Spinning Reviews - Where we did or didn't get a good deal

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifWhere did yo get a good or bad deal on fleeces, roving, spinning wheels and accessories? Share your information so we all can get an insight into what questions to ask a supplier and what to expect from processors, and merchants.

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifThis is where I get my Brown Sheep Wool Top Roving. It's $10/lb before shipping. The cheapest I've ever found on line (and that was a year ago) was $11/lb before shipping. She also has spun fibers, other rovings, including cottons.

Howard's Handwerk House 520-882-7012 on Mon, Wed, Fri. 520-405-0578 on Tue, Thu, Sat. I'll post Esther's e-mail when I get it.

Esther also sells spinning wheels, accessories, looms and accessories and is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of spinning, weaving, and knitting. She put herself through college some 40 years ago working on commercial looms.

[xantha]

For anyone in the MD/DC/VA area, <a href="http://www.springwaterfiber.org/" target="_new">Springwater Fiber Workshop</a> is a wonderful place to try out different wheels, order wheels (they do 10% and 20% off sales here and there), take classes (while taking a class you get 10% off wheels) and generally play with fiber. It's a great hands-on fiber place with decent prices on equipment. <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/clap.gif" />

[edited because I apparently can't proofread]

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifRebecca, I think it was you that asked me about where I sent my wool to be processed. I told you Wooly Knob. If you still are considering having wool processed, don't send it there. :grumpy

I sent my wool there in early August and just got it back last week. I tried to be very neutral as I kept e-mailing each month and I kept getting excuses and then profanity. It was very disheartening.

I asked about turn around time for other mills on a spinning list and found out others had the same problems with Wooly Knob and four months for five pounds of wool was outrageous. :grumpy

:sheep Recommendations for processors (and I've heard about these people before, alas too late for me) are: Spinderella's and Ozark Carding. No personal experience with either of them, but I guess paying the bit more they ask for is better than wondering if one will ever see their wool again! :grumpy

-----------------------
I moved this and all of it came through okay, except the links. Those can be found by using any search engine as I'm too tired to research them all again! :rotfl

[rebeccav]

Ebay :ebay seller i just made a purchase from and am VERY happy with the roving and handspun yarn i received:


Mountain Shadow Ranch (http://stores.ebay.com/Mountain-Shadow-Ranch_W0QQsspagenameZl2QQtZkm)

great prices as well.

[HollyM]

I just got some yummy roving from <a href="http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsassZhunter4 992rjq" target="_new">Cottage Garden </a>
<img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/ilexmi/blpolyblend.jpg" />

Actually I bought it from her in person. I am on a yahoo group of local fiber people. She invited me to a meeting they have at one of the local libraries. Everyone there was so nice <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/rowofhearts.gif" /> They all knew so much about wool & willing to share info and no one was snobbish. They all oohed & ahhed over my lumpy bumpy first skein and no one turned their nose up at the TLC Heathers shawl I was working on (when my arm got tired from the drop spindle).

Anyway, she had some rovings there for sale and since I was out of roving, I jumped on it <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/lildevil.gif" /> It's spinning up so nicely!!!! The stuff I bought is labled Border Leicester/Polypay and it's like spinning cotton candy <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/spin.gif" /> So fluffy and puffy. It's very easy to spin too, holds onto itself well so I'm not dropping my spindle at all.

So that's my first recomendation! I have a few :::ahem::: things coming from other Ebay sellers.... Need to find new hiding places....

Holly

[rebeccav]

:ebay (again) seller's name:
SpinnersChoice (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZspinnerschoice)

this is where i purchased my drop spindle kit (spindle, book, & 2 rovings)

[rebeccav]

i just found a really good price at Oregon*trail*yarns (http://stores.ebay.com/Oregon-Trail-Yarn-and-Books) (ebay seller)

my rovings are GORGEOUS better than the pictures show !
:)h

i ordered multiple items, she combined shipping... i paid her quote via paypal. the next day, i got an email from her, seems she over quoted the price and refunded my paypal account the extra amount. great price (12.50 for 15ozs!) and honest
:clap

A+ for this seller! i will DEFINATELY order from her again:yes :ebay

[xantha]

They're pretty well known, but I ordered a bunch of stuff from <a href="http://www.pacificwoolandfiber.com/" target="_new">pacific wool and fiber</a> and am quite pleased with it.

