It's a funny title, isn't it. "The Ancient Art of Thread" and I chose it because almost any type of art-form you can name that involves the use of fiber into thread has a basis in antiquity. Spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, tatting, nålbinding, kumihimo, and sprang were all invented by various people of varying cultures in response to a need to cover our bodies and protect ourselves from the elements combined with a desire to be admired for our ingenuity, talent, and ability. I have recently expanded my abilities to include direct knowledge of several of these skills, which are now generally considered to be more of an art than necessity.
For the homesteader, I personally would recommend learning at least spinning as well as one of the other methods of creating fabric. Several of them can be done with a miniscule budget and all are very useful skill sets to have.
Spinning is the act of turning fiber (animal, plant, or man-made) into thread or yarn. It can be made using a spindle or a wheel, but all involve the process of twisting the fibers together to create long cords, then twining the cords together to create thread or yarn. You can successfully spin yarn with a home-made spindle or an expensive custom-made ornate spinning wheel. Wheels come in differing shapes and sizes, from the giant Great Wheel or Walking Wheel (you stand and walk back and forth, spinning the yarn onto the spindle of the wheel) or a modern upright 2-treadle wheel. All of these will allow you to create the materials for the other art forms.
Weaving is probably one of the oldest methods known for creating fabric. It seems to be one of the least common thread-art forms in use today. Probably because when most people think about weaving, they picture enormous floor looms taking up half their living space. I have only recently delved into this form myself, but I can tell you from experience that weaving tools do not need to be expensive, especially if you or someone you know is handy with wood and some nails. My current favorite weaving tool is called a tri-loom because it's in the shape of a right triangle. It's primarily used to create woven shawls, but the triangular pieces can also be stitched together to form other shapes of different sizes. Another type of loom, which is a mid-range as far as size and cost goes, is the rigid heddle loom. These can create a variety of fabrics and are very easy to learn to use. With almost no instruction (except a little web research to learn terminology and basic techniques), I was on my way to weaving several dish-cloths on the loom.
Knitting is another very old method of creating fabric. In my opinion, it's one of the easiest for a beginner to learn because once you have set up all of your loops, they will be there in front of you, unless you drop one or inadvertently create an additional loop. The fabric resulting from knitting is very stretch and thicker than weaving. You can learn to knit online (knittinghelp.com), though I would recommend seeking out a teacher if you have difficulty comprehending the stitch. There are only 2 basic ones in this art, the knit and the purl, master them and you can make a wide variety of items. It's generally very easy to find teachers and/or classes for knitting since it's a very common thread skill.
Crochet is actually one of the younger forms of thread art. The fabric resulting from crochet was once referred to as "poor man's lace" because it was created to resemble lace, but produced similar results far more quickly. For speed, crocheting cannot be beat. However, it does use up nearly twice the yarn as knitting over the same area of fabric. The stitches generally result in a thicker, less flexible fabric. As for expense, crochet is probably the most cost-effective thread art that exists today. Since you literally need nothing more than a hook and a ball of yarn to create a wide variety of items. You can learn to crochet online as well (http://www.nexstitch.com/Tutorials.html). Though again, seeking out a teacher to help you should be as easy as finding a yarn or major craft store near you.
The next few are a little more obscure in the grand scheme of things, and if you've heard of them, you are ahead of the general populace!
Tatting is the method by which lace fabric is primarily made. It tends to be rather tedious and time consuming, uses a tool referred to as a tatting shuttle, and results in some of the finest, most delicate-appearing fabrics ever created! This is an art form I have not developed an interest in pursuing for myself. However, it was one my mother showed a desire to learn as apparently it was an art that her own grandmother performed. My knowledge of this art form is very limited, so I won't comment further.
Nålbinding is another ancient form of thread art that many believe pre-dates even knitting! It is Scandinavian in descent and involves the use of a long piece of thread, a large needle (usually wood or bone, but any large yarn needle will do the job nicely), and your thumb. It involves creating a series of loose knots or loops that intertwine to create a thick, springy fabric. I feel that it's use is slightly limiting however, I have not seen items other than hats, mittens, and socks created in this manner. The art form does require you to use wool yarn because you are working with long, but still limited, lengths of the yarn that must be 'spliced' together as move along the piece you are creating. Learning this form of thread art can be challenging since most of the tutorial videos explaining the method are in Swedish or Finnish! I myself am only just beginning to learn this fascinating art.
