My grandmother was born in 1900 and would still make socks and bed slippers in 1980 for me .crocheted and perfect fitting.she would also darn and patch things till they were completely worn out,and then use them as rags, not like todays people but living through two wars made them cherish all possessions
In the village I grew up, older people often cut the complete stock off their rubber boots and used them as house shoes.. 1- 2 liter plastic bags were washed & reused endlessly. When I brought the daily newspaper, always a pair for dry on the laundry line in the small lawn, in their well kept garden. Very humble & respectable people. With experience from WW2 & afterwards..
Yes, same with my grandparents born in 1901. My grandma lived on a farm and she could crochet doilies, edged lace, baby blankets, afghans, or knit socks, sweaters, wraps etc. She kept all the fabric scraps as most women did then for remaking clothes, and then they would go into quilts.
My mother told me so many stories of all the handmade items back in the depression. I wish she was here to teach me out to knit. I only can do weaving. That was a lovely story.
I am a knitter and spinner. There are lots of us out there that do this as a hobby. I grew cotton out of my garden spun it and made a skirt and table runner.
So since you are a spinner do you use a drop spindle or a spinning wheel? The three types of drive systems for spinning wheels are Irish tension/bobbin lead, Double drive and Scotch tension/flyer lead
Tumulty here,I've been raising sheep for over 20 years, mostly Suffolk. I wanted to thank you for your wonderful film, participation with lovely folks who really knew what they were doing. Here in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, not far from the Canadian Border, we don't have a huge demand for wool, but we do for lamb. So, with the help of your intstrctional video, we will be retracing the steps of our forefathers (and mothers) to reintroduce the timeless art of carding, cleaning, dying and spinning our wool. Sincerely,Patrick
Hello neighbor! I raise Wensleydale and Bluefaced Leicester down near Moscow, out east of Troy. I shear with blades like in this video, wash, card, dye, spin, knit, crochet. I've just been learning all this for the past 3 years, and hope to still be doing this in 20!
Patrick if you have wool that you want to sell there are a lot of hand spinners around, you could join a group on facebook or just google handspinners. I have about 7 lbs of raw wool in my stash as I love working in the grease.
How are you coming in this venture? I hope you are doing well as I would love to see more of us return to the older ways of doing things. I have sheep and spin, this year I intend to return to growing my own dyes.
Patrick Brenrick Once you take wool from sheep to sweaters, you’ll be totally hooked. Nothing quite as calming as an evening spent spinning and after a few more steps you relax with your wool and knit up a truly special garment.
My great-grandmother was born and raised on a farm. My mother has a baby sweater that was my grandfather’s, it is made from wool from the farm sheep. It is still soft, feels much cozier than anything today.
So much respect for the ladies in this video, doing such hard work in dresses and heels and making it look effortless! They are the epitome of Ladylike, bless them!
They would have put on their best clothes because they were being filmed, just as they would have put on their Sunday best to go to the doctor as well as, of course, to Mass. When they weren't being filmed they'd have worn their usual clothes to prepare, spin and knit wool. The wool scouring (cleaning the fleece before carding & spinning) would probably have been done outside but I would expect that the carding and spinning would usually have been done indoors. I suspect they were filmed outdoors to get better light.
@@resourcedragon But it still would have been a dress, if even a work dress, and probably a heeled shoe of some type. This an old comment from me, but the point is compared to women today there was much more propriety. And that's not a bad thing.
Fortunately, as of the 2000's +, knitting and spinning has made a resurgence, though it was gaining popularity in the early 1990's, and then fell in the mid 1990's to quilting. I am glad I kept up both spinning and knitting all of my life, because many women come to my home now, to learn or re-learn these wonderful hobbies. I could hardly move around the Maryland Sheep and Wool Show this year (2018), because of all the people who came to it. These hobbies are a great pleasure.
I have been spinning on a modern wheel for over 25 years, as a hobby. It is meditative. I noticed when my family was younger, the sound of the wheel in the evening was calming and became a prelude to the children’s bedtime routine. I appreciate that this video shows in detail spinning on a great wheel. As I have recently acquired a great wheel, and the spinning technique for it is quite different than for the smaller wheels, watching this technique is very helpful. Spinning and weaving are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, which is no surprise - when life gets more complicated, we look for ways to simplify. Nostalgia for ancient crafts becomes popular again. Thanks for this video.
What an outstanding video on yarn making. I'm 76 years old and never could understand how yarn was made from wool using a spinning wheel.. I remember my grandmother who was from Sweden talking about making yarn. Her English wsn't good and my Swedish was poor so I never got a grasp on how it was done. Kudos to the producer.
God Bless you so much Mrs Kerr , your cateyed framed glasses remind me of my grandma Ella Mae Trivette her mum was a Greer of Mac Gregor clan , I miss my grandparents soo much
Thankfully, there is a renewed interest in yarn making and sewing with this generation. I myself on a couple of spinning wheels and several drop spindles to make yarn. I am planning to learn weaving next. I loved this film. Thanks for sharing.
