Transcript for
Episode 67: Twist for the Measurement-phobic
You’re listening to The Sheepspot Podcast, a show for handspinners about making yarn we love.
Hello there, my darling Sheepspotters! Welcome to episode 67 of The Sheepspot Podcast.
I’m Sasha, from sheepspot.com, where we are laser-focused on helping you make yarns you love, with beautiful fibers and top-notch instruction.
Today we’re going to talk about how to figure out how much twist to put in your yarns without a lot of measuring, and how to maintain that twist once you’ve identified it.
In episode 22 I talk about all the ways you can measure your yarns, so if you’re wanting to know about how to figure out your twist angle, your wraps per inch, your twists per inch, and your grist, do check that episode out. And it is very useful to know how to do these measurements. But the fact is that I rarely actually perform these measurements, unless I have a good reason to. I do keep rough track of my yardage (and by rough I mean I count the times my yarn goes around my two yard niddy noddy, knowing that I will likely lose some yardage when the yarn is washed), and I sometimes measure other things when I’m working on a big project that I know is going to take me awhile, so that when I start up again after a break on that project I can be sure that I’m making the same yarn. If I need to know whether a yarn is going to work for a pattern I swatch and evaluate the fabric. And while I spin I use ply-back tests to find and maintain the twist I want.
Here’s how I figure out my twist. First, as noted last week, I think about what I’m spinning and what I’m likely going to do with it. Then I make my best guess at choosing my whorl and adjusting my takeup. Then I spin for a bit. I let the yarn wind all the way onto the bobbin; yarn is acquiring twist until it’s actually wrapped around the bobbin, so I want to measure yarn that’s made that full journey. Then I loosen my brake band a bit and pull a length of yarn off the bobbin with my right hand. Then I take my left hand and grab the yarn about halfway up the length I’ve pulled out. As my left hand holds the yarn taught, I bring my right hand, still holding the end, back to meet the length of yarn. In effect, I’m folding the yarn in two. Then I let my left hand go and use it to smooth out the length of folded yarn, as the yarn plies back on itself. Then I examine the folded yarn.
What am I looking for? A twist angle of about 45º unless, as Judith MacKenzie says, “I have a good reason not to.” There are certainly situations, like spinning for socks or spinning a singles that I don’t intend to ply, where I will look for different angles. But in the majority of situations 45º works fine. And the great thing about 45º is that most of us have a fairly intuitive sense of what that is and can eyeball it easily. But I always have a twist angle gauge close by as I’m spinning.
If I’m not seeing that 45º, then I will change my whorl rather than trying to change the way I’m spinning. That’s what whorls are for: letting you put in more or less twist without trying to change things that are really difficult to change and sustain over an entire project, like your default treadling rhythm. Don’t think “I’ll just treadle faster.” Because you will treadle faster, but the second you relax or get distracted, you’ll go back to your natural speed. If you’re working on an e-spinner, then you don’t have to worry about whorls. You can just adjust the speed at which your flyer rotates until you’re getting the twist you want.
Once you’ve got a plyback sample that you’re happy with, break your yarn and tie a knot at the end to keep the twist from escaping. Then keep your plyback sample to refer to throughout that spinning project. I’m usually working on multiple projects at once, so I keep the plyback sample with the fiber. To check your twist as you spin, just make a fresh plyback sample and compare it to your original one. Easy peasy. Plus, your plyback sample will show you how much ply twist to use to get a balanced yarn.
So, to sum up:
Don’t feel that you have to measure every skein you spin within an inch of its life. Take the measurements that you need when you need them.
A plyback sample with a 45º twist angle will do just fine in lots of situations.
If you’re spinning on a treadle wheel, use your whorls—not your body—to change the amount of twist in your yarn.
Keep your plyback sample handy throughout your spin, so you can check your twist periodically and to help you in plying.
Well, that’s it for me this week. I posted a great exercise on twist to the Sheepspot Community Facebook Group last week, so you should definitely check that out if you haven’t already. And don’t forget to sign up for the #1Fiber5Ways SpinAlong, which starts December 2. We will be spinning one fiber five different ways, which is a great way to learn new techniques, improve old ones, and see exactly how different spinning methods affect your yarns. You’ll find links to both the Facebook group and the SpinAlong in the show notes for this episode, which will be at sheepspot.com/podcast/episode67.
Thanks you so much for listening, my friend. I’ll see you next week! In the meantime, go spin something!