The light silver romney sliver I ordered still has a few seeds in it, but nothing that is too much of a slowdown during predrafting.

The 80% 22 micron merino, 20% tussah silk top I got from them is just heavenly, very soft, beautiful. I like to pet it. ;)

Their prices are about average, they shipped quickly, and have a decent selection! :)

[deneen]

You know, I bought a drop spindle with 2 ounces of gorgeous roving for $11.00 off of eBay and also, from the sale seller, bought 8 ounces of a different roving. The seller was Anniemaysspinandwool. I have to say, the roving ws gorgeous, but she way overcharges for shipping. The total package weighed 12 ounces, whish should be $4.00 Priority anywhere in the US. I wrote to her about combining shipping and she claimed she had packaging to pay for, bubble wrap etc. The total she charged was $9.00 and that was her discounted rate. Now she used free Tyvk envelopes from the USPS, had free delivery confirm because she did her labels online, had the stuff in generic ziploc bags and one 8 x 12 sheet of bubble wrap was thrown in. I really don't see how the bubble wrap and ziplocs constituted $5.00 fees. I'm ****** and won't order from her again. I loathe sellers who way overcharge for shipping!

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifDon't forget her time. She's running a business. It took her time to get the packing materials, pay for those she had to, print up the lables (which aren't free), ink for printing, package it all up. Drive to the post office using her gasoline and wear and tear on her vehicle. Park or wait for parking, etc. I'll bet between what she had to buy and the time spent an hour was easily used up. Minimum wage is more than $5.

Yes, she might have made a buck or two on the deal. I used to work in shipping and know how much work it is to pull inventory, package, box, label, weigh, and get it to the shipping agency. It does cost money.

We get all bent out of shape because crocheters don't charge/get paid for their time and effort..... :D

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."
Joseph Chilton Pierce

[threeolivemartini]

I used to sell on Ebay .. well still do but less than I used to .. its my choice to sell there .. I charged actual shipping.. yes.. i spent my time .. and effort... but if I felt I needed to make money off shipping.. then maybe I should be charging a little more for my item.. people feeling like they are getting a good deal is more import in my opinion than having to jusitify high shipping costs.. I dont buy from people that gouge the shipping cost.. never will... i ALWAYS look at what its going to cost me to have it shipped before i buy.. because I dont believe that is where you should make your profit...

Also you cant tell me it takes THAT long to throw some roving in a zip loc and wrap a spindle in bubble wrap..

[deneen]

Yes, Bec she is running a business, so up your actual price and don't let me see you gouge me for shipping. I also sell on eBay and ship all Priority Mail at actual cost, first class is rounded up.. I eat the cost of the ink, labels, boxes are free, as is the tape. This is the cost of doing business. Whenever I see someone who is charging a high amount for the shipping, I won't buy from them!.

Shipping costs are high enough without being gouged for handling. It's crap! You get more people willing to buy from you if you don't rip them off and yes, I feel ripped off!

To mail an 8 ounce package, she charged $5.50 USPS. It's a cheap generic ziploc bag and a free Tyvek. Charge me a little more for the label, but come on it's only $2.00 to mail an 8 ounce package.

I'm sorry, but it's a crappy way for her to get out of paying the extra fees eBay and Paypal charge for them handling the sale/money transfer. You don't get charged from them for the shipping! It's unethical what she is doing.

:sb :sb :sb :sb :sb :sb

[HollyM]

I've got to step in here and say I don't think it's unethical.
She clearly lists what her shipping fees are up front & what they are for multiple auctions. If you felt it was too much, you shouldn't have bought from her in the first place. It's not fair to bash the seller after the fact. Even if she didn't list it, it's up to the buyer to ask about shipping before bidding.