I bought a hand-turned Drop Spindle last week at a craft show ... It is so well made (turned on a lathe) intricate design with a beautiful blue in-lay accent!!!
Love this video of the sheep and women spinning. I am a spinner and am a member of a spinner's guild. So there are more than people might think-we still exist. These ladies are my tribe!
Good to hear from you.. Which sort of wool quality do you have access to? Lately most sheep has been breed for meat, leading to rather low wool quality. Traditionally (light weight) sheep has extraordinary wool quality, partly on level with merino.
@@OmmerSyssel downtime86 stars 2 hours ago If you go online, you can find every grade of wool imaginable for spinning. On sites like Etsy, for example, you can buy everything from raw fleece to wool that has been thoroughly washed and prepped for spinning, in dozens of breeds.
@@OmmerSyssel , there are many fiber festivals now, in the US, in Canada, Britain, and I am sure elsewhere. Spinners such as myself buy raw fleece to scour, comb or card, and then spin and knit or weaver. The fleece of all sheep breeds have a purpose, ranging from delicate cobweb shawls to carpet. Many shepherds are giving attention to breeding for better quality fleeces in all categories.
@@downtime86stars17 That's simply not true.. I have professional experience and knowledge, and can tell you traditional bred Sheep has a totally different and higher wool quality than newer sorts created for meat.. I sure hope you'll invest your time and energy on appropriate wool quality. Try study the topic.. All the best 🙂🐑🐑
I think the Irish women of yore would be astounded at the fleece and wool now available, and how we now look in awe at their accomplishments way back when.
Growing up in the Appalachians these people remind me of the elders in my family and the old way of life. Yes here too in parts of America this way of living was common in certain areas of the southeast all the way up until the early 70's. Who knows we could be related. Thanks for sharing!
Loved this. We need to go back to the way things were that kept the family together, doing stuff like keeping sheep and spinning yarn, it's wonderful. We are depending on machinery do what we can do ourselves, making us obsolete. Sad. It looks like fun, we should keep the tradition of the old way and hand it down to our kids. This was wonderful, I really enjoyed this.
Loved this video. I spin, knit and crochet. Let's keep these skills alive in the generations to come. We can all teach, at least one person, to spin, knit and crochet. ....Blessings :)
A new generation handspinner here. Soon to be master handspinner. Thanks to the skills and crafts people in this film there has been a revival in handspinning.
I,am 83 spin and weave self taught. love this video we all should learn to do the things of the past we might have go back in time with things as they are now. the video was enlightening I loved it. if you want to learn how JUST DO IT. it will be a joy.
One of most prized purchase from Kerry was a wonderful hand loomed and knitted sweater….the oil provides water resistance. I wear for snow skiing and am always asked if I will sell it. I remember the sweater was weighed for me to know the cost. A tiny little store with the grandmother working a wheel at the back of the store. I got it in 1968 …thank you for such a beautiful sweater.
It is humbling to think of how much genius has gone into creating life in the past. Every indigenous culture on Earth has a similar way of creating clothing and other items. So beautiful!
I LOVE my wool sweater from Ireland! I wish I could learn to spin! Ah! There it is! The foot-peddle model I had seen long ago! What a great idea...to have a get-together to spin & sing songs & have tea! Wonderful! I SO LOVED THIS! Thank you so much! What a great video! I think I was born in the wrong age...
It still happens today! I learned to spin on drop spindles I made myself (found instructions online) and using library books and UA-cam videos. I didn't get a spinning wheel until after I had been spinning for a while. There are yarn shops that have spinning and knitting drop-ins, some towns have spinning guilds, or just get some friends together for a craft night.
Thank you for the lovely video! I enjoy spinning yarn in Canada from sheep and goat ! It is very relaxing and makes great sweaters, blankets, socks etc
I've just completed shearing my first pair of sheep, and processing the wool into yarn. I really empathize with all the work that goes into this process. Also, did anyone else notice when Mr. Carr put on the newly made sock at the end of the video, he tucked his extremely long linen underwear into them?
@@rosejones4739 Certainly it was his "long John's" as called here around. Long woollen underwear is still used in Scandinavia & rural areas where cold damp environment is ever present. You carry normal cotton underwear & long wool underwear as next layer. Often in relaxed situations at home you'll see people wearing these only as outer layer.. Only in a warm summer I'll consider not wearing long woollen underwear. It's so comfortable that it becomes a second part of you 😏
@ Adrienne.. I'm quite convinced that it wasn't linen but wool. Those people had no central heating and bad insulated housing. A complete layer of wool from top to toe would be a necessary pleasure to wear. I often carry two layer with long sleeves & one layer with long legs most of the year. (& woollen traditional hat /bonnet) Our ever changing weather doesn't matter. Many city dwellers are complaining, while I hardly notice if its rain & windy again..
Still knitting and spinning in the 2020s. We won’t let this skill die easily. There are several modern spinning wheel makers that craft fabulous wheels, as well as, single man operations that craft very high quality wheels in both the US and Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Handspindles are more productive than anyone would imagine. They can be purchased from many different sources. There are also spinning groups that meet regularly with wheels in tow.
