Service Description
Fleeces that are either shorn or combed off animals are usually washed, carded to align all the fibers one way or the other and help loosen the fleeces, as well as remove vegetation that has lodged itself in the fleeces. They are then usually turned into "roving" which is simply long lengths of fleece waiting to be turned into craft items, felted, stuffing for various uses...or spinning
Spinning is the basic means of starting to make cloth or projects involving some type of woven material, and there are many means and ways to learn. Spinning does not involve much coordination, but it does take time to couple the motions of feet and hand, and manipulation of roving into the type of yarn required. It is not an overnight process and every person learns at their own pace
Spinning lessons are a one-on-one service, arranged ahead of time so that teacher and student can learn at their own pace with a set schedule to keep the flow of the lessons going. Wool roving will be used to learn with, as with its flexible 'memory' and its ability to grip other fibers, it is the easiest to begin with, and once spinning gets easier during the lessons, other fibers will be experimented with. Alpaca is NOT the fiber to begin with, as it can be slippery to the touch to a person still learning, and it is easier to avoid that frustration early
Please contact us with your interest in spinning and to arrange times and dates for lessons at the farm or in your home. Please do note that there is no "end" to lessons, but an on-going series of meetings to help you learn both the basics and feel at ease with the wheel, and the fiber! That is the foundation of spinning, as well as learning how fibers blend and come together harmoniously, or in disarray, and you will begin to appreciate many pieces of clothing in your own home in different ways