Remember, it's shipping AND handeling. Pretty much every commercial catalog charges more than the actual shipping costs in their S&H. What does it matter where the markup is? If she charges more for the product, you are still paying the extra money but Ebay gets a bigger chunk of it because they get a percentage of the sale price.

Just my <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/twocents.gif" />

Holly

[deneen]

Holly-

You are right, I did read her shipping charges. I wrote to her ahead of time in reference to this and was told how carefully packaged her items were, she purchased all her shipping supplies, etc. I also had no idea how much the spindle would weigh. I also assumed that it would be shipped in a box, not a bag, which does add another 1/2 lb to the weight. The total shipping weight was 12 ounces, I weighed it here. Everything was shipped in a free Tyvek envelope. Total shipping charges were $3.85 and I was charged $9.00. I expected shipping cost total to be about $7.00 since I wasn't sure how much the weight would be, shipping for California, etc.

I loved her stuff, it was gorgeous. I am not bashing her. I just do not believe in adding so much handling fee. Perhaps if someone had given me the heads up, I wouldn't have purchased from her but from someone else. If she had charged me $5 more for the spindle, I would still have thought I had a great deal, but to say all this about careful packaging, etc and have it only weight 12 ounces and come in the USPS free envelope, ****** me off.

Raise your regular prices then. I understand about charging for hand made items, so charge the correct price and don't try to not pay fees to eBay by getting more money for your shipping. Ebay has policies against overcharging for shipping. There is something called a reasonable handling fee and I feel this was not reasonable. There are a lot of people who sell a $20 item for $1.00 and charge $19.99 shipping to get out of paying fees, this is the same thing on a smaller scale.

It's not the money, I was happy with the item, it was great. It is the principle!. Say you are charging a handling fee, don't try and trick me with all the "packaging" crap and send it to me like that. A regular business (catalog) charges high shipping, but not $9.00 on a $19.00 purchase.

I wrote to her a very nice letter after receiving the package telling her how wonderful her stuff was, but how taken aback I was by the high shipping charges. Of course, I never heard back from her again.

If you want to buy from her and don't care what you pay for shipping, that's fine. I care about being overcharged for shipping, it's an eBay pet peeve. This is just a review for good deals and bad deals--not my personal soap box.

[xantha]

I'm so surprised! I've ordered from her three times now (two spindles and some roving) -- and for the spindles (ordered separately) she charged me $4 for the s+h apiece, and for the roving -- which came in a box and was 1.5lb worth plus the box weight -- it was about $7 shipping. Which she clearly told me beforehand was going to be the shipping cost. Maybe she recently upped her shipping charges [?].

Sorry you had such a bad experience, Deneen! <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/suspicious.gif" />

-jess

[deneen]

I am almost sorry I posted this thread. I really didn't mean to bash her, it's just the shipping thing is a major pet peeve for me and I posted it under another thread and it was suggested I post it here so others could see the "good vs bad" deal.

The shipping was stated, I just didn't realize the package would weigh so little. Her roving was absolutely gorgeous, as was the spindle. I was just ****** about her whole shipping explanation and then being overcharged $5.00 ($1-$2 I could understand) and not having any special packaging that she raved about.

So, If I stepped on any toes, (HollyM), sorry, but it's how I felt.

[deneen]

I just wanted everyone to know that Annie May wrote to me today and told me that "I was right." She has changed her shipping policy as of Superbowl Sunday!

So now, I like her again.

[xantha]

Some other vendors I've done business with lately and been happy with --

the woolery (http://www.woolery.com/): good prices, fast shipping. free shipping on my wheel.

pacific wool + fiber (http://www.pacificwoolandfiber.com/): decent prices, decent shipping, large selection

carolina homespun (http:%5C%5Cwww.carolinahomespun.com): huge selection, friendly people

shadeyside farm: if you catch them at a fiber festival, they have tons of silk. they also carry alpaca top at a decent price.

