumpy overspun mess” would not be out of place here.
Undeterred, I came home and started practicing. First, I read the Ashford Book of Spinning. Then I spent some time practicing treadling very, very slowly. Finally I decided it was time to try again with some fibre. Armed with my knew knowledge, I pulled out the Big Bag of Unidentified Top that has been lurking in the back of the stash cupboard for the last couple of years, waiting for me to have a wheel (and a clue). And I started spinning. What came out at first was still ugly, lumpy and overspun, but I persevered. I knew that overspinning can be fixed somewhat by plying, so after a while, I put a second bobbin on, and once I’d put some singles onto that, I plied the two together. This is what came of that first afternoon’s work (click to embiggen):
Still odd and overspun in places, but an improvement.
Every day since (well, almost) I have spun for a minimum of 30 minutes, usually of an evening while T.S. and the boys watched telly. This is what came of the first week:
Then I decided that white fibre is boring, so I threw some dye around:
It really feels like it’s getting better. Soon I think I’ll be ready for some of the fibre I bought at Bendigo.
I’ll keep you posted.
Kiss My Frog 
Yay you!
I’m still too scared to try so I’m in awe of your perseverance 🙂
Scared my foot! You’d have it down in no time. 😉
oh wow, another friend succumbs to the irresistible lure of spinning… how long can I maintain my own defences against the hypnotic rhythms of the wheel???
(go you good thing!)
Yep, come next Bendi, you’re DOOOOOOMED!
seems everyone is catching the spinning bug of late! I’m impressed in your progress, and you should definitely break out the Bendigo haul soon, I reckon!!
[Steeples fingers like a 70’s-era Bond villain] Soooon… very soon.
And thanks! 🙂
I just can’t seem to get the foot thing happening so I think you’ve done really well. And you’re so committed!
I just can’t seem to get the foot thing happening
That’s been tricky for me, too. I’m not very coordinated, so that’s one reason for the ’30 minutes a day’ thing – for me, daily practice builds muscle memory better than a big block once a week.
And you’re so committed!
While I’d like nothing better than to ignore study, housework, children and husband and just spin all day every day, and although I’m pretty sure I’d get much better at it quite quickly, I do want to stay married, and I don’t want to flunk out of my course, so the other reason for practicing 30 minutes a day is that it’s both a reward and a limit.
Well done!! I am in awe of spinners. I think you are doing a fabulous job, making proper wool from some sheepy fibre.