For the past month, I was able to take classes on spinning wool at Arbutus Folk School in downtown Olympia to learn how to spin wool as part of my independent learning contract for school. Arbutus is a very cozy space dedicated to all things crafty, ranging anywhere from fiber arts to building boats. The teachers and staff there are always incredibly warm and welcoming – its definitely a space that allows you to feel comfortable trying out new skills!

The drum carder we got to play with.

In class, we went over the basic methods of spinning and the various materials to use. Then, we learned how to spin (on a drop spindle) the fiber and then ply it into yarn. After we had the basics down, we began to dive into ‘carding’ and ‘picking’ fibers (basically different ways to process them before spinning).

The instructor was kind enough to bring both her drum carder and hand carders with her to class, so we were able to get hands on experience. The drum carder is just a mechanized version of hand carders – instead of manually brushing the two up against each other, you simply turn the knob that spin circular carders against each other, thus creating the same effect in a much more efficient manner.

The first yarn that I spun and plied!

We were encouraged to experiment with the different fibers that the school made available to us. So, I had a lot of fun blending different colors and textures of wool together to create the roving that I thought suited me best.

I started off as a total beginner when it comes to spinning wool, so I’m really excited to have had the opportunity to have this hands on experience. The community at Arbutus was so welcoming that I was able to have the confidence to see that adventure through, and I do think its a skill that I will be using for the rest of my life.