My granda lived in Donegal when my Dad was a kid, he was a weaver and his brother had a weavers business in Dublin. I think he was working for the government when he was in Donegal as there was a resurgence of interest in all things trad Irish, it would have been back in the thirties, the free-state years. I remember that programme too when I was a kid, I had forgotten about it.
The sheep look calm and unharmed in the traditional shearing. The modern ones they are cut all over and are panicked and run. I would be honored to buy wool like this, a fine product!
You know Adam there's other animals that could also have their fur/hair/fiber spun into yarn. It's not just sheep there's yaks, llamas, wolves, hedgehogs, foxes, angora rabbits, cats and even dogs too 🙂😉
Nice, not only to see the traditional methods, but to see how it is made into functional pieces, not just as a "hobby". The last couple obviously made quite a dent into their families' clothing expenses by being able to make their own. It can be done today too!
fortbumper You also get the benefit of clothing tailored specifically to fit you. Believe me, there is nothing more comfortable than handmade socks and other things made to your measurements. All my dad wants for birthday and Christmas are the socks and jerseys I make for him!
@@sheriwilson701 I dont make wool , but I made my mom a hand made pair of Nalebinded : lightweight mittens, hat ,scarf, and ear warmer for Christmas ! the delight on her face was wonderful!
I never knew socks could be a luxury item until I knitted my first pair, made to fit perfectly, and so cozy! I had never even had a pair of wool socks before. But now I want some nice sturdy, heavy socks for winter like the ones the lady was knitting at the end of the video. Time to get my spinning wheel going!
that was amazing! love the Great wheel and how they carded back then. looks much better then now and I'll be changing my method of carding. Loved it and thank you for posting. totally enjoyed this and although the film says it's fading away, it's far from fading. I spin every day and know many who still do.
@@rswcreatives: That was something that my mother was taught about when she went to spinning classes. In some circumstances (they referred to knitting from the west of Ireland) the wool was not scoured (washed) before spinning, which made it easier to spin, as well as waterproof. If I remember correctly, my mother was also shown options for partial scouring that left some of the lanolin in. Leaving some lanolin is great for the hands - put on hand lotion as you spin.
This was magnificent! These traditions going back 500 years, the unassuming way the women turn wool into clothing, collecting lichen for the natural dye -- what a great overview of the traditions our people followed as recently as 100 years ago.
I learned to spin in North Carolina when I was 22 years old. The teacher had a double bobbin wheel, that I learned on. With the long draw method. Then we went down to another school to buy wheels that were hand made in pawpaw West Virginia. I have a German wheel that I bought on my husband was stationed in the Air Force in Germany. A tiny French wheel that my stepmother bought from someone who had taken it west because they were smaller than other wheels. I have an electric spinning wheel and four drop spindle’s One for Wool, one for cotton, one for silk. In the fourth wheel I bought in California when my husband was stationed there in the Air Force that was used across the lap by the Navajo Indian women. They have one of the smallest breeds of sheep they also built their looms for weaving outside in the desert you don’t get much rain. I began crocheting cotton at age 9 and learned to knit at age 30. I still knit and crochet at age 67 I have five llama fleeces that I am working on now and I used to do demonstrations for school children and. Go to the wool show in our state of Virginia United States of America. I really enjoyed your video I always put them on UA-cam under crocheting and knitting for young people to watch.
I remember seeing a mom in a playground in Harlem with a little mini hand spinning thing. She would do it for relaxation while supervising her children in the playground. It was amazing to watch. Like meditation but ... wool, so yeah, better!
Later same night ))) I tried the stretching technique. It works very well with practice... even with unoiled wool. OH MY... I see this was filmed in 1978. 43 years ago. These ladies are looking down from Heaven smiling that their wisdom and skills are still being learned. Technology is a good tool. )))
Such a great legacy. It is amazing to see these people how talented they are. Thank God for the advancement in technology that we can see and understand many things of yesteryear May God continue to bless you and your channel.
THANK YOU!!! I've just learned a new way to draft the wool in the spinning. ))) Here they allow a great span of unspun to twist a little, then stretch it out fine. It must be the oil that allows this. I've always spun dry from a point of twist in front of a triangle of untwist. It is just as fast, just different. I'll try this tonight. )) The carding here is different too, with paddles flat against each other. My wires engage and draw a bit of fiber, rocking up the filled carder, nipping rows of fiber to pull through the wires, till empty. Twice drawn makes the fibers smooth and straight. I peel the pad off and spin from one end, not rolling it at all. How different we all are! I weave blankets with mine, and have a friend to teach me to knit socks. Every plant here makes a color, soft and sweet from silver greys of lilies, through tans and browns to rust and purples made with mulberries, black with oak leaves and galls. Modern spinners are blessed to have this skill for joy instead of hardship. Thanks to all the folk who made this video. I promise to pass on these new skills. )))
I'm not sure adopting that detail is recommendable. Lanolin has better qualities than some sort of refined oil. Lanolin creates soap under use & keeps your yawn/cloth in finest condition.. I recommend you looking into that topic. Afterall your fine handcraft deserves best possible care.
