Online Resources for Spinners

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A talk to the London District Spinners’ and Weavers’ Guild

February 2012

Compiled by Sasha Torres

Ravelry discussion groups

Beginning Spinners

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/beginning-spinners
“Beginners can ask each other questions and help each other and I have invited a couple of well known experts who I am hoping will join and look in once in a while to give aid where aid is needed. As we progress in our spinning and fun, we can help the newcomers and pay it forward (so to speak).”
Moderators include Amy King of (Spin Control, Spunky Eclectic), and Amelia Garripoli (Ask the Bellwether, Productive Spindling)

Spindlers

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/spindlers
“We’ve all joined this group because we enjoy our spindles, and want to ask questions, share tips, techniques, and our latest projects.”

Spinners’ Marketplace

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/spinners-marketplace
“This is a place to buy, sell, or trade anything related to spinning. Looking for your dream wheel? Want to sell your starter wheel? Looking to sell your combs or that gorgeous fleece you just dyed? Start a thread for it here.”

Fiber Prep

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fiber-prep
“For folks interested in fiber preparation and blending. Carding, combing, drum carding, flicking, picking, blending colors, blending fibers for spinning… This group is dedicated to those pursuits.”

Spin Tech

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/spin-tech
“This is the group to talk about the technical part of spinning.”

A Spinner’s Study

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/a-spinners-study
“This is a groups focused on learning together and sharing. Working together through a fiber or a technique to learn its strengths and weaknesses, the best ways to use or do it, and even its historical and scientific aspects.”

Plus: all the groups dedicated to wheels and spindles from specific makers/manufacturers, and those dedicated to antique wheels.

Blogs

Abby’s Yarns (Abby Franquemont): http://abbysyarns.com/

Ask the Bellwether (Amelia Garripoli): http://askthebellwether.blogspot.com/

Hello Yarn (Adrian Bizilia): http://www.helloyarn.com/

The Knitty Blog (editors of Knitty.com): http://knittyblog.com/

Moth Heaven (Julia Farwell-Clay): http://scrubberbum.typepad.com/moth_heaven/

Sheep Gal (Barbara Parry): http://sheepgal.typepad.com/sheepgal_notes_from_a_she/

Sock Pr0n: http://sockpr0n.blogspot.com/

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com

Search for videos from “mandacrafts,” “bethsmithpink,” “afranquemont” “spindlicity.” Or search by specific techniques (e.g. long draw, from the fold, hand carding, wool combing, etc.

Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/

“The world’s handmade marketplace,” and a great source for spinning fiber from independent dyers or direct from the shepherd.

Search “supplies” for batts, raw fleece, roving, etc. Useful source for breed-specific wool for breed study.

A few of my favorites: