BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Spinning Favorite fiber to work with

I'd have to say that I love soft wools, with a woolen prep and spun that way as well. I'm particularly fond of using thrums, but I also get into using merino blends and using a long draw. This summer I'm going to spin cotton with silk blended into it for some summer tops that I want to crochet.

Cara

Hello~
I am new to this group and would like to say "Hi!"

I am a fiberholic and love to spin anything I can get my hands on. My all time favorite is Angora probably because I have a few English Angora rabbits that I raise.

Alpaca is my next favorite with Corriedale and Shetland.

Spinning is my pass time, my meditation time and my time to dream.
Jackie

my favo spinning fiber is of course luscious llama.... how ever i also enjoy wool blended with silk and cashmere :love:

Hi. I am a new spinner in that I just began this lovely hobby a few months ago. In any event, most of what I have spun has been llama and shetland. I want soft fiber that can go against the skin comfortably and I did not find the shetland to be a wise choice. I don't know what to branch out into. If there are any books or articles that can help me learn which fibers are soft, or if it has to do with technique, please advise.
Thanks.
Adrienne

Adrienne,
If you want soft-soft, you want Merino wool or Cormo, Rambouillet or Targhee. Those are the most readily available fine wools. Do a Google search and you're sure to find someone selling them. Shetland is so inconsistant. I've spun some absolutely gorgeous soft Shetland and some Shetland that wasn't much better than hemp. You really need to buy Shetland that you can touch and feel first.

Another option is any type of angora blend. Adding angora will soften up any wool. Angora with Merino is unbelievably soft.

Be aware, however, as a new spinner that the fine wools are not the easiest to learn on. If you are comfortable spinning the medium wools like Romney and Corriedale, then go again and give the fine wools a try. But if not, keep practicing awhile on the medium grade wools until you're happy with them.

Fine wool rovings tend to be harder to draft, so one trick is to split the roving lengthwise into thin slivers, no bigger around than your little finger, before spinning. Half that size is even better.

Let us know what you find and what you like!
Pegg

Since I raise alpacas, obviously my favorite has to be alpaca! I actually found the alpaca easier to work with than the free fine NZ wool roving that came with my spinning wheel (which I've only had for 10 days). The alpaca seems to draft more easily (because it's finer I guess). Anyway, I have so many pounds of alpaca fiber sitting around waiting to be put to use that I'm having fun experimenting with different colors and types (suri versus huacaya), and can't wait to have decent, marketable yarn to sell at the farm markets. Sigh.... I'm so impatient!

I don't raise anything specifically for fiber production, but my dog has lovely fur and I will be spinning hers soon. My favorite has to be luscious soft rambouillet or merino wool. Believe it or not, the dog fur combs nicely and spins well with wool - I tried a little bit as an experiment!

I spin a lot of mohair - this was from my angora goats but as we sadly don't have them any more I am coming to the end of my supply. I live in Spain and am surrounded by Spanish merino sheep - so hopefully come shearing time.....!!

Kate

Hello!
I LOVE Angora! I am new to spinning but I just love it.


Dora Renee' Wilkerson
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My favourite to spin is Alpaca. I to,will spin anything and any blend. I have spun my own dogs (hair and even won the novice section of the show with it that year). My dog is a german shepherd border collie cross and has the softest finest under coat. Its lovely to spin.I have spun camel,angora, dog, cat,mohair silk,Alpaca,wool, soy silk ,cotton and blends of all different things. I would like to spin corn(inego),milk thistle, quivit and cashmere. I am going to see if there are any unusual fibers at the Fibre Fest in Brisbane in a fortnight. Its the biggest fibre festival in the state so there is a good chance to pick up something i haven't tried yet.