Considerations of a Hand Spinner - Part 1

Welcome to The Spinning Barn!

I’m excited to have you here for the start of something a little different and special. Over the past twelve years, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching countless new spinners and welcoming them into the wonderful world of hand spinning. Each of you has brought your own unique touch, and I’ve been continually inspired, intrigued, and proud of your achievements.

Recently, I’ve been reflecting not just on the joy of teaching new spinners, but also on the essential considerations every spinner—whether new or experienced—should keep in mind when embarking on a new project.

That’s why I’ve decided to create a blog series entitled Considerations of a Hand Spinner. In this series, I’ll dive into the different aspects of a spinning project, offering insights that will hopefully inspire you to explore your own spinning practice more deeply. My goal is to help you understand what’s happening at each stage of your project and why, setting you up for success with every spin.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with spinning purely for the joy it brings. I encourage you to do just that! Spinning can be one of the most relaxing and mindful activities, and the more you enjoy it, the more you’ll want to spin. However, by taking a moment to reflect on the areas I’ll be exploring in this blog series, you can unlock a whole new level of precision and fulfillment in your hand spinning journey.

I hope you’ll join me in each instalment as we explore these considerations together. And as we go through this journey, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences along the way!

When starting a spinning project, often the first thing we think about is the fibre we’ll be spinning. For many spinners, this can be a challenge. Often, we spin for the joy of it without a clear idea of what we’ll make from the yarn. Afterwards, we might find ourselves frantically searching for a pattern that fits the yarn’s weight and quantity, which can be overwhelming. Or, like many spinners, you may accumulate a collection of beautiful yarns that were a pleasure to spin but now sit waiting for the right project - yes we have all done it!

So, how do we approach this? Well, it depends. You might fall in love with a particular fleece or a luxuriously soft fibre without any plan for what to make with it. On the other hand, you could have a knitting pattern in mind, such as a sweater for the fast-approaching winter, and need to spin the perfect yarn for that project. In either case, the choice of fibre is key to creating a successful yarn.

When examining a fleece, there are several factors to consider that can help guide you toward spinning the best possible yarn. It’s important to celebrate the uniqueness of each sheep breed. For example, coarse fibres generally produce coarse yarns, which might not be ideal for clothing worn next to the skin but could be perfect for outerwear or rugs. With a little forethought, you can make informed decisions about how each fibre can be most useful.

As spinners, we have access to a wide variety of prepared fibres, including protein fibres from animals, plant-based fibres, and synthetics (though I’ll focus on wool here). Understanding the composition of the fibre you’re working with allows you to spin it in a way that enhances its qualities—whether that’s texture, softness, or colour. Sometimes, going back to the basics and learning about the specific fleece type at its source can be extremely helpful. A quick online search or a look into a fleece directory can give you all the information you need before starting your project. My go-to books are always The Field Guide to Fleece and its big brother The Fleece and Fibre Sourcebook both by by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius.

Let's take a closer look then at what we should be considering about our fleece or prepared fibres.

• Breed - knowing the breed is helpful if we need to research a bit about it however, sometimes we do not even know which breed, or cross breed the wool actually is. And that doesn't matter really as long as you consider all of the characteristics of the wool in front of you.

• Staple length - this is one thing that can suggest the best way to prepare the wool and the best spinning technique to use. Fibres which are less than 3 inches long are usually hand carded into rolags and spun using the longdraw method to produce more lofty yarns. Longer fibres are usually combed to align the fibres and spun using the worsted technique to produce more resilient yarns with more drape. The staple length also tells us where to hold the fibre when spinning to make drafting so much easier - more on that another day!

• Crimp - this refers to the wave pattern in the staple of wool. It gives elasticity to the yarn. The amount of crimp varies in each breed and can range from very close waves to longer waves and is counted as crimp per inch. As a general rule the finer wools have more crimp per inch.

  

  
  

• Lustre - this refers to the sheen caused by how the light reflects off the fibre. It is more evident in longer wools eg Cotswold or Wensleydale. This effect remains once spun as a worsted yarn and gives a gentle sheen to your yarn.

• Fibre size - This is the micron count ie the diameter of each individual fibre. A little research will offer you this information easily. If you are buying the fibre ready processed the information should be available in the information section. Generally finer fibres have a low micron count eg merino ranges from about 11 - 26 which can comfortably be worn next to the skin, whereas Wensleydale ranges from 30 -36 microns and would not be so comfy to wear. This information will help you to choose the best fibre for your project or vice versa.

• Bulk - some wools just bounce back when you squeeze them eg the Down breeds whereas long wools in comparison are somewhat flat. This again helps you to decide the best method of preparation and spinning technique to use.

Having some knowledge about the wool you choose can make a big difference in the success of your spinning project. For example, if you're planning to make a soft, cosy scarf or cowl, it's best to pick a fibre with a low micron count, which will feel soft and comfortable against the skin. On the other hand, if you're making a blanket, softness may not be as crucial as durability, so a fibre with a mid-range micron count would be more suitable.

There are, of course, other factors to consider such as preparation methods, amount of twist, twist angles and plying methods but I'll dive into those in another post where we’ll explore them in more detail.

In the meantime, I hope this initial insight has been helpful and that you feel inspired to make more thoughtful fibre choices for your projects! As always I would love to hear your thoughts especially on what your spinning starting point usually is, after all we are all different and that what makes this craft so creative, unique and fun.

Happy spinning

Theresa

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