Spinning

Quantum Tea asked for some spinning tips, and there are so many good sites that I thought I'd just link to a few here. I'm a complete beginner, but I've found these resources to be helpful:

• Joy of Handspinning. Useful Quicktime videos!


• Spindlicity, a new online magazine. Interesting articles and lots of links to websites with gorgeous fibers for sale.


• Spin-Off magazine and especially the Getting Started page with free downloadable brochures.


• Pacific Fiber has helpful tips and also sells a handspinning kit with fiber & spindle.


• The Woolery also has tips and supplies.

As for which spindle to buy, my main advice is to get one with a notch in the side that you can feed the yarn through, because my Louet with the cute sheep printed on it doesn't have this feature and it's kind of a pain for a beginner. I love my new Bosworth spindle but they're expensive; you can get a fine basic spindle for $15 and try it out before dropping $50 on a handmade exotic-wood one. I think I read somewhere that bottom-whorl spindles are easier but I managed to get started on the top-whorl without too much trouble.

And one more piece of advice: Start with good fiber. I bought about $7 worth of simple undyed Corriedale roving and, while it's not quite as light and floaty as something like a merino-silk blend, it's still quite nice and drafts easily. Mmm. Enough blogging - back to the spindle!