Kumihimo is another form of weaving that I've only recently learned existed. It apparently originated in Japan and is a form of complex braiding that yields exotic ropes and cording. In modern times it requires very little in the way of tools to produce fascinating results. This is a method I have not yet pursued, nor do I personally know anyone that uses it.
The final form of thread art I want to talk about is called Sprang and is not one I have ever made an effort to pursue. Also I have known only a single person that really uses this method. It's a form of weaving that is probably the most simple and cost effective in existence since the 'form' used to create the fabric is a piece of cardboard and once you have wrapped your threads, they become your working threads as well. perhaps one of the reasons this form of thread art is not more popular is the extreme limitation of the resulting fabric. As far as I know, only bags and hair nets have been mentioned as the use for fabric made with the sprang weaving technique. The fabric that results is very springy as the threads are twisted, or braided around one another.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Rendering Fats
I recently saw there is an article in a popular homesteading magazine about how to render lard. In response, I thought I'd offer up my method for rendering to all of you for FREE!!! That's right, spread the word, I charge nothing for sharing my skills and knowledge. I'd love to have a few more followers as well. ;)
This is my method for rendering fats: tallow and lard. Tallow comes from beef fat, lard from pig fat.
Step 1: Talk to your local butcher or meat grocer person and ask them to hold back beef or lard scraps for you. The beef fat scraps will be easier because most places like groceries still do their own meat cutting. I usually ask for 10 lbs, as little meat as possible. Ask them to run the scraps through their grinder, 1 pass should do fine.
Step 2: Pick up the scraps and place in a large pot, I use a 12 qt steel. Start out on low to medium-low heat to begin the melting process. If you like the scent of cooking meat, you'll love this step! Stir constantly at this point to keep anything from sticking or scorching. When the 'meat' is brown and all the fat is liquid, pour through a strainer into a second pot. You could actually can or use the cooked meat as well for other purposes.
Step 3: Place the second pot back on the burner and add about 2 quarts of water to the liquid fat. Cover and bring the pot to a slow boil over a medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to set for awhile. When you can handle the pot, put it into the fridge to cool completely.
Step 4: After several hours, remove the pot from the fridge and check the contents. The fat should have hardened on top of the water and should be firm to the touch. If not, put it back in the fridge. If it is, use a long knife and cut the fat into wide squares. Push down on one of the squares into the water below to gain access to the others. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the squares of lard/tallow into a bowl or another pot. Try to disturb the water below the squares as little as possible.
Step 5: Add 2 more quarts of water to the second pot and repeat the process of heating the lard/tallow to a boil and cooling rapidly to harden. The idea is that any impurities in the fat settles to the bottom of the pot while it is cooling. So when you lift out the fat squares, it should be pure white and hard (tallow will be harder than lard) with little to no impurities. After this second rendering, your tallow/lard should be ready for use. I personally recommend keeping it refrigerated to extend the usable life, but I know plenty of folk that do not.
The very best tallow and lard is made from the internal fat usually found surrounding the heart and kidneys of the animal, but the scraps from your local butcher will work just fine as well. Tallow is wonderful used in soaps and sometimes candles. Lard is awesome for both soaps and cooking.
This is my method for rendering fats: tallow and lard. Tallow comes from beef fat, lard from pig fat.
Step 1: Talk to your local butcher or meat grocer person and ask them to hold back beef or lard scraps for you. The beef fat scraps will be easier because most places like groceries still do their own meat cutting. I usually ask for 10 lbs, as little meat as possible. Ask them to run the scraps through their grinder, 1 pass should do fine.
Step 2: Pick up the scraps and place in a large pot, I use a 12 qt steel. Start out on low to medium-low heat to begin the melting process. If you like the scent of cooking meat, you'll love this step! Stir constantly at this point to keep anything from sticking or scorching. When the 'meat' is brown and all the fat is liquid, pour through a strainer into a second pot. You could actually can or use the cooked meat as well for other purposes.
Step 3: Place the second pot back on the burner and add about 2 quarts of water to the liquid fat. Cover and bring the pot to a slow boil over a medium-high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to set for awhile. When you can handle the pot, put it into the fridge to cool completely.