When I went to art college, I made a friend ; we complimented each other. I liked to sew, knit and crochet. I bought all my supplies. My friend and her family lives out in the country. She raised sheep, made her own clothing spun her own yarn. I went to live with her for a few years. Every morning she would rise early, feed and water the goats and sheep as well as 20 dogs, a dozen geese , pea hens, cats. Then she would come inside to cook in the fireplace like the colonials did. She was really busy during Lambingvseason when the baby lambs were born and during sheering when she sheared the sheep. She had to wash the wool, dry it dye it, and spin it. After that she would knit it. I have to admit that for modern women like me it is easier to go out for breakfast and then to thr storexto buy yarn and cloth
Okay! I always wanted to learn to spin wool. Now I simply must do it! Thank you so much for this very enjoyable narrated presentation. The musinc was lovely too!
Wonderful video, thank you. I knit socks on my circular sock machine and would love to make all wool ones but didn't think it would be sturdy enough for under foot. If its strong enough for the farmers its strong enough for me. Looking at the children in the video, they all look happy and content... our kids don't know how lucky they are!
How sturdy they are depends a lot on the breed of wool you use. Merino wool, not sturdy at all. A breed like Cheviot, Romney, or Suffolk, quite sturdy. Many spinners will also blend nylon or mohair into the wool to increase its durability.
That was sooo cool to watch! I'm surprised at how easy it is to spin wool into yarn! It seems like a much less labor-intensive process than I initially thought it was! I learned about natural dying a while ago but I was shocked when they used that lichen to dye the wool. Still can't believe Mrs. & Mr. Carr had 13 kids. 10/10
My grandmother was born in 1900 and would still make socks and bed slippers in 1980 for me .crocheted and perfect fitting.she would also darn and patch things till they were completely worn out,and then use them as rags, not like todays people but living through two wars made them cherish all possessions
In the village I grew up, older people often cut the complete stock off their rubber boots and used them as house shoes..
1- 2 liter plastic bags were washed & reused endlessly. When I brought the daily newspaper, always a pair for dry on the laundry line in the small lawn, in their well kept garden.
Very humble & respectable people. With experience from WW2 & afterwards..
Yes, same with my grandparents born in 1901. My grandma lived on a farm and she could crochet doilies, edged lace, baby blankets, afghans, or knit socks, sweaters, wraps etc. She kept all the fabric scraps as most women did then for remaking clothes, and then they would go into quilts.
My mother told me so many stories of all the handmade items back in the depression. I wish she was here to teach me out to knit. I only can do weaving. That was a lovely story.
@@karendaugherty6726 use you tube tutorial or contact your senior citizens center. I'm sure they know someone to reach you. Or your local library.
Right now people throw away bread to the trash .
I am a knitter and spinner. There are lots of us out there that do this as a hobby. I grew cotton out of my garden spun it and made a skirt and table runner.
So since you are a spinner do you use a drop spindle or a spinning wheel? The three types of drive systems for spinning wheels are Irish tension/bobbin lead, Double drive and Scotch tension/flyer lead
Wow!!!
Tumulty here,I've been raising sheep for over 20 years, mostly Suffolk. I wanted to thank you for your wonderful film, participation with lovely folks who really knew what they were doing. Here in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, not far from the Canadian Border, we don't have a huge demand for wool, but we do for lamb. So, with the help of your intstrctional video, we will be retracing the steps of our forefathers (and mothers) to reintroduce the timeless art of carding, cleaning, dying and spinning our wool. Sincerely,Patrick
Hello neighbor! I raise Wensleydale and Bluefaced Leicester down near Moscow, out east of Troy. I shear with blades like in this video, wash, card, dye, spin, knit, crochet. I've just been learning all this for the past 3 years, and hope to still be doing this in 20!
Patrick if you have wool that you want to sell there are a lot of hand spinners around, you could join a group on facebook or just google handspinners. I have about 7 lbs of raw wool in my stash as I love working in the grease.
Patrick Brenrick You will love it 👍. It is easy..just take so me time to learn. I am a Dutch spinner and weaver.. so much fun.
How are you coming in this venture? I hope you are doing well as I would love to see more of us return to the older ways of doing things. I have sheep and spin, this year I intend to return to growing my own dyes.
Patrick Brenrick Once you take wool from sheep to sweaters, you’ll be totally hooked. Nothing quite as calming as an evening spent spinning and after a few more steps you relax with your wool and knit up a truly special garment.
I am sad I will never get to meet them...Mrs. Carr is my hero!
I felt the same way when I saw this video. I've watched it many times. Id have loved to have seen a video about Mr. Carr's shoemaking.
@@threadlovert1393 yes!
My great-grandmother was born and raised on a farm. My mother has a baby sweater that was my grandfather’s, it is made from wool from the farm sheep. It is still soft, feels much cozier than anything today.
