The hand spinner

The hand spinner

10 March 2019

11:44

She takes the wool just as it is clipped from the sheep

Picks out the caught in twigs, straw, dead beetles

Parts soiled, muddied are separated, thrown into a tub for extra washing

 

She pulls apart the fibres 

Lines of the fibres on the carding pads

Places them carefully in a basket

 

Sitting at her wheel

Keep the speed constant

The wheel whirs as it spins

 

Fibres fed into the orifice

Thickness adjusted to suit the project

She must keep the thickness and twist constant 

 

Thick for Aran style knitting

Thinner for cardigans or lace

Two ply for knitting to stop the garment warping

 

Thin single yarn for weaving cloth for coats

Thicker single yarn for weaving rugs

Single ply for these the process eliminates the warping

 

Lazy Kate is used to make the wool into hanks

Wash the wool removes the grease

Now ready for the dyer

 

Away to the craft weaver, knitter, lace maker

Apply their skills to the yarn

Rugs, Best suit, Aran jumpers, Lace shawl

Wild Rose 

Nov2020

Reviews

[barleygirl]

I've read a number of your stories that involve the wool industry, but it wasn't until reading this that I really GOT IT -- the depth of your interest & experience in this field! Who has this knowledge anymore? Most young people in the USA have never used (or seen) a sewing machine! This is delightfully detailed, which is the magic of any poem, putting the reader right into the very fingers of this vignette. This reads like something graceful & at the same time hard-working/industrious. There's remarkable beauty in the old arts/trades & you've captured it better than anyone! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Margie
I was brought up amongst the woollen mills
Dad was an inspector of the finished cloth > Mum was a seemstress (I think that is the name) Dads uncle Percy was the chief engineer > mums cousin worked for him as a millwright
Birth of an Empire is about our family
I do have to check the historical parts

[Dave Brown]

Just came across this which was an enjoyable, educational read
It reminded me of a couple of sheep we raised, living beside each other ever since they were born, never apart for a moment.
We eventually took them to be sheared and when we put them back together in the truck, after being sheared, they didn't recognize each other and fought for a week!!!
Dumb!!

[Wild Rose]

My wife took up hand spinning
The sheep round here are 'Hefted'; that is they live on the fellside all year. If you take then away they will find their way back home

A story goes; some rustlers stole a whole flock. next day they were all gone
A weel later they turned up back on the heft (fellside home)

[Dave Brown]

obviously much brighter than our two

[Coyote Poetry]

A wonderful poem my dear friend.
"Away to the craft weaver, knitter, lace maker
Apply their skills to the yarn
Rugs, Best suit, Aran jumpers, Lace shawl"
I liked the above lines. My wife is a seamstress. The wonders, the hands can do. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Just Kim]

This is just so wonderful, my favorite piece from you, such wonderful imagery and detail in this write.

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Just Kim
All the detail is from my memory
My family were the founders oa a woollen mill in the 1830's
Read Birth of an Empire IStikk in the writing state
begins with a hill farmer and a blacksmith having a yarn on market day > opening a mill (Lots still to write - up to present day) I try to keep the same imagery going

My wife took up hand spinning