Goodness this yarn has taken forever to get done! I’ve finally finished around 250 yards of lace weight suri alpaca yarn, from Archie’s fleece.
I love this weight of yarn, it’s the thinnest I can make. The suri fiber gives it nice drape, as well. But I think part of the reason it has taken so long is that it is hard on me to spin. The fiber is soft, but the singles cut into my hands and give me rope burn.
I have a callus on my right index finger that is so thick it makes using touch screens difficult. It’s really annoying to have a dead patch of skin like that on the tip of my finger. Anyway, it’s all part of the experience, I guess.
Cliff House Alpacas 
Wow! That looks painful. But the yarn looks great!
Thanks! It came out pretty well, but getting the twist right is tough.
They are mostly just pressure marks from trying to hold the yarn under tension, but these thin yarns can rub your skin until it is shiny.
Like guitar calluses. The world is weird when you can’t feel it.
I know right? I chewed off one the calluses because it was so annoying. Then it was more annoying because it hurt.
Guitar players have the same problem, I know. I don’t get that problem, yet. Maybe I don’t spin for as long as you do each time. Could you try holding the roving a bit more loosely? Perhaps that would help.
Both good suggestions. The best thing seems to be keeping my wrists in a “nuetral” position. And to not be so compulsive about spinning 🙂 But that’s going to take a bit more work…
I’ve seen lots of little YouTube videos on how to spin and it seems that everybody does it differently. When I started I was determined to learn a way that didn’t make my back, or my shoulders, or my arms or my wrists ache. I developed a technique whereby I keep my arms down, elbows tucked in and hands loose. It works for me so far. Oh and I also limit the time I do the spinning.