I am going to make a pretty bold statement in today’s Taking Back Friday video… learning how to spin changed my life. And for that reason, I think spinning is the gateway craft to the rest of the fibre arts.
In my 20s, I got curious about where yarn comes from and how yarn itself is made. I had stumbled on a bag of spinning fibre and spindle at a local fair, and at the time I didn’t buy it, but it planted a seed. I remember looking at the bag, reading the instructions on how to spin, and I thought “it sounds like so much work, why would anyone do that?”. But then I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. A couple of months later at a local wool shop, I bought a spindle and bag of Corriedale fibre. That magical transformation of seeing this fluffy, woolly fibre turn into this long continuous piece of yarn. That feeling of drafting the fibre apart and making something new. All of this was so amazing to me and within a week, I went back to the store and bought a spinning wheel.
How did you learn to spin, and did it lead you to another craft? Did it change how you knit or how you see yarn? I would love to hear from you in the comments about your spinning experience.
Download our Guide to Start Spinning
To help anyone who is interested in learning how to spin but doesn’t know where to begin, I made a quick guide for everything you need to know to get started with spinning. Download the helpful PDF plus subscribe to receive the latest news from SweetGeorgia.
IN THIS EPISODE
- what I’m wearing in today’s video: I’m wearing the Laia top design by Isabell Kraemer, knit in SweetGeorgia Flaxen Silk Fine Beach House.
- what I’m talking about in today’s video: Here are quick links to some of the items mentioned in the vlog…
- Online spinning courses at the School of SweetGeorgia including my Spinning From Scratch course for beginners, Spin to Knit Socks taught by Rachel Smith, and many more.
- Come and chat with us about spinning, plus find spinning inspiration, at the SweetGeorgia Discord server.
- Hand-dyed fibre colourways shown: Salted Caramel, Trail Runner, Sugarplum, Snow Angel, Patchwork Quilt, and Beachside Brunch.
As an avid knitter, I never had any intention of spinning my own yarn. I didn’t get the allure of it all….I could just buy fantastic yarn. My friend swore I’d soon be spinning, but I assured her it would never happen. As you can probably guess, I’m now an avid spinner and own multiple wheels. Spinning is so relaxing and it really feels organic and meditative. Being able to spin your own yarn and learn about breeds and yarn structure is so rewarding. I love it so much and I just joined SOS and can’t wait to step up my spinning game with all the fabulous classes.