Does it run through your mind, even if you don't ever speak it, that you would secretly like to find a way for your hobby to pay for itself? Not really with the idea in mind of making money, but just some way to break even with it, maybe to relieve guilt for money spent satisfying fiber stash enhancement and equipment acquisition :).
I have to admit that runs through my mind... even though I'm really not a good enough spinner or designer to come up with some of the beautiful handspun yarns I see sold online. But, since I knit, i have an indirect way of "justifing" by having one hobby feed another one... if I spin the yarn for the knitting projects, I've saved the amount I'd otherwise spend on that. Now, the problem of the knitting justifying itself still remains, but it's easier there ... the end product of knitting has some immediate utility, while the output from spinning is ... stored potential energy.
But, I do have to say that if you are going to prepare your spinning fiber from raw fleece, you really need to enjoy the preparation part ... that needs to be part of the satisfaction for you. Because, the cash savings you're going to see are... modest.
I've just finished preparing a 3 lb (raw) Shetland fleece... I combed it, and ended up with about 1lb 6oz of combed top, plus maybe 4 oz of "waste" from the combing that I may be able to card into spinnable form. I paid $28.62 for the fleece from Painter Hill Farm in north Pennsylvania. Let's tally up the entire input materials cost for that 30oz of spinnable fiber:
Fleece: $28.62, Detergent $2, Hot water and other utilities say $2, Equipment wear say $0.50 = $33.12
I took a look at paradisefibers.net, and for the equivalent amount of Shetland top and Shetland roving I figured up $56.75 including shipping. If you combined this with an order for other items to get the free shipping (for over $100), the cost would be $46.75. So, you've only saved at most $23.63 ... with the free shipping, only a $13.63 savings.
I don't know exactly how much time I spend on this fleece, but I'd say it was easily 25 hours washing, drying, combing, dizzing, and carding .... if you gave yourself a minimum wage of $7.25/hr, that's at least $181.25 in effort. So, taking preparation effort into account, this 30oz of fiber actually cost me $214.37.
So, my only point is, if you're a spinner, and spinning is what you enjoy, unless you derive a non-monetary satisfaction also from fleece preparation, then it makes no sense to do it. You can easily buy combed top or roving likely of as good or better quality than what you can produce for less expense.
So, why did I do it? I've worked with raw fleece before, although it was years ago, and when I got back into it the past few months, the same as before I gravitated to raw fleece. There's something.... and I'll sound like a hopelessly starry-eyed urbanite (well, surburban/urban ite) to some of you here ... but there's something that connects you in an almost spiritual way back to the farm and the land about working with the raw fleece. I know that those of you living on farms or in rural areas have more "connection with the land" than maybe you know what to do with. But, for me, it feels special because of that.
And, there's also the appeal of having created something from the "raw materials". I know I didn't raise or shear the sheep (and barring a significant career change, unlikely to ever do that), but I did take the pretty much unprocessed material and, at the end of the chain, I'll have something I can wear out of it, something that I totally created, that I can feel that I very truly "own". I guess that's the other appeal.
Would anyone else who works with raw fleece like to describe what the appeal is to them?
You said it all right here.........But, I do have to say that if you are going to prepare your spinning fiber from raw fleece, you really need to enjoy the preparation part ... that needs to be part of the satisfaction for you. Because, the cash savings you're going to see are... modest.
I spent the entire weekend soaking, cleaning, dying, drying, carding and spinning....and i haven't even touched what i cleaned........whewwwwwww...
Thank you.
I'm very new to spinning. Not real new to knit and crochet though. I don't mind raw fleece at all, as a matter of fact, I like it. I'm an RN in a diaysis clinic. Which in some ways is almost like long term hospice. It can be very stressful to my body and my mind. I love my patients and my work though. Sooo... sitting at my table skirting a fleece is relaxing. It's tedious and quiet. So is combing and carding. It's quiet work but I can also do it while I'm helping my kids with their homework and things. Also, I love the animals. I have 2 pet alpaca. Easy keepers. Love those guys to death. My father in law has given us 10 acres and we're thinking of moving. I've been doing research on various sheep breeds. I'd also like a couple of angora goats. Then we'll have a fiber farm. Some people were meant to do these things and some weren't and that's just okay. I don't think I was made for a clinical setting though that's where I found myself and I do fine there. I much prefer to stay home and can fruit and vegetables, take care of my kids and my animals and my berries. Now I've added spinning and fiber prep. Here in Allegan County Michigan we have a huge fiber festival. People come from all over for the workshops all week and the vendors on the weekend. I'ts always packed with people carrying around fleeces and prepared fiber on a hot August day. there's something really cool about seeing something go from beginning to end. That raw fleece full of dirt and grease and VM and now you have a beautiful hat or something and one can say. "I did that!" I think preparing fleeces is a throwback to the farm or the land or whatever. I grew up in Chicago for Pete's sake and I would never go back. I have an appreciation for the process. Anyone can get online and order roving or sliver and that's fine but there is something to be said for growing and preparing your own. It's like making bread from scratch. It's easier to just go to the store or a gormet bakery. Out lives aren't conducive to quieter, "grass roots" type of things. having my own alpaca and maybe someday sheep for fiber is a slower, quieter,seasonal process. In a way it's no different than those of us who grow huge gardens full of vegetabes. Some like to do it, some would rather visit the produce section. Some folks like it, some folks don't.
And yes, Cheryl, that's my idea of a fun weekend too :)
Thanks, spinhappy, for the comparison to bread baking ... one of my other pursuits along with winemaking. Your life sounds happy and rich... and I agree that activities that are slow and quiet and in synch with the earth and the seasons somehow just ground you. Maybe a mix of spiritual centering and practical work for your hands ...