Step 4: After several hours, remove the pot from the fridge and check the contents. The fat should have hardened on top of the water and should be firm to the touch. If not, put it back in the fridge. If it is, use a long knife and cut the fat into wide squares. Push down on one of the squares into the water below to gain access to the others. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the squares of lard/tallow into a bowl or another pot. Try to disturb the water below the squares as little as possible.
Step 5: Add 2 more quarts of water to the second pot and repeat the process of heating the lard/tallow to a boil and cooling rapidly to harden. The idea is that any impurities in the fat settles to the bottom of the pot while it is cooling. So when you lift out the fat squares, it should be pure white and hard (tallow will be harder than lard) with little to no impurities. After this second rendering, your tallow/lard should be ready for use. I personally recommend keeping it refrigerated to extend the usable life, but I know plenty of folk that do not.
The very best tallow and lard is made from the internal fat usually found surrounding the heart and kidneys of the animal, but the scraps from your local butcher will work just fine as well. Tallow is wonderful used in soaps and sometimes candles. Lard is awesome for both soaps and cooking.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Crepe Myrtles
This is a flowering beautifying Crepe Myrtle. You may have seen these, they are quite popular in my region, and come in a variety of colors, the most popular being pink. The one I planted has been growing for several years, about 5 now I think. When I chose this ornamental, I decided I wanted it to be in a tree format. It's important to make that choice for this plant since it can and will revert to a bush-like state, which is the norm. It can be cultivated into a tree however, and that is what I will discuss here. When I purchased the young plant, I carefully chose one that appeared to have a single main trunk. I wanted a white, which at the time was less hardy than others. I planted it at home and removed the secondary trunk from the original plant. After that it only required annual pruning. This is what I now have:
This particular plant doesn't bloom until mid to late summer and then blooms almost until fall begins. It is generally draped with small white flowers that have no fragrance.
if you look carefully at the first photo, you'll see at the bottom of the trunk, shoots of new growth attempting to take hold. If allowed to remain, these shoots would develop into new trunks. If this is desired, leave them, I do not wish to give up my 'tree', so this is what I do every year:
Here you can see the shoots much closer
No special tools are required, simply break off the shoots at the base of the tree.
Nice clean lines now. I wanted my tree to have a base trunk with a division. I did a great deal of shaping when the tree was young and now need only maintain the desired shape.
This particular plant doesn't bloom until mid to late summer and then blooms almost until fall begins. It is generally draped with small white flowers that have no fragrance.
if you look carefully at the first photo, you'll see at the bottom of the trunk, shoots of new growth attempting to take hold. If allowed to remain, these shoots would develop into new trunks. If this is desired, leave them, I do not wish to give up my 'tree', so this is what I do every year:
Friday, August 31, 2012
Preserving the Harvest: Making Jelly
One of the most useful, in my opinion, skills to have is the ability to "preserve the harvest". It is a sorely under-appreciated skill and art form. When people ask about a person's hobbies, you almost never hear them say "I like to preserve foods." After all, what kind of person enjoys spending hours over a hot stove, picking, washing, peeling, coring, crushing, cooking. Cooking is a hobby, preserving is apparently considered to be a skill, but it is one that is severely overlooked. never under-estimate a person that is skilled at preserving the harvest. That is a person that will not go hungry during lean economic times. Gardens, orchards, and berry yielding lands are more efficiently utilized. As a homesteader, it is a skill that is absolutely vital and should never be overlooked.
Learning how to make jam and jelly is fun and simple. There are numerous recipes to be had differing by fruit type mainly, but they all have a few things in common. First, you can make jam and jelly from almost any kind of fruit you can find. The difference between them is in the core substance you use: preserves are made using the whole fruit, intact but softened by cooking; jam is usually made from the whole fruit, crushed or minced; jelly is made from the juice alone. In this segment, I'll focus on jelly-making.
You want to use the best fruit, ripe and fresh. You'll want to wash it and prepare it:
- Grapes, strawberries, and soft fruits, remove stems and crush slightly
- Apples, crab apples, pears, and harder fruits, peel and quarter
Don't underestimate the value of peelings! I usually peel peaches and apples for preserving, but the peelings themselves can be cooked down and squeezed to provide the juice for jelly! In this way you waste almost nothing.
You can even make jelly from bottled juice from the store, but keep in mind that you will probably have to add pectin to convince it to gel. Pectin is a natural element found in the peelings of all fruits, which is why home-made juice for your jelly may require little to no extra pectin.
