It wasn't long before we needed the help of some library books and notes, all of which are listed in the bibliography. Slowly the lessons took shape, and I translated them into the language of education, at the moment, i.e. outcomes based.

It was decided that the lessons would be taught on specified Saturday mornings at the Guild Rooms, so that people who work all week would have a chance to learn to spin. (Previous the lessons had been held on Friday afternoons.) Margaret and I were to 'team teach', and, as both of us had family and/or social commitments from time to time, it meant that with sufficient warning, the lessons could continue without interruption.

The Guild's policy was that lessons had to be paid for, as a package, six weeks in advance. The first class of six students commenced, and all but one finished all six lessons. Unfortunately, and very unexpectedly, Margaret had to move to Perth to look after her grandchildren, and it was my task to carry on what we had begun.

Due to easier access to the Guild, via our internet site, new students began joining the class, as it continued during the year. As the students, who had completed the first six lessons, remained in the class, this necessitated 'group teaching', i.e. teaching several groups at once, all at different levels, plus the planning of a further six lessons.

The easiest way to do this was to give each person the printed version of the outcomes I was endeavouring to achieve, and these were ticked as they were treated during lesson times. In other words, the outcomes acted as a checklist. This meant that new students may not be introduced to the skills in the designated order of the lessons, but it was an invaluable tool for them and me. They knew what they needed to learn next lesson, and with little effort, I knew what I had to teach and prepare.

The program has been used successfully for almost two years and it has occurred to me that other groups within NSW, or even further afield, might have a need for a structure for teaching beginner spinning. Why re-invent the wheel? Constructive feedback would be welcome, as anything to make this enjoyable task easier would be of benefit to all of us.

Beginner Spinning Lessons

© March 2004 Caroline Baker and Margaret Pinto Correia
Prepared for the NSW Hand Weavers and Spinners Guild

Lesson 1

Outcome: Awareness of workplace safety

Indicators:

Knowledge of the importance of tetanus shots

Outcome: Wool knowledge

Indicators:

Recognition of parts of a Border Leicester fleece; skirting, dags, burnt tip, vegetable matter, faults, break, lanolin, second cuts, staple, cuticle cells

Outcome: Using a drop spindle

Indicators:

Recognition of different types of drop spindles, top whorl, bottom whorl, Turkish, supported, Takli, Indian and Aboriginal

Using wool combs

Knowing how to determine the cut end and the tip and combing for worsted spinning

Awareness of the S and Z twist

Joining wool for a leader and then breaks

Lesson 2

Outcome: Wheel Maintenance

Indicators:

Recognise parts of a wheel

Knowing where to oil a wheel

Knowing how to carry wheel

Outcome: Wool Knowledge

Indicators:

Understand fibre structure, crimp, tips, micron, Merino and Border Leicester

Outcome: Wool Preparation

Indicators:

Confident use of flicker, with leather or vinyl

Storage of prepared wool to provide access to cut end for worsted spinning

Outcome: Spinning 'Z' twist worsted, short draw, on the wheel

Indicators:

Understand ratio (Ashford Traditional), scotch tension, angle of twist , short draw and treadling

Be aware of correct posture at the wheel

Diagnosing left or right handed spinning

Awareness of how to fix tension problems, and how to find and join ends

Spin two bobbins

Lesson 3

Outcome: Plying two bobbins of wool 'S' twist

Indicators:

Understand how to use a Lazy Kate

Can count number of treadles while plying

Can use a Niddy Noddy proficiently

Outcome: Scouring and washing of wool

Indicators:

Understands the difference between washing and scouring

Understands the felting process

Awareness of how to dry wool

Outcome: Microwave dyeing... Mini Workshop

Indicators:

Awareness of workplace safety factors

Knowledge of dyes available and suppliers

Wool coloured to personal preferences

Lesson 4

Outcome: Use of handcarders

Indicators:

Display of different types of handcarders

Correct use of handcarders

Formation of rolags for spinning

Outcome: Woollen spinning - short draw

Indicators:

2 bobbins of woollen spinning, short draw, 'Z' twist

Plying the bobbins

Outcome: Wool knowledge

Indicators:

Knowledge of woollen fibre structure

Compare and contrast chart of woollen and worsted spun fibre

Lesson 5

Outcome: Knowledge of other fibres

Indicators:

Spinning alpaca, mohair and silk with special care on twists per inch

Knowledge of kemp and guard hairs

Washing instructions for the fibres

Awareness of the benefits of blending

Outcome: Knowledge of Carding Services and Suppliers of Products and access to relevant parts of the Guild Library

Indicators:

A printed list of services and suppliers

Location knowledge of relevant magazines and books in the Library

Outcome: Introduction to the long draw and the method of chain plying

Indicators:

Woollen spun, long draw yarn

Chain plied, woollen spun yarn

Lesson 6

Outcome: Use of a drum carder

Indicators:

Awareness of preparation, maintenance (including renewing drive band), oiling and cleaning of drum carder

Outcome: Planning, preparing and spinning a Gorilla Yarn

Indicators:

Drum-carding blended fibres

Handspun Gorilla Yarn

Outcome: Knitting or crochet with handspun

Indicators:

Awareness of wraps per inch (wpi)

Provision of Priscilla Gibson Roberts's chart for needle and hook selection

Outcome: Wool knowledge

Indicators:

Ability to ascertain the difference between top and sliver

Beginner Spinning Lessons 2

© September 2004 Caroline Baker
Prepared for the NSW Hand Weavers and Spinners Guild

Lesson 7

Outcome: Wheel ratios

Indicators:

Record of ratios of wheels at the Guild

Outcome: Wool knowledge

Indicators:

Knowledge of surface structure / absorbency / handle and insulation

Outcome: Controlling the size and texture of handspun yarn

Indicators:

Understanding wraps per inch

Spinning a single yarn to make a 2 ply yarn of 8 ply knitting tension

Lesson 8

Outcome: Understanding twist in fibre

Indicators:

Measuring angle of twist in fibre using Mabel Ross's measure

Understanding general principles i.e. worsted more twist, woollen less twist

Outcome: Cotton Fibre Knowledge

Indicators:

Awareness of the plant fibre, and how it is processed

Recognise a cotton carders

Ability to make a puni

Recognition of a charka

Spun cotton sample

Outcome: Spinning Wool Tops

Indicators:

Knowledge of the origin of tops

Confidence in spinning tops

Outcome: Felting Wool

Indicators:

Knowledge of felting tools

Carding and preparing the wool

Laying it down and using water, soap and felting tool

Awareness of fulling and drying

Lesson 9

Outcome: Wool knowledge: Border Leicester (Ref: Fournier, N. In Sheep's Clothing)

Indicators:

Awareness of origins of the sheep

Recognition of the fleece

Knowledge of suitable use of Border Leicester fleece

Outcome: Alpaca Fibre Knowledge

Indicators:

Recognise Huacaya and Suri animals and fleeces

Recognise a cria fleece

Awareness of the natural colours available

Practical experience in fibre preparation and spinning

Spinning an alpaca/wool blend

Outcome: Blending colours with the drum carder (Ref: Menz, D, Colour in Spinning)

Indicators:

Use of colour wheel

Colours successfully blended

Sample skeins woollen spun

Lesson 10

Outcome: Fibre knowledge: Fibre identification

Indicators:

Awareness of characteristics of burnt fibre

Burn chart supplied

Outcome: Preparing a fleece or fleeces for commercial carding or picking

Indicators:

Recognition of fleeces suitable for carding

Recognition of fleeces suitable for picking

Preparing a sample of fleece and a blend

Outcome: Knowledge and use of wool combs (Peter Teal) and mini combs

Indicators:

Use of both to produce fibre for worsted spinning, using a diz

Sample skeins worsted spun

Lesson 11

Outcome: Fibre knowledge: Mohair

Indicators:

Awareness of the structure of the fibre

The parts of a mohair fleece

Comparison of preparation methods, viz. combing, flicking, teasing

Woollen spun 2 ply sample

Worsted spun 2 ply wool/mohair blend

Outcome: Three ply yarn

Indicators:

Spun sample of three ply using colour & fibre preferences e.g. Corriedale/silk/mohair. Use approximately 2/3 of treadle beat rate

Revision of chain ply, keeping colour separate. Spun sample

Sample of double chain ply

Outcome: Designer yarn - Spiral Yarn (Spin-Off, Fall 2004, pp.65-66 & 96)

Indicators:

One fine worsted single - small whorl

One singles three times larger

Spiral yarn - tension on fine singles - heavier one to spiral around it with no tension

Sample skein

Lesson 12

Outcome: Fibre knowledge: Silk

Indicators:

Awareness of the properties and characteristics of the fibre

Silk available for spinning, caps, throwster's waste, tussah silk, silk top and mopani silk

Knowledge of how to wash silk yarn

Spinning on the fold silk top spun 2 ply sample

Throwster's waste spun 2 ply

Spun handcarded 50/50 silk and fine wool sample

Outcome: Designer yarn - Gorilla Yarns: wool, hair fibres, silk and cotton

Indicators:

Sample skein of singles gorilla

Sample skein of half gorilla

Sample skein of full gorilla

Sample skein of double gorilla

Bibliography:
Amos, Alden, The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning, Colorado, Interweave Press, 2001
Crockett, Candace, The Complete Spinning Book, NY, Watson-Guptill, 1977
Fournier, N and J, In Sheep's Clothing, A Hanspinner's Guide to Wool, Colorado, Interweave, 1995
Menz, Deb, Color in Spinning, Colorado, Interweave, 1998
Morris, Leigh, The Handspinner's Companion, Melbourne, Penfolk, 1994
Rashleigh, Eve, Notes provided at various lessons. Hurlstone, 1991
Ross, Mabel, The Encylopedia of Handspinning, London, Batsford, 1988
Silson, Alex, Spinning Wheels and Handspinning, and Wool Knowledge, part of a Salute to Spin series, privately printed as a dedication to Alex Silson, a superb spinning teacher
Spin Off Magazines, Your Handspinning Community, Colorado, Interweave Press

Caroline Baker