Why not spin "in the grease"? It does have a nice feel to it, you end up with lovely soft skin. However, it might depend on just what type of fleece you are working with. Here in Australia our access to Merino or Merino/Corriedale cross is easy to obtain, so spinning in the grease is often a preferred option. If it's a case of "been there, done that", then of course, you buy combed tops or sliver.
Just flick the locks, spin directly from the flicked locks and do the washing process after the plying is done. Might save a step or two.
Cheers, Judy
Spinning "in the grease" does sound like it has a lot of benefits ... saving a lot of time with fiber preparation. I've only tried it once, a decade ago, with a very clean lincoln cross fleece with nice separate locks.
But, can you only spin worsted or semi-worsted "in the grease"? I remember reading in "Spinning for Softness & Speed" that unsupported long draw woolen spinning required well prepared fiber.
Another issue might be the cleanness of the fleece ... I would think that if you had a lot of vm that you might spend as much time flick carding? And if you had a fleece with a lot of yolk, would that potentially leave residue on your equipment?
But, for me, the one thing that I think pretty much rules out spinning in the grease for me most of the time is where I like to spin ... usually in the living room while the TV's on or by the fireplace. Not a place that I particularly want to have the odor of raw fleece or the mess of flick carding.
I've spun in the grease with both worsted and woolen. The important thing is to have a fresh fleece before the lanolin sets up.
Letting the fleece sit in cold water overnight helps get rid of the salts (sweat) and minerals that accumulate. The dust, dirt and vm tend to settle out. A quick flick or a quick comb with a pet comb and it's ready to spin. I use a lap cloth (I made it for $5) to catch the furf. (My cats think it's catnip.)
Do know that what you get for handspun is of higher quality than for commercial. I bought a fleece for $50 (coated). I ended up making a sweater worth probably around $300-$400.
Denise
Now, of course, you must upload a photo of the sweater because we all want to see it :)
Thanks, Denise, for all the good info. Maybe this spring if I acquire a really nice fleece I'll give spinning in the grease a try again with your suggestions.
I've been reading this thread with interest..........I'm a spinner who really doesn't like preparing raw fleece . I have tried, on hot sunny days,but I always end up feeling I could be using my time doing pleasanter,more fulfilling things ,like gardening with my husband(spinning ,sewing ,knitting, cooking, taking our dogs for a walk ! ).
It's not that I don't have plenty of time (I'm retired )and perhaps if I tried something like mohair I might feel it more worthwhile,but so far, I'd rather buy in my wool prepared and then dye it,when necessary,I find dyeing much more satisfying.
There are such good wool suppliers available, here in France ,the UK and the US and it's such fun doing the research for the next project.
Anyway ,those are my thoughts .I've posted them so that if there are others that feel as I do,they don't feel guilty about not "starting from scratch";
Mary
Apob and Mary,
If you want to check out the sweater, go to www.spinoffmagazine.com/media/p/3643.aspx and you can see my dad's sweater on the Gallery images.
Processing fleece isn't my favorite thing to do. My kids and husband complain that I stink like a sheep. My dog tries to drink the dirty water. My cats lavish themselves in the drying wool. When I find a nice fleece, I do process it. There are two good mills I like to use here in MT, but they cost. It's all choices.
If I find some nice fiber already prepared for me, within my budget, I'll buy it. Right now, I'm thinking of some dyed Targhee at www.sweetgrasswool.com. I do already have a nice Targhee fleece that's washed and needs to be carded. I just need to decide when to set up the drum carder .... you know the drill.
I'm teaching a class right now. While students like the instant gratification of buying prepared fiber (don't we all), they do need to know what goes into preparing the fiber so they know what is good and bad roving, what can be fixed, what is junk.
BTW, I don't make cakes from scratch, but I do my cheesecake.
Denise,
It's a lovely sweater and your Father looks delighted with it,if your winter's been as cold as ours, I'll bet he was really pleased........I love the colour,did you dye it? if so with what ?
Targhee,I had to look it up in the "Knitters Book of Wool" it's not a fleece I know, but it looks nice in the photograph.What have you got in mind for it ?
I was interested in your class. I think because I didn't start to spin until after I had retired, I had to learn everything unaided(faults and all!) perhaps if I learned to prep fleece in a group, having fun, I might like it more?! but I know your problems with the dogs and the cat .
Cooking and baking ,breadmaking, I do start from scratch,so perhaps the economy there, off sets my wool extravagance ?
Oh well ,off to Yoga,it's 14.45 here.
It's a beautiful sweater, Denise - the cablework looks fantastic.
The color of the sweater is the natural fleece color - heathered gray. He was worried about it being too dark. Dad likes to sing Irish ballads and wanted his own Rover's sweater. I bought the fleece from Cory Simpson at www.lincolnlongwools.com. He started with Lincoln Longwool (works as doll hair) and had branched into Targhee.
Targhee's were breed developed in the 1970's in the Targhee National Forest Sheep Station in Idaho, cross of Rambouillet rams and Corriedale/ Lincoln/Rambouillet ewes. The staple is nice and crimpy. It reminds me if cotton. The fleece are greasy - as you could guess from Rambouillet. Cory's sheep are listed fine.
If interested, I could share some of my class material with you. I rinse my fleece in cold water first to get rid of the heavy dirt and salts. I wash my fleece in Kookaburra Wool Scour (.06 l washes 1Kg or 2oz/2#) .
I have a series of video links that I reference for my students (I'm not always there) for fiber prep.
Woolcombing Part 1-4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcYY1xF-JvY&feature=related
Using Mini Combs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae6aZwswrWs
Carding Wool - Making Rolags: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp_fIc5lCuk
Using a Drum Carder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lyGK7XQQDM
Thanks for the references.
I'd seen the english combs one before,I watched the other three,which were all good I really liked the one on drum carding .
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