Fiber Artists Near Houston? I have some brown alpaca fiber and several scoured fleeces worth of GCN sheep wool I need spun!

Childwanderer

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Hello!
I love knitting, felting, and dyeing, but I need lessons in spinning before I can make yarn that satisfies myself. Spring/shearing season is right around the corner, and I would like to get this fiber processed before I get any more wool in! I would like to take lessons in spinning, hire someone to spin the wool (I can pay with money, a share of the fiber, or both), or sell the wool if the other two options don't come through. Will post pictures shortly.
 

Kusanar

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I am nowhere near Texas and a new spinner myself, but I wanted to mention that I strongly recommend watching this youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIBku52dlg-dh1tWK_4Z4yA
She explains things wonderfully and is actually doing virtual spinning lessons right now (for a fee) if you are interested in something like that.
 

Childwanderer

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IMG_0396.JPGIMG_0397.JPGIMG_0398.JPGIMG_0399.JPG
 

Childwanderer

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The wool has been scoured with Kookaburra and fairly skirted, but not sorted.
 

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Childwanderer

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The alpaca fiber has been stored for years; it is sentimentally valuable. The alpaca it came from was my sister's dear pet, whom we had to sell when his companion died. Those two were our family's introduction to livestock, and I would love to have yarn from him to give my sister.
 

Kusanar

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Looks like you have a ton to play with! Do you have a wheel or spindle?

This was my very first spindle spin with super course wool
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These were my first attempts with good wool
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The hat I knit with them.
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Spinning is fun and not super hard to learn.
 

Childwanderer

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Lovely! I have a drop spindle. I'd love to have a wheel some day. My trouble is keeping the fineness/thickness even, tension, and giving it the right amount of twist. Maybe I just need practice...
 

Childwanderer

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The purple one is an earlier attempt, dyed with cake decorating colors. The other yarn is lightly dyed with indigo.
 

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Childwanderer

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Here's my latest attempt. Getting better...
 

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