[cabanird]

hello all...

i believe i got a good deal on llama fiber. i got one pound of it.

i've washed a couple ounces of it... and it still hasnt dried yet.

i think i'm going to spend a couple bucks to get it processed somewhere.
any suggestions on where to get it processed? also how much does this process cost? will places such as this take a small amount such as a pound?

thanks very much!

[xantha]

i think i'm going to spend a couple bucks to get it processed somewhere. any suggestions on where to get it processed? also how much does this process cost? will places such as this take a small amount such as a pound?

Wooly Knob Fiber Mill (http://www.woolyknobfibermill.com/) is one smaller place. $6/lb, I didn't see a minimum.

Thirteen Mile Lamb and Wool Company (http://www.lambandwool.com/woolproc.htm#prices) is another small place.

Did you use a salad spinner to spin the water out? Otherwise it tends to stay in there and take a really long time to dry. A salad spinner works wonders (and you can usually pick a functional one up at a thrift store).

[cabanird]

anyone heard of this place?
http://www.stonehedgefibermill.com/index.html#card


about wooly knob... didnt a poster on here say how they didnt like their service? got their stuff after 6 mos? i dont know if i want to deal with a company like that? anyone?

[xantha]

about wooly knob... didnt a poster on here say how they didnt like their service? got their stuff after 6 mos? i dont know if i want to deal with a company like that? anyone?

SamplerLady did have problems with them, but lately everyone I know hasn't had problems, so I'm not sure if they were having a hard time at the time or what. They are active on the spinlist...

I've heard of stone hedge but have not used them, so I can't offer any information there.

[sylver]

I have just found this amazing store on ebay, who sells gorgeous rovings. I could not help myself, and bought a lot *grins*

the flying ewe (http://stores.ebay.com/The-Flying-Ewe)

[Madamspinner]

OZARK CARDING-- No WAY, Never again ! And I took it to her and picked it up ! Quite a bit of Merino and Romney wool. Already squeaky clean; and it took me SIX MONTHS to get it back ! NOT acceptable !

I just sent about 68 pounds of clean wool to Morro Bay in California. Have seen her spinning batts and pin-drafting before; LOVE it ! Now we will see about her turn-around time. She sells on EBAY as fiberwurks and her web site is :
www.morrofleeceworks.com

To buy WONDERFUL raw fleeces; you can buy from Jean Near in Redwood Valley, CA; sight unseen and be VERY HAPPY !! I have bought from Jean for the last 5 years; and NEVER had a bad ANYTHING !

Her girls are coated; and it is worth the extra money to get a clean fleece ! I measured -- in the last whole fleece I got from her, 11 pounds--I had LESS then a thimble of VM !!


Her email addy is: jeannear@saber.net She has a web site, but the addy escapes me at the moment. She has raised spinning sheep ( her family) for over 100 years. She knows what we want ! Send for samples. She has Merino, Corridale, and crosses of same. Morrits, every color. YUMMY WOOLIES !

[Madamspinner]

If you'll check my last post (above this one) for the date. I sent her my woolies...

.... I am getting about half of that wool back on July 26TH !!! Talk about a FAST turnaround ! WOOHOO !!

She goes by color. and was working on whites........I had sent her my whites, already squeeky clean; to be picked, carded & pin-drafted. My whites are on their way back already !

She has my dyed stuff, that's next....we'll see when that comes back;
And she now has my dark, natural colors,..... :cheer

[HollyM]

I just got some yummy roving from (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfrppZ25QQfrtsZ0QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsassZjehovah jirehfarm)jehovahjirehfarm (http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfrppZ25QQfrtsZ0QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsassZjehovah jirehfarm) on Ebay. I got a pound of the Hawaii Surf. Quick ship, very reasonably priced (IMHO) and it's processed into a nice, thin roving that will need very little predrafting (if any). There is a tiny bit of VM in it, but well within what I consider acceptable, just a fleck here & there.

