Recently I had the opportunity to drop in on a local homeschool co-op and do a hand-spinning demonstration.
They are studying vikings and wanted a little insight on the process of spinning wool into yarn. I haven't written much about this subject here in the blog because I haven't done much spinning, dyeing, weaving, or knitting since my kids were born. But this was a chance to pull some of that out of its storage boxes and get back into it...if only for a couple days.
When I first met the class, I introduced them to the steps of wool processing by reading them this book
I then showed them how to card the wool (comb it out) and spin it on my drop spindle.
My drop spindle is made from a dowel, a rubber grommet, a screw eye, and two cd's.
Then I let them touch and feel several types of animal fibers: wool, alpaca, llama, silk, camel, mohair, and angora. They picked out a color of wool and then we gathered around the spinning wheel.
I let a couple of the kids try out the wheel, but it really is harder than it looks.
I let them each turn the wheel while I spun the wool they'd selected. I folded it over on itself so they could take home a piece of handspun yarn.
My favorite moment was when these two girls picked up my drop spindle and worked together to spin some "fluff".
I had so much fun. It made me miss teaching in a classroom setting. Maybe I'll get back into it when Ethan goes to school next year.