That's exactly where my grandparents are from in Donegal.
So much respect for the ladies in this video, doing such hard work in dresses and heels and making it look effortless! They are the epitome of Ladylike, bless them!
They would have put on their best clothes because they were being filmed, just as they would have put on their Sunday best to go to the doctor as well as, of course, to Mass. When they weren't being filmed they'd have worn their usual clothes to prepare, spin and knit wool.
The wool scouring (cleaning the fleece before carding & spinning) would probably have been done outside but I would expect that the carding and spinning would usually have been done indoors. I suspect they were filmed outdoors to get better light.
@@resourcedragon But it still would have been a dress, if even a work dress, and probably a heeled shoe of some type. This an old comment from me, but the point is compared to women today there was much more propriety. And that's not a bad thing.
Fortunately, as of the 2000's +, knitting and spinning has made a resurgence, though it was gaining popularity in the early 1990's, and then fell in the mid 1990's to quilting. I am glad I kept up both spinning and knitting all of my life, because many women come to my home now, to learn or re-learn these wonderful hobbies. I could hardly move around the Maryland Sheep and Wool Show this year (2018), because of all the people who came to it. These hobbies are a great pleasure.
I have been spinning on a modern wheel for over 25 years, as a hobby. It is meditative. I noticed when my family was younger, the sound of the wheel in the evening was calming and became a prelude to the children’s bedtime routine. I appreciate that this video shows in detail spinning on a great wheel. As I have recently acquired a great wheel, and the spinning technique for it is quite different than for the smaller wheels, watching this technique is very helpful. Spinning and weaving are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, which is no surprise - when life gets more complicated, we look for ways to simplify. Nostalgia for ancient crafts becomes popular again. Thanks for this video.
What an outstanding video on yarn making. I'm 76 years old and never could understand how yarn was made from wool using a spinning wheel.. I remember my grandmother who was from Sweden talking about making yarn. Her English wsn't good and my Swedish was poor so I never got a grasp on how it was done. Kudos to the producer.
Yes, and the first time I have seen the components of the spinning wheel as the spinner started the process!
Very informative.
God Bless you so much Mrs Kerr , your cateyed framed glasses remind me of my grandma Ella Mae Trivette her mum was a Greer of Mac Gregor clan , I miss my grandparents soo much
Thankfully, there is a renewed interest in yarn making and sewing with this generation. I myself on a couple of spinning wheels and several drop spindles to make yarn. I am planning to learn weaving next. I loved this film. Thanks for sharing.
I bought a hand-turned Drop Spindle last week at a craft show ... It is so well made (turned on a lathe) intricate design with a beautiful blue in-lay accent!!!
A friend gave me a drop spindle. I really need to get it out and try again!! Loved this film.
Love this video of the sheep and women spinning. I am a spinner and am a member of a spinner's guild. So there are more than people might think-we still exist. These ladies are my tribe!
Good to hear from you..
Which sort of wool quality do you have access to?
Lately most sheep has been breed for meat, leading to rather low wool quality.
Traditionally (light weight) sheep has extraordinary wool quality, partly on level with merino.
@@OmmerSyssel
downtime86 stars
2 hours ago
If you go online, you can find every grade of wool imaginable for spinning. On sites like Etsy, for example, you can buy everything from raw fleece to wool that has been thoroughly washed and prepped for spinning, in dozens of breeds.
@@OmmerSyssel , there are many fiber festivals now, in the US, in Canada, Britain, and I am sure elsewhere. Spinners such as myself buy raw fleece to scour, comb or card, and then spin and knit or weaver. The fleece of all sheep breeds have a purpose, ranging from delicate cobweb shawls to carpet. Many shepherds are giving attention to breeding for better quality fleeces in all categories.
@@downtime86stars17 That's simply not true..
I have professional experience and knowledge, and can tell you traditional bred Sheep has a totally different and higher wool quality than newer sorts created for meat..
I sure hope you'll invest your time and energy on appropriate wool quality.
Try study the topic..
All the best 🙂🐑🐑
I think the Irish women of yore would be astounded at the fleece and wool now available, and how we now look in awe at their accomplishments way back when.
What a delightful film - hard living but in many ways better than today!
Growing up in the Appalachians these people remind me of the elders in my family and the old way of life. Yes here too in parts of America this way of living was common in certain areas of the southeast all the way up until the early 70's. Who knows we could be related. Thanks for sharing!
That's because they immigrated to the area in mass. First for the colonies and later to escape the potato famine.
This little movie triggered deep emotions in me.
Loved this. We need to go back to the way things were that kept the family together, doing stuff like keeping sheep and spinning yarn, it's wonderful. We are depending on machinery do what we can do ourselves, making us obsolete. Sad. It looks like fun, we should keep the tradition of the old way and hand it down to our kids. This was wonderful, I really enjoyed this.