They also sell little sampler packs of different colors, great for when you need a little bit of this or that for needle felting.
Holly
(http://jehovahjirehfarm%3Cbr%20/%3E%0A%3C/a%3E)

[Woven N Spun]

I have bought fiber from Frene Creek Farm before and have been very pleased with them. I bought off ebay and their direct website (http://frenecreekfarm.com/).

[HollyM]

And another one High Prairie Fibers (http://prairiefiber.homestead.com/index.html)
Super nice lady (chatted a bit through email) Quick shipping, roving comes wound neatly, more than reasonable price and the colors are utterly fa-bu-lous!

Holly
who is aquiring too much unspun fiber....

[Woven N Spun]

I have bought from Abbi before and have been pleased. I see she offers much more now then when I bought from her.....oooh the shear agony of it



And another one High Prairie Fibers (http://http://prairiefiber.homestead.com/index.html)
Super nice lady (chatted a bit through email) Quick shipping, roving comes wound neatly, more than reasonable price and the colors are utterly fa-bu-lous!

Holly
who is aquiring too much unspun fiber....

[rebeccav]

hey holly - the link is not working :(

[Woven N Spun]

try this (http://prairiefiber.homestead.com/index.html) Rebecca



hey holly - the link is not working :(

[HollyM]

Whoops!
Had a double http in there, fixed it!.

The lady that started my spinning group has been friends with Abi for years, in fact, Abi got her hooked on spinning and now my friend is being a bad influence on others :lol And we thought peer pressure ended after High School :rofl

Holly

[Woven N Spun]

It certainly get worse!
Whoops!
And we thought peer pressure ended after High School :rofl

Holly

[SpottedTApps]

I get a lot of my fibers from http://www.homesteadacres.com/ They have just about every color of alpaca and will sell it raw, combed or in a roving. Best is combed Suri alpaca. It is soooooo lovely to spin. They also have shetland in just about all colors and some Jacob wool too. You can also pick an animal and buy the whole fleece.

I just spun a fawn colored Huaccia (sp?) alpaca with a clear crystal bead and it is really neat looking.

They had some grey that I plied with black and that was cool too, although I think that next time I will just stick with all grey.

[Hooker]

I've purchased roving through Cotton Confections/KnitTogether (http://search.stores.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&sid=58689281&query=wool+roving&fp=0&srchdesc=y)her ebay id is quiltingbirdlady

She has wonderfully soft fleeces at decent prices and will combine shipping to save you money. I didn't have to do a whole lot of predrafting and I recently bought some dyed rovings that are really pretty ("solid" colors, but with saturation variations). I also found natural roving on sale through greatqualitylowprices (http://crafts.search.ebay.com/_Spinning_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfrppZ25QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1Q QsacatZ36600QQsassZgreatqualitylowprices) on eBay. Currently 8oz. for 4.99 with 4.99 shipping, but she said she will combine shipping. We'll see what the quality is like when it gets here.

Dang, I'm already stockpiling roving and my wheel doesn't arrive for 2 weeks!

[woolandflax]

How do you know how much to buy for say a scarf you want to knit/crochet? Or a sweater or a hat? I'm ready to start buying but don't want too much of one colorway or way too little to make anything with.:think

[xantha]

How do you know how much to buy for say a scarf you want to knit/crochet? Or a sweater or a hat? I'm ready to start buying but don't want too much of one colorway or way too little to make anything with.:think

Do it by weight, but add some extra. So, for me, if I want to make socks, I know I use somewhere around 3oz. I buy ~4oz and I get more than what I need out of it.

So if I know I want to make a scarf that will cost me ~200g, I typically buy 200g + 50g of top/roving/etc. Someone told me once to buy 30% more than I need, but I usually just pick a random number. heh.

[woolandflax]

Thanks Jess! One more question. How do you convert from grams to ounces? And does it matter whether what weight you plan on spinning it?

