Maybe spinning your own thread isn't quite so intimidating.

I'm not in a position to do this now but maybe in a few year when I've got my own place this could now be something I may attempt.

I watched this yesterday, and briefly considered posting it. I highly recommend.

To be fair, she was highly motivated to do a specific thing (linen thread), she had experience with many other handcrafts that equated to transferrable skills, she had the means to obtain proper tools, and she had instructors available to her both in person (not that experienced) and over video (an expert). So I wouldn't exactly call it easy...


Despite all that, I love that she challenged accepted/standard rules/advice for beginners like always start with wool. She didn't want to learn to work with wool so why start with it. Good for her. As someone who is allergic to wool I highly appreciate that she challenged that and did so publicly.

Cat Knight, I would like to point out that you are unlikely to be allergic to the wool itself.  You are much more likely to be allergic to the chemicals that modern processors use to clean the wool and get it ready for spinning or the added chemicals that they use to produce wash and wear wool.  As I highly doubt that you are going to go out and buy a raw fleece to check this out, ( honestly I wouldn't either!) you might want to try wools that don't contain lanolin.  

I heartily recommend alpaca wool for those like yourself and my mother who can't touch a wool yarn without breaking out in hives.  My mom pulled a stiff upper lip and knitted a wool cap for the soldiers in Afghanistan while my brother was overseas. It left her with horrible hives all over her hands.  One summer while I was visiting her, I offered to knit her a new hat in alpaca wool.  She hesitantly agreed and that hat is now her go to winter hat.  She loves it as it really keeps her head warm and keeps the rain out.

If you do find that you are ok with alpaca or other similar wools, find a spinner who processes her own wool.  You might be surprised.  At the very least, the alpaca will give you more options!

Annette

Annette,
It isn't only the lanolin, because I've touched merino and still reacted. It is definitely a thing with sheep. I think I'm also allergic to lanolin, because I also react to some lotions but way less than the stripped wool. But I don't think I react to raw alpaca. it is really hard to find it without any sheep mixed in. And clean, without any grasses or hay I'm allergic to. I'm allergic to most lawns :D

Then good luck with finding pure alpaca!  You will probably have the best luck looking online. As a knitter I can tell you it is expensive and a true joy to work with.  

Cat Knight wrote:Annette,
It isn't only the lanolin, because I've touched merino and still reacted. It is definitely a thing with sheep. I think I'm also allergic to lanolin, because I also react to some lotions but way less than the stripped wool. But I don't think I react to raw alpaca. it is really hard to find it without any sheep mixed in. And clean, without any grasses or hay I'm allergic to. I'm allergic to most lawns :D

Cat, is this something you're interested in trying? Many people, whether due to allergies or simple sensitivity, can't cope with wool. Sometimes, it's a matter of finding a sheep breed that doesn't cause a reaction, but most folks aren't so determined to find wool, they're just not going to track down and try each and every one - FULLY understandable, in my book, especially when there are so many other natural options out there.

As far as finding alpaca to play with, there are quite a few sources for it, at reasonable prices - if you know where to look. For example, many fiber arts guilds have members who raise their own animals, and will sell the fiber raw. I've seen (just this past weekend) beautiful quality, whole alpaca blankets with price tags of $50 - $75. That's an average of about 10 - 15lbs of fiber, skirted (nasty bits removed) weight. Granted, you are then left to process it, or pay someone else to process it, prior to spinning, but that also means you get to choose how you want it processed, including the choice of whether, how, & what color/type product to dye it, whether you want batts, top, roving, etc., how much of it you want to make yarn or thread with, whether you want to felt it... It's an amazing rabbit hole!

I currently have approximately 26lbs of alpaca, 4 whole fleeces in a variety of breeds, and I think about 8 bags* of cashgora from my own goats, all sitting in my craft room, waiting for weather that I won't feel guilty walking away from, to get back up there and play. For ALL of that fiber, I've paid a grand total of less than $200. That's cheaper than the price of Red Heart's budget yarn.

*these are whole-animal bags of fiber, in large delicate-sweater-size-washing bags - not little grocery bags.

