>>>I’ve had an interest in some of those things too. We raised sheep for awhile here and for many years thought I’d like to do a “sheep to shawl” before I died. Well, not sure if that will happen or not. There was a store quite a few years ago (not sure if they are still around) that had classes on spinning and weaving.<<<
Now you are talking my language... I used to have 50 Shropshire sheep along with about 120 western ewes.
I have shorn, washed, carded, spun, dyed, woven, and crocheted. We still use nice heavy wool blankets we had made from our own wool in the 50’s. Never was an ‘expert’ in any of them, but I muddled through. World Champion shearer at the time was 56 seconds - best I could muster was 3 1/2 minutes.
Spinning doesn’t really require lots of equipment, you can use a simple spindle and do an amazingly good job - just takes practice. The weaving can be an extremely time consuming project though. I got to know a ministers wife who’s passion was weaving (I have tried to use association to remember names, and hers always blew my method - She was a weaver of shaws and her name was Shaw, and I always ended up calling her Mrs. Weaver.) Anyway, I chose to crochet - made blankets for each of my daughters and for one of the grand daughters.
Probably the hardest part of the job is getting yourself started... The rest just follows along, step by step.
I have done some soap making about 40 years ago - and decided that I would make my own lye (wood ashes filtered through straw as you slowly pour hot water through it.) but never got around to it.
Weaving and spinning, has long been a love of mine.
As I have woven on a handmade table loom all the way up to a wonderful 8 harness table loom, may I share a little of what I have learned along the way.
I have used the spindle and still own my Ashford spinning wheel, but the wheel that I used and enjoyed the best was a simple spinning head, home made, with LOL, cup hooks for thread guides and it was mounted on a treadle sewing machine base.
One could get right down to work and spend hours, the treadle spinner, did not play silly temperamental games and was a work horse.
You can use a simple Navajo stick to form a heddle separator for a loom, but it will be wise to buy a rigid heddle and have some one make a simple loom.
This table top loom will weave up to about 30 inches wide and can be stored and used at the drop of a hat.
I spent far more hours getting the floor loom ready to weave on, than I did weaving.
There are times when “Keep it Simple “ is the smartest way to go.
LOL, we do not have wool bearing sheep in this area, so i had to order the fleeces.
Do keep in mind that all that water used to wash the fleeces will make the garden grow.