:: November 2000 
Advice
How Do I Learn to Spin
In the early 1990's, I visited Duke Homestead in Durham, NC to watch area craftspeople depict the daily activities of a small farm in the late 1800's. Men were busy in a tobacco barn, a woman was cooking in a log kitchen over a very smoky fire, and outside in the sunshine a woman sat spinning wool on a spinning wheel.
I stopped to watch and told her I liked all sorts of needlework, but had no relatives or stitchery friends who were spinners. I'd been told that my great-grandmother (who died in 1927) had had to spin and weave to provide for her family of twelve children. Her wheel, however, burned in a housefire in the 1940's, so I had no visual connection between her skill and my wistful interest.
The woman continued spinning and gave me the name of a local woman who taught spinning. I called her and began a series of lessons with her that led me deeper into the joy of spinning.
It is such a tactile delight to spin and feel the fibres slide through your fingers and onto the turning bobbin. You enjoy the spun fibres again when you feel them in your hands as you knit or crochet presents for yourself and others. You can even spin finely enough to create fibres for use in a crossstitch or embroiderey project.
On a personal level, spinning for my own pleasure makes me mindful of other women and men in the world -- including my great-grandmother -- for whom spinning was or is still a necessity. This awareness deepens my enjoyment of this skill.
I found learning to spin a bit like learning to ride a bicycle. You practice coordinating hands and feet, remembering you want to move forward, and the rhythm comes. Once you have it, it is a part of you.
Somewhere on our planet, I am certain that there are people who have taught themselves to spin, but I strongly recommend that you learn to spin under the direction of a teacher. Your ability to ask questions and to receive encouragement as a student will strengthen your determination. Also, regular lessons will prevent you from beginning and then prematurely stopping your endeavor.
Start by contacting a spinning/weaving shop in your area if there is one. Most are happy to provide lessons. If there is no such shop in your area, order a copy of Spin-Off Magazine and read about opportunities in your state. This is a quarterly magazine with interesting articles and useful advertisments. Spin-Off can be reached on the Web at http://www.interweave.com or via email at spinoff@interweave.com. The telephone number is (970) 669-7672.
What kind of equipment do I need to spin?
The basic equipment is a spinning wheel. Some stores have rent-to-own arrangements. You can get a good wheel for learning to spin for under $300. If you are traveling to and from classes, the portability of your wheel will be a consideration. Even so, buy a wheel that is pleasing to you. You want to be able to sit down in front of it and smile at it