Take your fruit and measure it out into a deep pot. Add between 1/4-1/2 C water (for soft fruits) to 1/2 C water for harder fruits and simmer until the fruit is soft. Place 2 layers of cheesecloth in a colander and add the softened fruit/juice and allow it to drain. You can squeeze it off a little to get as much juice as possible, but be careful not to add too much pulp to your juice.
Measure again into your cooking pot and for each qt of juice you'll want to add between 3 and 5 cups of sugar. The more bitter the fruit (crab apples for example), the more sugar you'll need to add. If adding pectin, increase the sugar input. Then you cook on low (stirring continuously, the sugar will burn FAST!) until the juice reaches the gelling point. Gel is reached when a spoonful of the cooled mixture slides off the spoon in a solid sheet. It takes quite a long while for this point to be reached! Generally it gets easy to tell by the way the mass is cooking.
You then ladle the hot jelly into prepared jars (I recommend no larger than half-pint for ease of use) and seal them in a boiling water canner (BWC), usually for about 10-15 minutes. You can create spiced jellies by using a spice bag and adding a stick of cinnamon, some cloves, and a couple of nutmegs.
Enjoy!
Learning how to make jam and jelly is fun and simple. There are numerous recipes to be had differing by fruit type mainly, but they all have a few things in common. First, you can make jam and jelly from almost any kind of fruit you can find. The difference between them is in the core substance you use: preserves are made using the whole fruit, intact but softened by cooking; jam is usually made from the whole fruit, crushed or minced; jelly is made from the juice alone. In this segment, I'll focus on jelly-making.
You want to use the best fruit, ripe and fresh. You'll want to wash it and prepare it:
- Grapes, strawberries, and soft fruits, remove stems and crush slightly
- Apples, crab apples, pears, and harder fruits, peel and quarter
Don't underestimate the value of peelings! I usually peel peaches and apples for preserving, but the peelings themselves can be cooked down and squeezed to provide the juice for jelly! In this way you waste almost nothing.
You can even make jelly from bottled juice from the store, but keep in mind that you will probably have to add pectin to convince it to gel. Pectin is a natural element found in the peelings of all fruits, which is why home-made juice for your jelly may require little to no extra pectin.
Take your fruit and measure it out into a deep pot. Add between 1/4-1/2 C water (for soft fruits) to 1/2 C water for harder fruits and simmer until the fruit is soft. Place 2 layers of cheesecloth in a colander and add the softened fruit/juice and allow it to drain. You can squeeze it off a little to get as much juice as possible, but be careful not to add too much pulp to your juice.
Measure again into your cooking pot and for each qt of juice you'll want to add between 3 and 5 cups of sugar. The more bitter the fruit (crab apples for example), the more sugar you'll need to add. If adding pectin, increase the sugar input. Then you cook on low (stirring continuously, the sugar will burn FAST!) until the juice reaches the gelling point. Gel is reached when a spoonful of the cooled mixture slides off the spoon in a solid sheet. It takes quite a long while for this point to be reached! Generally it gets easy to tell by the way the mass is cooking.
You then ladle the hot jelly into prepared jars (I recommend no larger than half-pint for ease of use) and seal them in a boiling water canner (BWC), usually for about 10-15 minutes. You can create spiced jellies by using a spice bag and adding a stick of cinnamon, some cloves, and a couple of nutmegs.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Meat Animals for the Space-Challenged Homesteader
Everyone is familiar with the more common domestic meat animals available to the average US homesteader: cattle, pigs, sheep, goats (for the bold). But what do you do when you live in a place where these animals are not permitted? Does that mean the small-homesteader is doomed to buying expensive/altered meats from their nearby grocer? Do you try and find a nearby grass-fed provider? While these are certainly options, if you want to go those routes, there are also other 'alternative' sources that you can consider. They aren't anything new, it's just that many don't even think about them as being sources of meat. For the truly small-time homesteader you can consider rabbits, cavies (guinea pigs), poultry (not just chickens and/or turkeys, but ducks, geese, or quail!), and also... pigeons.
