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August 11, 2006
Kiddo on the Draft
This morning Kiddo was in the mood to spin. I mentioned that now Erica, Ali and Shelagh all have spindles and wool/fluff. She immediately asked "So? Why aren't they here so we can show them how to spin?"
I skipped over the airfare and splodeys and offered to get the camera if she wanted to show you how to draft the fluff.
First get out your wool.

Pull off a big piece.

If it is too hard to pull off, floof it so it will be easier to pull apart.

You should have a piece about 9 meters long (inches, she is calling everything either kilos or meters at the moment)

Split the piece you took off into three or four pieces because it is Very Difficult to spin from one big piece.

Like this.

Next you need to pull the little pieces into long pieces. Go back and forth from one end to the other. Don't pull too hard so it falls apart. If it falls apart, just put the ends together and it will be okay. Everything should be nice and even.

If you leave big fluffy parts you have to pull them when you spin or your yarn will have big fluffy parts in it. If you are making the mare then leave some fluffy parts for the waves. This is not the sea so I don't want to leave fluffy parts.

This is the end.

Then you get yarn to put on the spindle. It is the leader to hold on the new yarn.

Tie the yarn on to the spindle, have your mom help if you were eating grapes so you don't get the wool all schiffo and gross.

At that point Ms. Grape Hands just told me what to do:
Hold the leader and the fluff together. When you start to spin use the other hand to make the leader twist up the fluff to make yarn.

Then you need to wind the join onto the spindle and keep spinning.

"Tell those signoras they can come here if they don't capito how to do the spinning."
After she spun for a bit while I was working on the deadline projects Kiddo asked if we could wind up her mare silk.

Happy little yarn cakes.

Then she asked if maybe I want to put the stitches on the needles and try the yarn a little bit. She would help me but I had to do the fluffy parts of the yarn. And "it doesn't have to be like a sweater, it has to be free, like the mare is free."

Neat to see how this is knitting up. Big needles and silk with squishy parts, nice way to give the hands a bit of a break. Alas, break time is over.
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UPDATED: Because you've asked: The wool and spindle were part of the Learn to Spin kit from Yarn Botanika. The two stone spindle is made by Woolyvines.
Again, thank you for the wonderful feedback. Kiddo was so happy she was able to help other people make yarn :D
Posted August 11, 2006 02:40 PM
















