When I tell people about how I’ve really gotten into spinning lately, I’m not referring to stationary bikes. I’m talking about spinning raw wool (also known as “roving” or “fleece”) into yarn for knitting and crocheting.
My Polish great grandma learned to knit on a pair of nails when she was a small girl. She taught me to knit on a set of teal, size 8 plastic needles when I was in the seventh grade while sitting on her plush blue couch watching soaps and The Weather Channel, and I’ve been knitting ever since. Sometimes, I’ll go months without picking up a project, and other times I’ll plow through patterns in a few short weeks.
Unlike other art mediums like drawing or watercolor painting, knitting is very physical. My fingers navigate the fiber textures and soak in the energy of the sun and grass that the sheep enjoyed. The practice can be both a solitary or social act, satisfying in both respects. As an opportunity for social gathering, knitting and its products have a long and fascinating history laden with symbology, ritual, and cultural significance in communities across the globe. For this gal, who’s a geek for studying the intersections of religion, anthropology, and environment, reading about fiber arts and contributing to this very old practice is a pure love.
My aunt is a fiber artist herself, weaving gorgeous fabrics on her enormous loom and taking me along for spinning and dying classes in the California desert years ago. I fell in love with spinning then, but without the resources to continue the practice, I let it fall by the wayside. Recently, I attended a refresher course with a friend in Maryland, and I am now certifiably addicted. Above is just half of the raw wool fleece of an Icelandic sheep that we jointly ordered from a farm in Minnesota and are actively spinning into skeins of yarn.
Below is my second skein of yarn of all time, full of twists and kinks, thick and thin. Compare this skein to the yarn on the spindle pictured above, which has a much more consistent “weight,” or thickness. Spinning reliably consistent yarn has a big learning curve, but it’s like learning to ride a bike – once you pick it up, your body remembers. Washing the completed skein removes the lingering oils from the wool and relaxes these kinks and curls from the fiber.
After washing the yarn, I hang it to dry on my back porch, allowing the fibers to relax completely and “set the twist.”
Once the yarn is completely dry, I twist it into a skein until it’s ready to be dyed with some luscious color or to be knit as-is. I’m scheming some plans for exploring natural dyes this summer, but for now, here is the final product.
Are any of you spinners, weavers, knitters, dyers, or fiber artists of all trades? I would love to hear about what resources you’ve found valuable and any tips or tricks you have for us newbies.
I love your comment about the physicality of knitting and being able to feel the sun and grass the sheep enjoyed. Gorgeous photos too.
I love this. Such a great idea and so gorgeously articulated!
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It’s so gorgeous — any plans for what you’ll make with it?
Thank you, Karen! No idea – ha! I have a mighty stash that just keeps getting larger, but I might have just enough in this skein to make a hat or cowl. Any other suggestions?
I’m an addicted knitter, and I just recently got into drop spinning! Unfortunately, I’m at college and I only brought one project, and I left my spindle at home…. I’d love to hear whatever tricks you pick up, and suggestions you have for knitting with small lots of homespun.
I recently got into drop spinning myself. I’ve found small bits (when I’m trying new dyes for example) are perfect for granny squares. Since my squares sit in a bag until I have loads fo them, there’s no pressure to get dyes exact or “finish” a project. Squares take 1-5 hours depending on the size. Fast and easy, I try to make 1 a day!
Glad to see your first try looks a LOT like mine this week. There is hope!
I just heard you on the woolful podcast and my heart jumped that you were in my neck of the woods. I’m new to knitting, not super experienced but excited and eager. I plan to attend the Maryland Sheep and wool festival this year but I would love to explore spinning and the local( dc maryland and virginia) fiber community. Could you recommend places to get raw wool for spinning or spinning classes?
Hey there! I’d recommend Accokeek Foundation in southern MD for spinning classes. I get my roving online!