Of course some of the larger fowl do require a certain amount of space and some can be a little obvious to your neighbors, but quail are very small, do best raised in cages (they can be hard to catch if allowed to free-range), are fairly quiet most of the time, and provide a surprising amount of meat per bird in a very short amount of time. Quail begin to lay around 6-8 weeks and are ready to butcher by 10-12 weeks. Certain types of chickens are also butchering size by around 6-10 weeks, not even giving them enough time to really annoy the neighbors. Careful with those breeds though, they are not meant to be used for breeding and many cannot survive that long if you become squeamish about butchering. So if you plan to have chickens to butcher, make sure you actually plan to do it on time. The same is true for both types of broad-breasted turkeys, which cannot mate naturally and will mature around 50 or more pounds. If they are left to live to maturity, they can sometimes have a hard time moving around and by then will be too big for your oven! If you want turkeys to raise and supply consistent meat, make sure to go with a single-breasted or heritage breed.
Rabbits are one species I have a great deal of experience with raising, and as I've touched on it before, won't go into it too much again now. Cavies however are one I have not hit upon before. Cavies are best raised for meat in colonies outside in good weather and inside during colder months. They don't handle weather chages well, so keep that in mind. Always choose the larges cavies you can find, leave the "petshop" pigs in the shop where they belong (they are there for a reason and most won't even get larger than a pound... show animals are supposed to be at least 2 lbs, for a reference point). For the truly squeamish homesteaders who can't bear the thought of eating a "pet" animal remember that in some countries, these animals are a staple and colonies are maintained in many households,
For something really different though, try adding pigeons to your homestead. These birds are truly an amazing creature and one that is overlooked so often as a source of meat that it becomes an instant benefit to the small homesteader because your neighbors are just as likely to overlook them as well. When choosing birds to raise for meat, pick breeds with nice size and a large breast. The recommendation to me was to "feed 'em, water 'em, and leave 'em alone. They do the rest." And so far it has been true. Food, water, a nest and a perch and they will do the rest, laying, setting, and raising young pigeons. You can even release them after awhile to search for their own food some and they will return to their young. Now I personally am not comfortable yet releasing my pigeons, and they don't seem all that inclined to leave, but it is an option.
I suppose the most important thing for a small homesteader is to think outside the box. The only limitations to what you can really do are those you set for yourself.
Of course some of the larger fowl do require a certain amount of space and some can be a little obvious to your neighbors, but quail are very small, do best raised in cages (they can be hard to catch if allowed to free-range), are fairly quiet most of the time, and provide a surprising amount of meat per bird in a very short amount of time. Quail begin to lay around 6-8 weeks and are ready to butcher by 10-12 weeks. Certain types of chickens are also butchering size by around 6-10 weeks, not even giving them enough time to really annoy the neighbors. Careful with those breeds though, they are not meant to be used for breeding and many cannot survive that long if you become squeamish about butchering. So if you plan to have chickens to butcher, make sure you actually plan to do it on time. The same is true for both types of broad-breasted turkeys, which cannot mate naturally and will mature around 50 or more pounds. If they are left to live to maturity, they can sometimes have a hard time moving around and by then will be too big for your oven! If you want turkeys to raise and supply consistent meat, make sure to go with a single-breasted or heritage breed.
Rabbits are one species I have a great deal of experience with raising, and as I've touched on it before, won't go into it too much again now. Cavies however are one I have not hit upon before. Cavies are best raised for meat in colonies outside in good weather and inside during colder months. They don't handle weather chages well, so keep that in mind. Always choose the larges cavies you can find, leave the "petshop" pigs in the shop where they belong (they are there for a reason and most won't even get larger than a pound... show animals are supposed to be at least 2 lbs, for a reference point). For the truly squeamish homesteaders who can't bear the thought of eating a "pet" animal remember that in some countries, these animals are a staple and colonies are maintained in many households,
For something really different though, try adding pigeons to your homestead. These birds are truly an amazing creature and one that is overlooked so often as a source of meat that it becomes an instant benefit to the small homesteader because your neighbors are just as likely to overlook them as well. When choosing birds to raise for meat, pick breeds with nice size and a large breast. The recommendation to me was to "feed 'em, water 'em, and leave 'em alone. They do the rest." And so far it has been true. Food, water, a nest and a perch and they will do the rest, laying, setting, and raising young pigeons. You can even release them after awhile to search for their own food some and they will return to their young. Now I personally am not comfortable yet releasing my pigeons, and they don't seem all that inclined to leave, but it is an option.
