Transcript for
Episode 115:
Spinning More Consistent Singles
Encore episode:
You’re listening to the Sheepspot podcast, a show for handspinners about making yarn we love.
Welcome to episode 10. I’m Sasha. I'm a spinner, spinning teacher, and a dyer, and my fiber company, Sheepspot, offers diverse hand-dyed wool, and the information and support you need to make wool fiber into beautiful yarns.
I’ve been thinking a lot these days about how to spin the most consistent singles possible, as I’m getting ready to teach a class on this very topic at my studio in a couple of weeks. (If you’re local and interested, there are still a few spots left; you can find all the details at www.sheepspotstudio.com/events.)
So, what goes into spinning consistent singles? If you’re a new spinner, you may be thinking that it will take you years of practice to spin a really even yarn, and of course practice helps. But what you’re focusing on while you’re spinning can be as important as how much and how often you spin, and this episode is all getting you focused on the aspects of your spinning that will make a big impact on your consistency in a really short time. And if you’ve been spinning longer and are still struggling with spinning an even yarn when you want to, this show will really help you refine your technique.
One more thing before we dive in: I’ve made a cheat sheet to go with this episode that covers the key things I want you to bear in mind when you’re spinning for consistency, so you can just listen and spin away without having to take notes. You can find a link to the cheat sheet at www.sheepspot.com/podcast/episode10; it’s completely free with a signup to my email list. If you’re already on my list, no worries; there will be a download link for the cheat sheet in this week's email.
First off, if you want to work on spinning consistent singles, I want you to be sure to set yourself up for success while practicing these techniques.
Use the right fiber prep for your draft (combed for worsted, carded for woolen).
Use a cooperative fiber, one that you’ve worked with before and that isn’t too slippery.
Adjust your take-up so that it’s not yanking the fiber out of your hand; set it by turning your tension down until it’s not taking up the yarn at all. Then, while treadling, slowly adjust it until the take-up is comfortable.
Use the right whorl (more about this in a moment).
Next, let’s talk about sampling.
It’s always worth setting aside a bit of fiber to make some samples before you start spinning in earnest. Your sampling routine can be as simple or elaborate as you choose; it might involve systematically spinning the fiber every way you can think of in order to determine which combination of drafting and preparation you like best, or it might just involve letting yourself spin a bit to get to know the fiber and notice how it feels in your hands, and then doing a few plyback tests to choose the diameter and the amount of twist that feels right to you.
However you sample, if your aim is the most consistent skein possible, you’ll need to decide up front what diameter you’re aiming for, and set up your wheel to help you achieve that diameter. So you’ll need to sample at least long enough to figure out what that is. Experiment with different diameters and different whorls/pulleys until you find a combination you like, using ply-back tests. When you have a plyback sample you like, find an index card or a shipping tag and do two things: make a note of the whorl you’re using, and wind samples of your singles and your plyback test around the card so you’ll have them to refer to as you spin the rest of your singles.
Once you’ve got your card ready and the rest of your fiber to hand, you’re ready to start.
What makes consistency: draft and twist
Consistent singles depend on you doing two things as you spin: drafting out the same amount of fiber with each draft, and maintaining even twist. If you’re not drafting the same amount of fiber each time, even if your twist is perfectly consistent, your yarn will vary in diameter. On the other hand, if you don’t have a consistent twist, you might be drafting very consistently but your yarn, again, will vary in diameter. Areas with more twist will be thinner than the areas with less
How you achieve this combination of drafting the same amount of fiber and maintaining even twist depends on how you are drafting. Today I’m going to talk about two drafts: short forward draw for worsted yarns and supported long draw for woolen ones.
For short forward draw, follow these steps:
Check the staple length of your fiber to determine your distance of draft. Generally you want to draft out around half to three quarters of the staple length. Keeping that distance of draft consistent will make a huge impact on your consistency.
Next, you want to make sure that you are bringing your forward hand back to the same point in your fiber supply—the apex of your drafting triangle—every time; if you go too far into your fiber supply, your singles will become thicker; if you don’t come back far enough they’ll become thinner. So once you’re at the diameter you want, keep coming back to the point of your drafting triangle every time.
Also, you want to remember that you are the boss of your fiber supply. Don’t let it boss you around; stop and rearrange it when you need to.
Now, let’s talk about twist. The best way to make sure that you are adding the same amount of twist with each draft is by coordinating your drafting with your treadling. You might, for example, treadle once every time you draft forward (if you have a double-treadle wheel, count only one of your feet). So, say you’re using a whorl with a ratio of 6:1. What that means is that each time you push down with your right foot (of with both feet if you have a single treadle wheel), your drive wheel will rotate once, and your flyer will rotate 6 times. And let’s also say that you’re spinning a fiber with a three inch staple, and drafting forward an inch and a half each time. That would mean that you would be putting in six twists every 1.5 inches, or four twists per inch. If you’re coordinating your drafting to your treading, and if you’re drafting forward the same 1 and a half inches each time, you can then rest assured that you’ll spin all your singles at the same tpi, or twists per inch, 4.
Now, what if you’re spinning very fine singles, and you want more twists per inch? You can maintain the same 1 treadle to 1 draft rhythm, and just use a smaller whorl. Want fewer twists? Use a larger whorl.
When you’re getting going, and establishing your rhythm, do ply back tests every so often and compare them with your reference card to make sure you’re where you want to be.
Finally, when you’re spinning a worsted yarn, you’ll want to fix thick or thin spots as you go. For thin spots, you can just join more fiber. For thicker spots, untwist them a bit by twisting with your thumb and forefinger in the opposite direction from the direction you’re spinning and then carefully drafting out the slub until it’s the diameter you want it.
For woolen yarns using a supported long draw follow these steps:
Bring your drafting hand back to the same point each time. I draft back to about the point of my hip (another advantage, not twisting and injuring myself) each time. While drafting, count your treadles to ensure that you are adding the same amount of twist to each length of yarn, at least until you establish a rhythm.
Move your hand back at the same speed that the twist is traveling up your yarn. If you move your hand back faster, you’ll get thin spots; if you move it back slower, you’ll get thick spots.
Again, don’t let your fiber supply boss you around; stop and rearrange it when you need to.
Don’t feel that you have to micromanage every thick and thin spot. With a woolen yarn, you can address any variations in diameter in your singles when you plying and wash your yarn.
Speaking of plying, I’ll talk about plying for consistency in next week’s show, so be sure to come back for that. And don’t forget to download your cheat sheet on spinning consistent singles at www.sheepspot.com/podcast/episode10. Thanks for listening. I’ll see you next week!