Loved this video. I spin, knit and crochet. Let's keep these skills alive in the generations to come. We can all teach, at least one person, to spin, knit and crochet. ....Blessings :)
where is "here"? lots of spinners all over. join ravelry.com ot a facebook spinning group to connect!
sorry, this somehow got attchrd to the wrong comment!
so interesting thank you for sharing
Yes, I belong to Ravelry for years, just for knitting. I didn't know that they had a place for the ranching, & processing of the raw materials.😁
Elithea Whittaker great to know!
A new generation handspinner here. Soon to be master handspinner. Thanks to the skills and crafts people in this film there has been a revival in handspinning.
I love the two lovely mama/Granny.Just wish them more health
This was marvellous and lovely to see elderly people still fit and healthy.
I,am 83 spin and weave self taught. love this video we all should learn to do the things of the past we might have go back in time with things as they are now. the video was enlightening I loved it. if you want to learn how JUST DO IT. it will be a joy.
Such a lovely documentary.Just returned from Ireland and now I want to raise sheep. Been a knitter for 52 years.
I love this. The processing from cutting, to skirting, washing, carding to spinning laid out simply. I learned a lot.
One of most prized purchase from Kerry was a wonderful hand loomed and knitted sweater….the oil provides water resistance. I wear for snow skiing and am always asked if I will sell it. I remember the sweater was weighed for me to know the cost. A tiny little store with the grandmother working a wheel at the back of the store. I got it in 1968 …thank you for such a beautiful sweater.
It is humbling to think of how much genius has gone into creating life in the past. Every indigenous culture on Earth has a similar way of creating clothing and other items. So beautiful!
Thank you for this wonderful film. We mustn't lose these traditional skills.
oh wow i could listen to this all day
My Cannon ancestors came from Carrick and Kilcar. I love those towns.
Thank you! That was beautiful.
I've recently fallen in love with everything sheep, and just started felting. Self sufficiency is the answer:) Thanks for sharing!
i once owned a handknitted amd homegrown county Donegal sweater, and miss it more each year.
this art must be preserved.
I LOVE my wool sweater from Ireland! I wish I could learn to spin! Ah! There it is! The foot-peddle model I had seen long ago! What a great idea...to have a get-together to spin & sing songs & have tea! Wonderful! I SO LOVED THIS! Thank you so much! What a great video! I think I was born in the wrong age...
It still happens today! I learned to spin on drop spindles I made myself (found instructions online) and using library books and UA-cam videos. I didn't get a spinning wheel until after I had been spinning for a while. There are yarn shops that have spinning and knitting drop-ins, some towns have spinning guilds, or just get some friends together for a craft night.
downtime86 stars I saw that about how they used to spin in each other’s homes yrs ago! What a great idea!
Thank you for the lovely video! I enjoy spinning yarn in Canada from sheep and goat ! It is very relaxing and makes great sweaters, blankets, socks etc
Spinning is on my bucket list. I love knitting and crocheting and would love to be able to spin as well.
Mass respect just keeping those shears sharp enough to cut that wool! 🤯
I've just completed shearing my first pair of sheep, and processing the wool into yarn. I really empathize with all the work that goes into this process.
Also, did anyone else notice when Mr. Carr put on the newly made sock at the end of the video, he tucked his extremely long linen underwear into them?
It seems that it would be a good way of life.
those were underwear? I had to wonder
@@rosejones4739 Certainly it was his "long John's" as called here around.
Long woollen underwear is still used in Scandinavia & rural areas where cold damp environment is ever present.
You carry normal cotton underwear & long wool underwear as next layer.
Often in relaxed situations at home you'll see people wearing these only as outer layer..
Only in a warm summer I'll consider not wearing long woollen underwear. It's so comfortable that it becomes a second part of you 😏
@ Adrienne.. I'm quite convinced that it wasn't linen but wool.
Those people had no central heating and bad insulated housing.
A complete layer of wool from top to toe would be a necessary pleasure to wear.
I often carry two layer with long sleeves & one layer with long legs most of the year. (& woollen traditional hat /bonnet)
Our ever changing weather doesn't matter.
Many city dwellers are complaining, while I hardly notice if its rain & windy again..
long johns ;)
Thank you. I'm so glad someone has recorded this history.
That is nice that these historic records have been made not only of the way of life and manufacture but of those that did lived it.
I saw this a while ago and was hooked. Mrs. Carr is the spitting image of my Grandmother.
Wow! What a splendid film! Thank you!
Still knitting and spinning in the 2020s. We won’t let this skill die easily. There are several modern spinning wheel makers that craft fabulous wheels, as well as, single man operations that craft very high quality wheels in both the US and Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Handspindles are more productive than anyone would imagine. They can be purchased from many different sources. There are also spinning groups that meet regularly with wheels in tow.
My granda lived in Donegal when my Dad was a kid, he was a weaver and his brother had a weavers business in Dublin. I think he was working for the government when he was in Donegal as there was a resurgence of interest in all things trad Irish, it would have been back in the thirties, the free-state years. I remember that programme too when I was a kid, I had forgotten about it.
The sheep look calm and unharmed in the traditional shearing. The modern ones they are cut all over and are panicked and run. I would be honored to buy wool like this, a fine product!