I suppose the most important thing for a small homesteader is to think outside the box. The only limitations to what you can really do are those you set for yourself.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Finding a Spinning Wheel
Long gone are the days of old where women stood on their porch and spun on a Great or Walking wheel with a pointed spindle. The invention of the flyer so many ages ago has essentially eliminated them in modern wheels. Having just come through this research and selection process, I am happy to share my knowledge and experience. First, don't assume that an antique wheel is the only option available. There are still several very popular and current makers of wheels. The price range for a new modern wheel foot driven will vary from around $100 to well over $1000 or higher for custom hand-made wheels. Most beginning spinners, such as myself, do not really need the higher end wheels to start out. Decide what you really desire in a wheel, then set out to find one.
As for deciding to learn spinning, well for me it was a natural offshoot of knitting and crochet. It seemed the next logical step, to learn to make the thread itself. Although no one needs to learn this out of necessity these days, it is certainly a very useful skill to have in your homesteading repertoire.
While it's not recommended for a beginner to start off with an antique wheel, since they often have quirks that may result in a slight retarding of the learning process, you can still choose one if you wish. The most important thing to know when looking at an antique wheel is whether or not it is complete and whole. Many antique wheels will have cracks or chips, you need to know when those will affect the function of the wheel. A crack in the wheel itself would be okay, for instance, as long as it does not through off the balance of the wheel's movement. A chip from the maiden would be okay as long as it was secure and stable in spite of it.
That reminds me, the art of spinning tends to have a language utterly unique for it. You definitely need to learn the lingo! The parts on the wheel include the wheel itself, the treadles (foot peddles) and footmen (piece that connects the treadles to the wheel), the flyer (an arched piece of wood that fits around the bobbin and attaches by a cord to the wheel, this is what actually spins the fiber), the maiden (bracket that holds the flyer), the whorl (round piece where the cord goes, usually found on the flyer), the bobbin (I-shaped piece that horizontally fits into the flyer, the thread is wound onto it by the flyer arms), and finally the mother-of-all (which holds the wheel). With regards to the fiber there is raw (not washed or combed), combed top (uses evil looking Viking or English combs), carded rolags (rolled bits of fluff, usually from hand cards) or batts (usually from a drum carder), and so many more! You may have tog and thel on a double-coated fleece (such as Icelandic fiber). You may have to deal with neps (bit of fiber that bunch up on a spun thread) and noils (short fiber bits). And you can choose to spin woolen or worsted method (an explanation for another post!). All I can say is read, read, read!!
Back to finding a wheel: once you have established your price range and researched the various options (single treadle or double? Scotch or Irish tension or double drive? Saxony or castle, Norwegian or modern?) then you need to decide what is the most important aspects for you. Combine everything and stalk your perfect wheel on e-bay or resort to locating manufacturers and dealers. Fair warning, some of the very best wheels are still not made in the USA. Two of the most popular are made in far away countries. Ashford wheels are of New Zealand origin and Kromski wheels are Polish. These are 2 that offer a wide range of beautiful wheels, have many vendors in the US and appear to be dedicated to educating their customers about their wheels. Both offer production wheels (any wheel greater than 21" in diameter is technically a 'production' wheel, it will move the flyer at a faster rate with minimal treadling required), travel wheels (wheels that will fold together for easy storage/traveling) and many others.
If you are more concerned with cost than aesthetics, the Babe wheels can generally be had for less than $200 and include everything you would need to learn to spin. The Babe wheels are made from PVC and use wheelchair wheels. There is also a fairly new wheel-maker in Texas producing beautiful wheels for extremely reasonable prices. They are the Bluebonnet wheels.
Regardless of the wheel you choose, be sure it is the one you really want. These wheels are an investment or time, money, and energy. You could be spending a significant amount of time looking at it, so make it one that YOU want to look at frequently!
As for deciding to learn spinning, well for me it was a natural offshoot of knitting and crochet. It seemed the next logical step, to learn to make the thread itself. Although no one needs to learn this out of necessity these days, it is certainly a very useful skill to have in your homesteading repertoire.
While it's not recommended for a beginner to start off with an antique wheel, since they often have quirks that may result in a slight retarding of the learning process, you can still choose one if you wish. The most important thing to know when looking at an antique wheel is whether or not it is complete and whole. Many antique wheels will have cracks or chips, you need to know when those will affect the function of the wheel. A crack in the wheel itself would be okay, for instance, as long as it does not through off the balance of the wheel's movement. A chip from the maiden would be okay as long as it was secure and stable in spite of it.
