How to Start Spinning Your Own Yarn Without Spending a Fortune – Advice for the New Spinner

 

Learning to spin your own yarn should not cost a fortune. I was afraid to learn to spin yarn, because didn't want to spend a lot of money starting another obsession. I had already accumulated a large amount of yarn, and was afraid that I would not enjoy spinning as much as I do knitting.  It turns out that I had nothing to be afraid of, because I love to spin yarn.  I am so glad I gave it a try. Spinning yarn is calming and meditative.  In today's world of mass production, its wonderful to make something with your own hands the way our ancestors did. The good news is that you don't need to spend a lot of money to give spinning your own yarn a try.

Make Your Own Drop Spindle

The most economic way to learn to spin yarn is on a drop spindle. I made my first drop spindle out of a dowel rod and a wagon wheel. I was never happy with the weight of the spindle. So I started a quest to find an affordable drop spindle to recommend for new spinners. You can make your own drop spindle for about $4 using this tutorial from Cindy at Jacob's Reward Farm.  I decided to try it out to see if it was easy to make and easy to use. I am pleased to report that it is! The whole project took about 10 minutes.  I used a cup hook instead of the eye hook the tutorial calls for.  You can make a top whorl spindle or a bottom whorl spindle.  I made a bottom whorl spindle.  This spindle has a nice weight and is easy to use.

Spinning with Well Prepared Fiber

Start with well prepared fiber, because it is easier to draft and spin. I like to the wool roving at Laughing Lamb Fibers. They have fair prices and amazing product. Most of their wool is loose, fluffy, and spins like a dream. I also recommend pre-drafting your fiber to make it easier to spin.

Give Spinning a Try!

There are a lot of YouTube tutorials on line that will teach you how to spin. I like ones that use the park and draft method for beginners. This one from Barbara at Kitty Mine Crafts is wonderful.  There is a link to her Etsy shop.  She has some beautiful fibers for sale.  She also sells some affordable drop spindles if you don't want to make your own.

Don't Give Up!

Spinning takes practice! It takes a while to get the hang of spinning and drafting. Don't give up! The rewards are worth it. Soon you will have your very own custom yarns without having to spend a fortune for supplies. That being said, spinning yarn is just as addictive as knitting and crochet. Once you learn how to do it, you will want to buy a lot of fiber, and that could get expensive. Here is my logic:

1. When you buy the wool you get enjoyment of choosing the wool.


2. If you are dyeing the yarn, then you get the joy of making your own colorways!


3. Then you get the joy of spinning the wool into yarn.


4. You get enjoyment by making something out of that yarn.


5. When you are finished, you get a product that you can wear, or give as a gift.


6. You get hours of enjoyment, and entertainment.

Spinning your own yarn and buying unspun wool is really a true bargain once you think about how much it costs to see a movie these days.

Happy Spinning!

[caption id="attachment_256" align="alignnone" width="140"] How to Spin Your Own Yarn[/caption]