You know Adam there's other animals that could also have their fur/hair/fiber spun into yarn. It's not just sheep there's yaks, llamas, wolves, hedgehogs, foxes, angora rabbits, cats and even dogs too 🙂😉
@@christianszeman1446 you forgot alpaca!
@@adamm5087 Oh you're right I forgot to mention Alpaca I'm sorry about that Adam
The good old days
This is how you learn to appreciate everthing...the animal and the hard work...what a gift!
This was a beautiful film.
This is wonderful to watch. Beautiful people with a beautiful way of life!!
Nice, not only to see the traditional methods, but to see how it is made into functional pieces, not just as a "hobby". The last couple obviously made quite a dent into their families' clothing expenses by being able to make their own. It can be done today too!
fortbumper You also get the benefit of clothing tailored specifically to fit you. Believe me, there is nothing more comfortable than handmade socks and other things made to your measurements. All my dad wants for birthday and Christmas are the socks and jerseys I make for him!
@@sheriwilson701 I dont make wool , but I made my mom a hand made pair of Nalebinded : lightweight mittens, hat ,scarf, and ear warmer for Christmas ! the delight on her face was wonderful!
@@HosCreates Is nalebinding difficult? I'd like to give it a try sometime. Along with about ten million other crafts and projects...
I never knew socks could be a luxury item until I knitted my first pair, made to fit perfectly, and so cozy! I had never even had a pair of wool socks before. But now I want some nice sturdy, heavy socks for winter like the ones the lady was knitting at the end of the video. Time to get my spinning wheel going!
0:58 "Hold on... while... I... just... get my sheep out... of my car... trunk. There. See dolly? Told you it wouldn't be that bad."
that was amazing! love the Great wheel and how they carded back then. looks much better then now and I'll be changing my method of carding. Loved it and thank you for posting. totally enjoyed this and although the film says it's fading away, it's far from fading. I spin every day and know many who still do.
remember, this was made in 1978, when kaffe fassett was still learning! ;)
it's still an awesome film and still useful. putting the grease back into the wool has been a bit of knowledge that has helped me alot!
@@rswcreatives: That was something that my mother was taught about when she went to spinning classes. In some circumstances (they referred to knitting from the west of Ireland) the wool was not scoured (washed) before spinning, which made it easier to spin, as well as waterproof.
If I remember correctly, my mother was also shown options for partial scouring that left some of the lanolin in. Leaving some lanolin is great for the hands - put on hand lotion as you spin.
@@resourcedragon what an amazing story to have. Thank you for sharing that!
This video is absolutely lovey. Handing down the traditions of the past is so important.
Oh my goodness, I want to live here!😁
This was magnificent! These traditions going back 500 years, the unassuming way the women turn wool into clothing, collecting lichen for the natural dye -- what a great overview of the traditions our people followed as recently as 100 years ago.
Great video my late father was at the bidding trailer..excellent documentary
The best educational video I have seen for a very long time. Well presented with a good and precise explanation. Thank you
Lovely! Thanks for sharing the history.
Beautiful documentary. Historical now as well.
Wonderful. thank you!
I learned to spin in North Carolina when I was 22 years old. The teacher had a double bobbin wheel, that I learned on. With the long draw method. Then we went down to another school to buy wheels that were hand made in pawpaw West Virginia. I have a German wheel that I bought on my husband was stationed in the Air Force in Germany. A tiny French wheel that my stepmother bought from someone who had taken it west because they were smaller than other wheels. I have an electric spinning wheel and four drop spindle’s One for Wool, one for cotton, one for silk. In the fourth wheel I bought in California when my husband was stationed there in the Air Force that was used across the lap by the Navajo Indian women. They have one of the smallest breeds of sheep they also built their looms for weaving outside in the desert you don’t get much rain. I began crocheting cotton at age 9 and learned to knit at age 30. I still knit and crochet at age 67 I have five llama fleeces that I am working on now and I used to do demonstrations for school children and. Go to the wool show in our state of Virginia United States of America. I really enjoyed your video I always put them on UA-cam under crocheting and knitting for young people to watch.
Thank you - I really enjoyed watching this!
I remember seeing a mom in a playground in Harlem with a little mini hand spinning thing. She would do it for relaxation while supervising her children in the playground. It was amazing to watch. Like meditation but ... wool, so yeah, better!
@ 25:00 - oh the memories...of aching arms; and those seemingly never-ending skeins of wool! Now, there's a bit of nostalgia for ya! lol
My goodness! The amount of work that goes into a handmade wool item is incredible!
Those are some snazzy kicks on Mrs. Carr! I would love a pair myself.
Thank you for all the videos my wife is a quilter in the United States she enjoyed them
Later same night ))) I tried the stretching technique. It works very well with practice... even with unoiled wool. OH MY... I see this was filmed in 1978. 43 years ago. These ladies are looking down from Heaven smiling that their wisdom and skills are still being learned. Technology is a good tool. )))
Such a great legacy. It is amazing to see these people how talented they are. Thank God for the advancement in technology that we can see and understand many things of yesteryear May God continue to bless you and your channel.
