Advanced Spinning Techniques

If you want to make very consistent and good quality thread, you have to understand the different processes involved in spinning. Spinning has been available for thousands of years, and the traditional methods are still very much used today by expert spinners and weavers. You can start the activity as a hobby right in your own home without much trouble or cost.

To Spin Fiber

The beginner or intermediate spinner can choose wool fiber that is coarser, because this is easier to spin and draft. They will find that extremely fine wool fibers are very slippery and might be harder to control until they get more experience. The twist may also be hard for most beginners. To start, you will need a spinning wheel and fiber. A lot of spinning wheels have 3 or 4 bobbins. These are generally used to ply yarns. Three bobbins is the least you need, so that you can create a 2-ply yarn. A lot of spinners can keep several bobbins so that you can go back and forth from one spinning project to the next. 

Materials Required

You will also need to wind the yarn spun and plied into a skein. You can then count the number of yards of yarn you have spun. You can spin the right amount for your needed work. The twist of the yarn can be set with the aid of a handheld steamer. You can refer to the internet and a number of books to get more tips on spinning by hand. 

You do not need a distaff to spin flax. A distaff is generally used for long line flax. The flax fibers are very long, reaching 1 yard or so, and will need meticulous preparation and dressing on a distaff before you spin. You can spin commercial flax top without using a distaff. This can be spun dry for a hairy result. Using a subtle sheen, you can also spin it wet to get smooth yarn. Linen yarn usually gets softer and more pliable if worn out. 

How to Spin

To make socks, you need about 4 ounces of fiber, for a vest, you will need 16 ounches, and for a sweater, you will need around 24 to 32 ounces of fiber. The fiber amount needed will change depending on the type of fiber, design of the garment and the size of the garment. The knit and length cables can be quite handy in adding to the number of fibers you need to complete the work. 

Vital Preparations

Draft the fibers beforehand, so that these will become easier to handle. You will find that starter spinners will need to predraft and loosen the wool to create evenly spun yarn. There are also hand-painted wool fibers that can be spun in different ways to get various color patterns. Ply the same wool fiber independently using the right plying technique so that it changes color every few inches. Preparation is very important so that you get consistent and quality results every time. 