Carla Burke wrote:

Cat Knight wrote:Annette,
It isn't only the lanolin, because I've touched merino and still reacted. It is definitely a thing with sheep. I think I'm also allergic to lanolin, because I also react to some lotions but way less than the stripped wool. But I don't think I react to raw alpaca. it is really hard to find it without any sheep mixed in. And clean, without any grasses or hay I'm allergic to. I'm allergic to most lawns :D

Cat, is this something you're interested in trying? Many people, whether due to allergies or simple sensitivity, can't cope with wool. Sometimes, it's a matter of finding a sheep breed that doesn't cause a reaction, but most folks aren't so determined to find wool, they're just not going to track down and try each and every one - FULLY understandable, in my book, especially when there are so many other natural options out there.

As far as finding alpaca to play with, there are quite a few sources for it, at reasonable prices - if you know where to look. For example, many fiber arts guilds have members who raise their own animals, and will sell the fiber raw. I've seen (just this past weekend) beautiful quality, whole alpaca blankets with price tags of $50 - $75. That's an average of about 10 - 15lbs of fiber, skirted (nasty bits removed) weight. Granted, you are then left to process it, or pay someone else to process it, prior to spinning, but that also means you get to choose how you want it processed, including the choice of whether, how, & what color/type product to dye it, whether you want batts, top, roving, etc., how much of it you want to make yarn or thread with, whether you want to felt it... It's an amazing rabbit hole!

I currently have approximately 26lbs of alpaca, 4 whole fleeces in a variety of breeds, and I think about 8 bags* of cashgora from my own goats, all sitting in my craft room, waiting for weather that I won't feel guilty walking away from, to get back up there and play. For ALL of that fiber, I've paid a grand total of less than $200. That's cheaper than the price of Red Heart's budget yarn.

*these are whole-animal bags of fiber, in large delicate-sweater-size-washing bags - not little grocery bags.

What I'd most like to play with is something like cashgora, cashmere, or angora, because I hope to own goats on our property later and I have kept rabbits before and enjoy it. At the same time I currently have so many craft supplies that will all need to be disposed of or moved in a year or three that I hesitate to take on more at the moment. What I will do is process some chiengora, make a drop spindle, and try to make some yarn. With a German Shepherd, it is 100% free :) I'm literally saving a bag of dog hair. (My husband should be applauded for allowing this)

I'm also of the mindset that she was able to invest what I'd consider a significant amount in a new craft because she makes those videos- basically, it is subsidized by her channel/following. If anything that's incentive for me to start a channel lol

I've seen some cool things made with dog hair. A word to the wise, though - for some reason, dog hair does tend to cling to its scent, so unless you like the scent of wet dog, I wouldn't put it in anything you might wear near your face or something that could be near your face or food, that could get wet - like pot holders, scarves, hats, mittens & sweaters, lol. Most of the folks I know that do it use it for things like rugs and dog blankets. Obviously, some dogs smell more pungent than others. For example, my cavalier girl, Charlie,  doesn't get very stinky, at all, and has 'hair' about as soft as the cashgora, but her BIG sister, Bailey, the Irish Wolfhound has much coarser 'fur', they call a 'rough coat', that can get oily - and stinky. My advice would be to smell your dog, when it's wet, and see what you think. But, either way, it might be great practice fiber, and a fun way to learn. Maybe you could even knit or crochet a stuffed dog to look like the one whose fiber you're collecting.

That all sounds interesting.  I'm with Cat Knight though,  I want to get some sheep but I'm in the middle of a move and really don't have any room for anything.  I just bought my 12 acre farm, an old pasture with a pond!  So, yeah looking into sheep so I can spin my own yarn.  I'd love alpacas, but not for the money.  I'll just go ahead and buy what I can, where I can.  It's much easier to have your stash in a bag rather than on an animal's back!

That being said, I'm going to look around for a spinning class as soon as the move is done with.  That way I can see if I actually like spinning while our new house is being built.  Once I know that, then I can figure out what sheep I want to get, or if I want to get them at all.  I'm leaning towards Icelandic at the moment, mostly for their ease of keeping, but Shetlands look good too and apparently eat a lot less.  *shrug*  I've got time to figure it all out now that I've got the land.

Annette