So beautiful
Beautiful! I love knitting, it just became even more interesting watching this video!
Great video! Really makes people understand how much work is involved in hand spun wool.
Love Donegal. Gweedor was one of my favorite towns. Tech Jack is a great pub.
THANK YOU!!! I've just learned a new way to draft the wool in the spinning. ))) Here they allow a great span of unspun to twist a little, then stretch it out fine. It must be the oil that allows this. I've always spun dry from a point of twist in front of a triangle of untwist. It is just as fast, just different. I'll try this tonight. )) The carding here is different too, with paddles flat against each other. My wires engage and draw a bit of fiber, rocking up the filled carder, nipping rows of fiber to pull through the wires, till empty. Twice drawn makes the fibers smooth and straight. I peel the pad off and spin from one end, not rolling it at all. How different we all are! I weave blankets with mine, and have a friend to teach me to knit socks. Every plant here makes a color, soft and sweet from silver greys of lilies, through tans and browns to rust and purples made with mulberries, black with oak leaves and galls. Modern spinners are blessed to have this skill for joy instead of hardship. Thanks to all the folk who made this video. I promise to pass on these new skills. )))
Thanks for sharing. Some eye openers for me like giving oil to the wool and dye with see weed, very useful for me here in the Netherlands.
I'm not sure adopting that detail is recommendable. Lanolin has better qualities than some sort of refined oil.
Lanolin creates soap under use & keeps your yawn/cloth in finest condition..
I recommend you looking into that topic. Afterall your fine handcraft deserves best possible care.
Good to learn the past which gives young people that hard work and improvement change the world
I love this video. Such talented ladies. Thanks for sharing it.
Wonderful program! Thank you very much! I will now give thanks to all the the Lovell 4ply Marino wool I buy ready to knit with !
When I went to art college, I made a friend ; we complimented each other. I liked to sew, knit and crochet. I bought all my supplies. My friend and her family lives out in the country. She raised sheep, made her own clothing spun her own yarn. I went to live with her for a few years. Every morning she would rise early, feed and water the goats and sheep as well as 20 dogs, a dozen geese , pea hens, cats. Then she would come inside to cook in the fireplace like the colonials did. She was really busy during Lambingvseason when the baby lambs were born and during sheering when she sheared the sheep. She had to wash the wool, dry it dye it, and spin it. After that she would knit it. I have to admit that for modern women like me it is easier to go out for breakfast and then to thr storexto buy yarn and cloth
lovely to see - fascinating to watch the various wheels and actions of the spinners
Thank you for sharing this wonderful video, we much appreciate it all. Bless you.
Okay! I always wanted to learn to spin wool. Now I simply must do it! Thank you so much for this very enjoyable narrated presentation. The musinc was lovely too!
What a lovely video. It was really neat to see the slight differences in the wheels and processes.
Wonderful video, thank you. I knit socks on my circular sock machine and would love to make all wool ones but didn't think it would be sturdy enough for under foot. If its strong enough for the farmers its strong enough for me. Looking at the children in the video, they all look happy and content... our kids don't know how lucky they are!
How sturdy they are depends a lot on the breed of wool you use. Merino wool, not sturdy at all. A breed like Cheviot, Romney, or Suffolk, quite sturdy. Many spinners will also blend nylon or mohair into the wool to increase its durability.
A wonderful story - from sheep to feet.
I have got to make socks like the ones she was knitting, nice and heavy! They look sooooooo warm, and my apartment is super cold in winter.
Wow, she was a fast knittet! I love that she was holding her needle like a pencil, instead of like a knife. I could watch her knit all day!
That's called lever knitting or Irish Cottage knitting.
thank you so much for posting this look back at traditions learned before the 1900's
Agreed. Wonderful to have a glimpse into traditions of sheep farming in the land of my ancestors :-)
That was really a wonderful film. Many thanks!
Such a great presentation. And I love that they showed the small differences between how one household or area might do it vs another.
That was sooo cool to watch! I'm surprised at how easy it is to spin wool into yarn! It seems like a much less labor-intensive process than I initially thought it was! I learned about natural dying a while ago but I was shocked when they used that lichen to dye the wool. Still can't believe Mrs. & Mr. Carr had 13 kids. 10/10
I thoroughly enjoyed this 😀
Beautiful! I’m speechless! Thank you!
Great video very interesting. Thank you.
Thank you for this most excellent documentary!
they're all wearing their Sunday best to be in this 'movie' 🥺🥰
I love spinning my own wool. I do
.then if I want, I can ply it, but I love spinning! Guess that makes me a spinster!
Loved this thank you. I crochet a lot of things slippers, blankets, hats and scarfs.
An interesting and informative video about wool production. What a treat!
Wonderful thanks for this film.🌸
great video, wool prep & spinning is a timeless craft
That was a real joy to watch, thank you.
Fascinating to see the processing and spinning right from the fleece.
Delightful! Thank you so much for sharing this.