[natalie058]

1 oz = 28.35 g

So...

for oz > g, multiply the weight in oz by 28.35

for g > oz, divide weight in g by 28.35

See, all those chem conversions really do come in handy!!

:hook

[woolandflax]

Thanks Nat!!:hug

[natalie058]

You're *very* welcome!!

[xantha]

Rebecca, how you're spinning it doesn't matter quite as much as you'd think.

Mostly because 50g of a super bulky weight will make about the same fabric size as 50g of a fingering weight... not exactly the same of course, but very close.

So if I know that I need 1 pound of worsted weight yarn to knit/crochet a sweater, I also know that I need around the same amount to knit/crochet the same sweater in a bulky or fingering weight.

Make any sense? :)

[natalie058]

Really? I've always wondered about that. Excellent to know; thanks for sharing, Jess!

[woolandflax]

Yes, that makes sense now. Thanks for explaining it Jess. ;)

[dudleyspinner]

. I loathe sellers who way overcharge for shipping![/quote]
Deneen,
that is one of my pet peeves too. When you expect that is should be $4.05 the priority rate and it is doubled ARRRGH
It always pays to ask ahead and get a quote.
I try to just charge the exact amount of shipping. It only seems fair to me

Deb
I have new dudleyspinner tie dye rovings up today!

[Pixiewings]

I got my best deal on wool from Brush Creek Wool Works. They are a small business I found at Pennsic last year. The woman put together a mixed pound of different colors for a great price. Shipping was exactly for the box (no over pricing) and the lady that runs things is the sweetest. :c9

They do not have a website but if you email her (bcww@pennswoods.net) she will let you know what she has available and prices. (If she asks who sent you tell her Sorcha mka Pixie Brearley.)

[kellyv]

I bought from cooper moose on ebay http://stores.ebay.com/Copper-Moose-Fibers-and-Spinning and the fibers are wonderful and the prices are great!!
Kelly

[Crocheting Fool]

:c9 This Lady is awesome!!...I have purchased a lot of roving and firestar add ins and also some mystery batts...she is so so nice to email with...she lets you know every price before she does anything!..I truely wish all sellers were like her...have a good day everyone!..Ginny:cheer

[MullersLaneFarm]

Carol Lee sells Brown Sheep mill end rovings for as cheap as $5.00 / pound. Most is $7.50/pound

http://www.thesheepshedstudio.com/Roving.html

[kellyv]

I must say I love the sheep shed and on Etsy the Copperpot!!! I am finding etsy has some great sellers and the prices are good too.

[kellykat60409]

I bought my drop spindles on ebay for around 10 dollars and they came with two, one short one and one long one. and I bought 8oz of dyed roving on etsy

[OzRebel]

I searched Craigslist yesterday using "spinning" as my search word and found three spinning wheels for sale. I bought a beautiful spinning wheel for $100! Now, to learn how to use it... I got a phone number from the seller for a woman who will be willing to teach me.

[needleworkjunkie]

I searched Craigslist yesterday using "spinning" as my search word and found three spinning wheels for sale. I bought a beautiful spinning wheel for $100! Now, to learn how to use it... I got a phone number from the seller for a woman who will be willing to teach me.

OMAGOSH! How lucky are YOU!? I'm SO doing the same thing! lol I've always wanted to try spinning! Of course you'd have to have something to spin I guess...
~~Cheri~~

[Three Creeks Farm]

There are some good spinning resources on the website for Spin Off magazine and interweave.com. I would also suggest finding a local group or guild. That's how I learned.

[scottishrabbitlady]

I spin and love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Denyse]

I just have to put a word in for Outback Fibers. Jill sells merino (not superwash) and silk, primarily for felting, but all they spin up like a dream! I'm not sure how her prices compare to others, but all her fibers are yummy and well worth the price. I spin her 22 micron merino, ply it and set the twist in cold water. As long as I handwash in cold water I don't have a problem with it felting. :-)