So many folks that have never really thought about the wool being spun into yarn ask me, "Exactly how is that done?" So I'm going to do my best here to try to walk you through it with pictures and brief explanations.  Here we go, spinning 101.

You can see in the previous  post how the sheep is sheared and the wool is skirted by hand (cleaned) getting it ready for the really big cleaning at the mill. Off to the mill it goes to be washed and put into what is called roving. Roving means all the wool is clean and carded (almost like combing it) making it all go in one direction for ease of spinning. So when it comes back from the mill we have a big bag of roving from each animal.

The next step is to start spinning it through the spinning wheel.

As you can see we treadle (peddle) the wheel to make the wheel turn. 

A cotton string is attached around the wheel and up over the bobbin (where the wool is stored while spinning).

There is a knob on the wheel that adjust the tension of the string, so a little tension causes the wool to be pulled through the orifice out of the spinners hands and onto the bobbin. While the spinner spins they must draft (pull) a little of the fiber out which is the part that will be spun into the yarn at that moment. The amount drafted, thickness or very fine is what determines the kind of yarn spun, either lace weight, bulky ect.

So we treadle and draft, treadle and draft filling the bobbin.

When the bobbin is full it is taken off the bobbin and wound onto what is called a niddy noddy which puts it into skein form. 

The next step is to wash and set the twist in the newly spun yarn. I use an organic lavender essential oil  with a gentle soap to  let it soak. This soaking sets the twist up nicely and gives the yarn its final cleaning. The lavender treats the wool so that it is moth proof!

Then the yarn is hung to dry with a weight that also helps set the twist in the yarn. The yarn may take a couple of days to dry depending on the weather.

When it's dry it's twisted back into a skein and is ready to knit with.  

I hope this gives some kind of idea of what the process of spinning wool into yarn is. A number of different spinning wheels are on the market, all doing the same job. The height or how smooth they spin or treadle may vary, so its important to try a wheel before purchasing. Or work with someone that can give you some idea of how a number of wheels work.

So, you're now ready to spin! You have completed Dream Come True Farms Spinning 101.       

Well spring has arrived here officially on the farm. And none to soon for me. We in New England had our fill of winter! This past week I started spinning some wonderful natural colored fleece into yarn. I completed many skeins, washed and set them and moved them into the shop waiting for the right person to come along and fall in love with them.

I also completed a wonderful little shoulder shrug with some hand dyed hot pink yarn. It's just enough to keep the chill away, worn over the shoulders ending above the elbows. I added a really cool square button which I think was perfect for this little shrug. Great for Spring!  It came out just perfect.

I weeded the strawberry patch, and rhubarb patch which took some time,  a little here, and a little  there  over the week and it was done before I knew it.

Looking good! I'll make strawberry rhubarb jam for the shop in a month or so, as soon as the strawberries come.

I had my little  farm helper two days this week, Luke my grandson who knows that chores are never done on the farm. So, he lends a hand driving his tractor  filled with weeds and dumping them for me. A great farm hand he makes!

So another week has passed, and all is well here at Dream Come True. Life is good...Have a great week. See you in a week or so!  Pam 

The day a shepherd waits for is shearing time each year. Well, ours has come and gone and what a great day it was. We had the shearer's here in the morning, along with some friends to help with the job and the festivities began.

Sheep 2 by 2 were shorn, yearly injections, worming and hooves trimmed done on each one, getting them ready for the summer months. It was a kind of spa day for the sheep.

We all settled in for a huge brunch when shearing was completed, then the skirting (cleaning) of the fleeces was started. We clean the really dirty parts from the sheep, which on ours is only the belly and neck wool because we keep them covered with coats all year to protect the fleeces. Hand spinners and knitters like that. There is no hay to pick out as the spinning begins.

So, each fleece is skirted and bagged, ready for the mill to do the real processing which is washing, picking and putting it into roving, ready to spin into yarn.  

Now my fun begins! Spin, spin, spin my own sheep's wool. It's wonderful to have your own animal's fiber flowing through your hands and fingers while spinning it into wool. So all is well this week on Dream Come True Farm and life is good.

Next it will be time for some goats milk soap making to put out into our farm shop, so check back with Dream Come True Farm, here on GRIT. ~Pam