I got into spinning when I moved to Oregon, in 2001. After having met up with several women who were fiber enthusiasts and owned small flocks of various fiber animals, I joined a spinning group that met at a local Grange building. I ended up learning specifically from this one older woman, Barb Lipschitz (who happened to be in her early 80's when I met her). She lead a fascinating life and was a great teacher. From there, another woman - Happy Shaw - Trap (yes - her name IS Happy!) helped me purchase my first wheel at a local show called The Black Sheep Gathering. That first group of women I met through spinning I have a fondness and respect for, in part because of their skills, but mostly for their independence and willingness to continue a skill that has been happening for centuries in various countries. Today, I find myself spinning more by myself, but have spun with other groups across the U.S., and found my way around a silk mill in Bejing, China, milling on how to import silk for spinning to the U.S.

I hope that this Instructable helps you get a taste for how to get started in spinning. Remeber thought, like most things, it takes some time to learn and perfect. After 20 plus years - I'm still learning how to get better! Enjoy!

Supplies

Tools for Spinning:

Spinning Wheel **
Orafice hook
3 or more bobbins
Fiber of choice for spinning **
Basket (or rigid sided container for holding fiber)
Scissors
Spare Yarn (commercially spun)
Lazy Kate (not to be mistaken for a variation of a Lazy Susan!)

** For this Instructable I am using a spinning wheel, but you can also learn to spin on a Drop Spindle or an Electric Table Top Spinner.

** You can spin and ply all one color, but for this example I wanted you to be able to see the two colors more easily. You can also use a fiber of your choice, I happened to use two Romney fleeces that I just had processed. But you can use Alpaca, Silk, Tencil, Lincoln Long Wool, Cotton, Camel, and / or more. Just remember that the staple length will vary from different breeds of sheep and alpaca.

Step 1: Set Up

For making yarn, I'm showing you how to spin on an Ashford Kiwi 3. I learned on an Ashford Traditional wheel, which has just one treadle, rather than two. The type of spinning wheel you choose to learn on can be one you purchase, or borrow. I'd suggest testing a few different wheels before purchasing. You will need to have some fiber to spin, a spare pair of scissors, a basket of some sort to put your fiber in, a comfortable seat that you can and of course your wheel.

For this part, find a wheel to spin on, a comfortable chair and some space. You will want to be in a space that allows you to spread out a bit, even though you will be sitting. Also, I'd suggest having either a table or basket to pull your wool from. In my case - I used two milk crates for my wool, one stacked on top of the other. I was able to have some extra tools (scissors and bobins) also in that crate.

Then, the other main thing needed, is some fiber. I'd suggest something that is light and has a medium to long staple length if you are new to spinning. This will give you the best success with the learning process to "get" the feeling of how to draft and spin at the same time.

Step 2: Bobbin Prep

This is a two part step that will be the most done throughout the spinning process. As you can see in the first image - the bobbin is already inserted into the spinning wheel. But it will be removed as it is filled with yarn and used in the next step of plying. Yet, the "part B" of this step will be done an innumerable amount of times during spinning - wheather you are a pro - or just beginning.

Part A: New Bobbin

If you haven't already, add a length of commercially spun yarn to your bobbin with tape, as shown, or knotted as demonstrated in the video.
If taping, simply wrap your leader yarn around the core of the bobbin, and tape securely to the wood.
Then wrap a portion of the leader around the core.
Make sure to guide the leader thread through the BLACK loop on the side of the bobbin and then the GOLD hook before going to the next step. (See images 1 and 3 for a closer look.)

Part B: Threading Bobbin

Using your orafice hook, insert the hook end into the hole as in picture 4.
Continue inserting hook into orafice until you see it come out of the hole on the left, as seen in the 5th picture.
Finally, catch the leader thread in the hook and pull through the orafice the hook is sitting in. (Seen in remaining pictures.)

Step 3: Spinning One Ply of Yarn

Once the bobbin is threaded and the leader is "hanging out" of the orafice hole, with about 12 - 18 inches of thread hanging, it's time to grab some fiber!

Now that you have fiber in hand, as with the example I have, hold the leader thread in one hand and the "drafted" portion of fiber in the other. When you bring them together in one hand, I had them both in my left hand (since I'm right handed), and I used my dominant hand to then help start turning the wheel. All the while my feet will be ready to catch the peddles to start tredling.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:This step (spinning) requires you to spin the fibers together in one direction, to the RIGHT. Once you start spinning every one ply of yarn, you need to continue spinning all other single plies in the same direction. So if you decide to go to the left at this point, then always go to the left. As a general rule - everyone will spin a singular ply of yarn to the right, and then when you start plying your yarn together - so as to not unspin what you have spun - you will ply in the opposite direction, to the left.

When the bobbin starts spinning with leader and fiber in your left hand, bring your right hand over to help guide the fiber into yarn. You will start to feel the pull of the leader thread and see the spinning of the fiber into thread. To continue making this thread, "draft" your fiber into the width of the yarn your spinning. (To draft means to pull the fiber slightly appart, thinning it out so to speak). Drafting and spinning will happen very quickly, and this is the process of spinning - the coming together of unspun fiber into a spun line of thread.

Step 4: Plying Together

This step introduces a new tool - a Lazy Kate. Simply put, it's two sticks on a base with three parallel pins evenly spaced appart. If you are making a two ply yarn, you will need three bobbins. One for one ply, a second for the second ply, and the third for combining the two other plies. When combining the single plies into one, you will spin as you did before. BUT... This is where that special note earlier comes in.

When you ply two or more strands of single ply yarn together, you need to ply in the OPPOSITE direction of the single strand. As I mentioned before, when we spin, we spin to the right so that when we ply we ply to the left, so as to not unspin the fibers.

Step 5: What Can You Do With What You Have Spun?

Once you have plied your yarn together, you will need a ball winder to draw your yarn off the bobbin. That is for another time though. Now that you have yarn, you can make just about anything you want; hats, scarves, ornaments, blankets, and more. You can use this yarn for making using so many different techniues too.