For those of you who follow my blog know that I enjoy knitting albeit slowly. My mother in law is a fellow knitter but can take it one step further by spinning her yarn. They used to have sheep when they lived stateside so she learned how to spin.

It’s something I have been curious about but viewed it as something intimidating. The kids and I had a lesson from her and the technique isn’t difficult but it will take practice to get it down.

It’s a bit like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. And you have to get the treadle timing right or you will reverse the wheel!

My MIL knows how to do all the steps including carding but she also gets what you call roving. The wool has been prepped for spinning.

As it is spun it will collect on the large bobbin.

Because it is impractical to spin everything all at once and there are times where the end you are spinning will get sucked through and onto the bobbin a hook is used to thread it back out.

The technique itself is easy but it’s difficult to get the feel for it where the yarn is spun evenly. When I was doing it parts of it were chunky and parts got quite thin. Once you get the wheel spinning the left hand pinches the wool at the top and the right hand pulls the wool out.

Release the left hand and the wool will spin down to the right hand.

This a continuous movement while treadling. Once you fill the bobbin another needs to be filled. Then you spin both together for a double knit. Otherwise the yarn will curl up on itself.

I have to say I really enjoyed this. It’s hard not to think of all the possibility with dying the wool!