# Spinner Needed



## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

My friend had an angora bunny several years ago, and she's got a big garbage bag full of fiber. I'm not sure exactly how much. She's looking for someone to spin it, but doesn't know where to look. 

I told her it may have to be blended with other fiber, and she's ok with that. I also told her it would probably be expensive, and she's ok with that too. 

Is anyone here interested, or does anyone know of someone who may be interested? She's in MD, but can ship the fiber.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

I'll bet Gone-a-milkin' would be one to consider this....GAM? Through with the mornin' milkin'? 

oh wait - 

are you allergic??!?!?!?!?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Allergic to bunnies, remember? 

I am not in the custom spinning business at all either. 
My temperament is not suited to it. :teehee:


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

gone-a-milkin said:


> Allergic to bunnies, remember?
> 
> I am not in the custom spinning business at all either.
> My temperament is not suited to it. :teehee:


I don't spin, but I don't think I'd be suited to it either!


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Marchwind had joined a group where she was sent fiber to spin, and she kept some and sent the finished yarn back to the owner. Can't remember the name of that group for the life of me!

Marchie - are you there? This might be something you'd be interested in! :rock:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I'm really tempted. I have some questions.
1) how long has this fiber been stored in the garbage bag?
2) is it plucked or sheared?
3) I would spin it 100%, does she car how it is spun (thickness of yarn)?
4) is there a time limit on when she wants it back?


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

gone-a-milkin said:


> Allergic to bunnies, remember?
> 
> I am not in the custom spinning business at all either.
> My temperament is not suited to it. :teehee:


oh.

I _thought_ I remembered you were looking to make fiber more of a profitable endeavor than merely a recreational pasttime. Seems contract spinning/production spinning would be right up your alley but what do I know? :shrug:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I will and do sell yarn sometimes.
Just my own handspun though, not preordered specific stuff.

In the past I have tried twice to do custom work for people.
Both times it ended up being more trouble than it was worth...for me. 
Just in my own opinion. For other people it seems to be problem free.
:shrug:


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

If it is clean unmatted fiber long enough to spin and if she wants to sell it, we usually pay around $5 per ounce for English or Satin angora fiber. A little less for other breeds of angora.

Did she just save the "good stuff" or did she put the lumps and bumps in the bag, too? Dirty lumpy fiber isn't useful for spinning, and we can't use it, but some folks who felt might like it.

As for contract spinning, I can ask someone at quilting group on Wednesday. (Folks spin and knit at quilting group, we just don't have an expanded name for the group.) He does some contract spinning, but it would take awhile to get it done.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Marchwind said:


> I'm really tempted. I have some questions.
> 1) how long has this fiber been stored in the garbage bag?
> 2) is it plucked or sheared?
> 3) I would spin it 100%, does she car how it is spun (thickness of yarn)?
> 4) is there a time limit on when she wants it back?


I'll ask her and let you know. I really think it was sheared/clipped, and not plucked, but I'll ask that to be sure. I don't think she cares how it is spun, and I doubt there is a time limit because they've had it for several years in the bags. I don't think they're sealed tightly, but I'll ask. And I'll also ask how clean the fiber is!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

gone-a-milkin said:


> I will and do sell yarn sometimes.
> Just my own handspun though, not preordered specific stuff.
> 
> In the past I have tried twice to do custom work for people.
> ...


Now there's a familiar oddity.

Custom order something to be made and my energy/inspiration falls to -0-.

But..... leave me to my own creative bent and there's no end to it.

:shrug:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

My only concern is if it has been kept in the plastic bags and stored in a place where it has been either moved around a lot or where the temperature changes drastically the fibers may be matted. I would be happy to look at this stuff and spin it if it is in good shape. I'd have to think of a price though. If you want to send me a PM I'd be happy to give you my email and address for your friend.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Marchwind said:


> My only concern is if it has been kept in the plastic bags and stored in a place where it has been either moved around a lot or where the temperature changes drastically the fibers may be matted. I would be happy to look at this stuff and spin it if it is in good shape. I'd have to think of a price though. If you want to send me a PM I'd be happy to give you my email and address for your friend.


I was wrong, it was stored in pillow cases! I'll send you a pm with her contact info as well. Thanks!


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

If Marchwind doesn't want the job, then the fellow at quilting group said he'd do contract spinning. But Marchwind gets first dibbs.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I can spin the angora for your friend. I have a lot of experience with angora as I used to raise all 4 breeds. $5 per ounce is a pretty cheap price, I see it more often at $7 per ounce, but I DID get some super nice German breed fiber for only $2 per ounce a year ago, she said it was second grade, but I found it fabulous; she asked people to make an offer for it, all 24 ounces, and I was the only person to do so. 

I have a Patrick Greene drum carder with fur cloth on it. If he angora is matted I can still spin it, but would have to blend it with very fine wool for it to be nice. I have some slubby fine yarn I could show your friend in photos, that I spun back in 1999, to give her some info. If the matts are smaller, I can still deal with it without blending it. It makes no difference to me if it is sheared or plucked, they both spin up nice, and I'm not concerned how it was stored. I would spin it a little fine, with more than usual twist to make it stronger, and do a 2 ply yarn. I would NOT thwack it. I don't thwack anything, that is just a new-fangled process in spinning since 2007, made up by Judith M-M in a Spin-Off article.

It would be helpful to know how many ounces there are to use. Your friend and I would have to work out agreeable terms for the spinning cost, and I would have to do the spinning during my free time, so it might not be the fastest in being done.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks Hotzcatz and Iowalez! If it doesn't work out with Marchwind I'll let you guys know (or maybe she can comment since she'll be in touch with my friend). Thanks!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MDKatie I sent her an email the other night but I haven't heard anything back yet. Can you see if she got my email?


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Marchwind said:


> MDKatie I sent her an email the other night but I haven't heard anything back yet. Can you see if she got my email?


I'll double check. She's a veterinarian, and has a 1 year old, so she doesn't get online every day.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

IowaLez can have dibbs over Josh since he's just part of quilting group and not part of HT's fiber group. It's not what you know, it's who you know, don'tcha know?


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