That reminds me, the art of spinning tends to have a language utterly unique for it. You definitely need to learn the lingo! The parts on the wheel include the wheel itself, the treadles (foot peddles) and footmen (piece that connects the treadles to the wheel), the flyer (an arched piece of wood that fits around the bobbin and attaches by a cord to the wheel, this is what actually spins the fiber), the maiden (bracket that holds the flyer), the whorl (round piece where the cord goes, usually found on the flyer), the bobbin (I-shaped piece that horizontally fits into the flyer, the thread is wound onto it by the flyer arms), and finally the mother-of-all (which holds the wheel). With regards to the fiber there is raw (not washed or combed), combed top (uses evil looking Viking or English combs), carded rolags (rolled bits of fluff, usually from hand cards) or batts (usually from a drum carder), and so many more! You may have tog and thel on a double-coated fleece (such as Icelandic fiber). You may have to deal with neps (bit of fiber that bunch up on a spun thread) and noils (short fiber bits). And you can choose to spin woolen or worsted method (an explanation for another post!). All I can say is read, read, read!!
Back to finding a wheel: once you have established your price range and researched the various options (single treadle or double? Scotch or Irish tension or double drive? Saxony or castle, Norwegian or modern?) then you need to decide what is the most important aspects for you. Combine everything and stalk your perfect wheel on e-bay or resort to locating manufacturers and dealers. Fair warning, some of the very best wheels are still not made in the USA. Two of the most popular are made in far away countries. Ashford wheels are of New Zealand origin and Kromski wheels are Polish. These are 2 that offer a wide range of beautiful wheels, have many vendors in the US and appear to be dedicated to educating their customers about their wheels. Both offer production wheels (any wheel greater than 21" in diameter is technically a 'production' wheel, it will move the flyer at a faster rate with minimal treadling required), travel wheels (wheels that will fold together for easy storage/traveling) and many others.
If you are more concerned with cost than aesthetics, the Babe wheels can generally be had for less than $200 and include everything you would need to learn to spin. The Babe wheels are made from PVC and use wheelchair wheels. There is also a fairly new wheel-maker in Texas producing beautiful wheels for extremely reasonable prices. They are the Bluebonnet wheels.
Regardless of the wheel you choose, be sure it is the one you really want. These wheels are an investment or time, money, and energy. You could be spending a significant amount of time looking at it, so make it one that YOU want to look at frequently!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
A Spinning Beginning
This is one of the few homesteading skills that I still have yet to have mastered. However, I have spent the past several weeks (almost months) searching for the "One" wheel that screams at me to "buy me!!" and find that in the process I am learning more about wheels and fiber than I ever really knew existed. Of course, I am a connoisseur of wool yarns. During my time making wool baby pants I managed to accrue a rather extensive and vivid array of types and color variations. I could tell you straight off that a mohair blend would wear longer, but was a little rougher on the skin. That Blue-Faced Leicester had a great sheen and durability. That Merino was ultra-soft, but tended to pill much more severely. Yet though my search for the perfect wheel, I am also learning about alternative fibers.
The one I am most anxious to try is Alpaca, yet there is also yak, silk, angora, mohair, llama, bison, qiviut, and so many others. Even dog hair can be blended and spun, a tribute to a favorite pet. Natural fibers tend to come in a variety of un-dyed colors, from white and silver, to browns and black. Of course, I have to be difficult and look at raw fiber that will require a certain amount of processing to get it to the point of being able to spin. The way I see things, I may as well start at the beginning. While I am not able to keep any fiber animal larger than an Angora rabbit, I am determined to start with fiber as close to the animal as I possibly can.
The one I am most anxious to try is Alpaca, yet there is also yak, silk, angora, mohair, llama, bison, qiviut, and so many others. Even dog hair can be blended and spun, a tribute to a favorite pet. Natural fibers tend to come in a variety of un-dyed colors, from white and silver, to browns and black. Of course, I have to be difficult and look at raw fiber that will require a certain amount of processing to get it to the point of being able to spin. The way I see things, I may as well start at the beginning. While I am not able to keep any fiber animal larger than an Angora rabbit, I am determined to start with fiber as close to the animal as I possibly can.
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