Do You Need To Take A Class To Learn To Spin Wool?
When you are looking into handspinning wool, you’ll easily find videos and some articles and, eventually, you’ll come across classes and workshops that are available, maybe even some close to home!
Should you go? Do you need to take a class to learn to spin wool or can you learn to spin wool yourself?
If you learn best in a group setting, consider taking a class to learn to handspin wool. If you prefer to work by yourself, use online resources and, ideally, find a handspinng mentor to help you.
Is Spinning Your Own Yarn Worth It? goes over the pros and cons of spinning your own yarn versus buying it.
Don’t want to take a class but still need some help? Check out my course, Woolmaven Handspinning you can learn to spin whenever it works for you!
You don’t need a class to learn handspinning
You don’t need to take a class to learn to spin wool, but you might want to, especially if you would learn better in a more social setting.
Since learning to spin is all about you and your learning style, think about the situations where you would learn the best.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself before taking a handspinning class:
- Do you like to work by yourself and experiment to see what shakes out?
- Do you like to have someone spell it out for you and give you the step by step, do this and it will surely work instructions?
- How well do you handle frustration?
- Do you have someone who knows how to spin that you could hang out with?
- Have you tried spinning and you just can’t seem to make anything happen and you are ready to give up?
If you like to work on your own and can handle frustration, especially if you know someone who could help you along with your challenges, you will be great as a self taught spinner.
If you love the social environment of a class or group, find a class online or join a spinning guild and spend some time with folks who love to be and learn in a group setting as much as you do.
If you are just about ready to give up, don’t! You can learn, you just need someone to show you in a way that makes sense to you.
So often it’s the little things that as a new person you don’t even realize that you are doing that is causing you frustration.
An instructor can help you through this, she has seen tons of folks just like you and helped them gain some skills and confidence. Sign up for a class and learn to love spinning wool.
Cost To Get Started Spinning gives you a walk through of the things you’ll need to buy to start spinning and a few things that would be nice additions, too!
If you have considered taking a handspinning class, you should go!
If you have looked into handspinning classes, but have never actually signed up for one, stop procrastinating and sign up!
I find that so often we talk ourselves out of investing time and especially money in ourselves, (doubly true for anyone who is used to putting others first), so much so that we, sadly, tamp down our creativity.
Since you are here, you are interested in handspinning and that interest is built in to you for a reason! Your job is to take note of the things that catch your attention and explore that interest.
Short version: take the class!
Scope out free handspinning videos
There are a huge amount of videos online about how to spin wool.
That’s the good news, the not so good news is that not all of the videos will work well for you.
Sometimes it’s the way the information is presented, sometimes it’s the presentation style of the handspinner.
Look around and keep looking around until you find someone who explains things in a way that makes sense to you.
Sometimes you need to hear the same thing repeatedly or phrased slightly differently for it to all of a sudden make sense. Keep poking around until you find a channel that resonates with you.
I know that as a total beginner, sometimes the tutorials are not as “beginner” level as they say they are, this happens to me a lot when I am trying to figure out tech stuff!
Initial searches will surface the most popular, not necessarily the best for you. I’ve found that the key is to keep searching, you just haven’t found the person who is teaching what you need at the level you need it.
Consider a spinning and weaving guild
If you are a person who loves a group, consider attending and possibly joining a spinning and weaving guild. This will be a group of fellow fiber lovers who enjoy getting together and exploring wool.
The beauty of a spinning guild is that you have all manner of equipment that you can see in action, as well as get thoughts and ideas on fiber and techniques.
Not to mention you have a huge group of knowledgeable folks who know what they are talking about and would love to help you get started with handspinning.
Spin Off magazine has a directory of spinning guilds, to use it you just select your area!
Consider finding a handspinning mentor
Consider finding a mentor to help you with your handspinning. This could be an instructor or a friend, just someone that you can talk to about spinning.
Some folks have a world of knowledge and do not care for the formality of teaching, but would love to “talk shop” with fellow handspinning enthusiast.
I find that many folks who have a skill that they consider to be fun, do not think of their skills as valuable, they think of them as enjoyable and part of learning a hobby.
This is a person who can help you a lot and has all kinds of hands on information, if you’ll just take the chance and ask if they will help you figure a few things out.
As I mentioned earlier, so often it is the little things that make all of the difference, especially in your head. When you are learning something new, a little encouragement and guidance goes a long way.
So often, you are doing a good job, for a beginner! It just looks bad because you are a beginner and you don’t know what you are looking for. Another set of eyes on your work, will help you get better, faster.
Woolmaven Handspinning is a step by step course designed for a beginner. It’s simple, easy to follow and can be watched whenever it works best for you!
