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    Get Spun: The Step-by-Step Guide To Spinning Art Yarns

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    Interweave
    This document provides an overview and instructions for spinning art yarns using both traditional and non-traditional materials. It discusses fiber selection and preparation, as well as techniques for creating slubby thick-and-thin yarns. The document also covers adding elements like beads, cocoons, and unspinnable materials. The goal is to teach spinners how to make yarns that are uniquely artistic yet still functional.

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    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Get Spun: The Step-by-Step Guide To Spinning Art Yarns

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    Interweave
    10K views8 pages
    This document provides an overview and instructions for spinning art yarns using both traditional and non-traditional materials. It discusses fiber selection and preparation, as well as techniques for creating slubby thick-and-thin yarns. The document also covers adding elements like beads, cocoons, and unspinnable materials. The goal is to teach spinners how to make yarns that are uniquely artistic yet still functional.

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    get Spun: The Step-by-Step Guide to Spinning Art Yarns

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    This document provides an overview and instructions for spinning art yarns using both traditional and non-traditional materials. It discusses fiber selection and preparation, as well as techniques for creating slubby thick-and-thin yarns. The document also covers adding elements like beads, cocoons, and unspinnable materials. The goal is to teach spinners how to make yarns that are uniquely artistic yet still functional.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    10K views8 pages

    Get Spun: The Step-by-Step Guide To Spinning Art Yarns

    Uploaded by

    Interweave
    This document provides an overview and instructions for spinning art yarns using both traditional and non-traditional materials. It discusses fiber selection and preparation, as well as techniques for creating slubby thick-and-thin yarns. The document also covers adding elements like beads, cocoons, and unspinnable materials. The goal is to teach spinners how to make yarns that are uniquely artistic yet still functional.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 8

    get

    Spun
    The Step-by-Step Guide
    to Spinning Art Yarns

    Symeon North
    contents
    introduction
    What Makes an Art Yarn?

    Materials
    Fiber — Traditional & Nontraditional
    Other — Materials Beads, Cocoons, Hardware
    Dyeing & Blending

    Basic techniques
    High-Twist Worsted
    Bulky Singles
    Slubby Thick-and-Thin

    Core Spinning
    Elastic Core
    Coils & Partial Coils
    Wool “Chrysalis”

    Locks
    Adding Locks
    Spinning All Locks
    Plying in Locks

    Adding In
    Strung Beads on Binder
    Strung Beads on Yarn
    Cocoons

    Unspinnables
    Plastic Bags
    Fabric

    plying
    High and Low Twist 4 Worms
    slubby
    thick- and- thin

    M
    any of us (myself included) start out
    spinning bulky, slubby yarn. Once we tune
    our drafting skills and gain more control,
    we start to make finer and more evenly spun yarns. But,
    occasionally we can run into problems when we try to
    return to spinning that bulky, slubby stuff that was so
    easy at the beginning.

    Spinning a bulky yarn requires different control and rhythm than


    spinning a smooth, fine yarn—synchronizing the body (hands and feet)
    with the senses (sight and touch). When all of these elements are in
    tune, good spinning happens. Spinning slubby and bulky yarn is a good
    but less traditional technique, ideal to cut your art-yarn teeth on. There
    isn’t too much juggling of fibers and feet going on, so it can be a great
    confidence booster.

    The first step in spinning thick-and-thin is the same as for every yarn:
    fiber selection and preparation. Use a combed top for two reasons:
    the shorter and weaker fibers are eliminated, and the side–by-side,
    parallel alignment of the fibers helps to create slubs. The more you
    predraft, the less you will need to draft while spinning, giving you more
    opportunity to concentrate on the twist entering your yarn. When you
    are attenuating the fibers, allow some unevenness; thicker and thinner
    potions of fiber supply will help create variety in the yarn.

    get spun 5
    Spinning Slubs dictate the frequency of the slubs. Each person’s hands have
    Start out by spinning up to a yard of worsted-weight their own drafting rhythm. Your arms and hands will develop
    yarn, drafting the fiber evenly. This ensures that a particular distance that they draft out the fibers, and
    your fibers are connected to your leader and helps eventually they will draft almost exactly the same distance
    to establish your natural rhythm. Soon you will each time.
    come to an area where your predrafting and the
    staple length of the fibers have created a slub. To
    create a slub, relax your twist-control pinching hand Spinning Thin
    and steadily slow the treadling speed. Allow the Part of the drama of a slubby yarn is adding thin parts
    twist to glide over the slub. (A bulky yarn requires between the thick parts for contrast. As with any yarn, the
    far fewer twists per inch to hold together, as little as amount of drafting dictates the size of the yarn, and drafting
    one twist per inch.) smaller and finer will produce a thinner section of yarn.
    Continue adding slubs as you like. The staple When you were attenuating the fibers (the second step of
    of the fiber and your natural drafting rhythm will predrafting), the midpoint of the fiber between your hands

    1 2 3 4

    spinning slubby and bulky


    1  To begin, spin a length of worsted-weight yarn.
    2  Relax your twist-control hand while slowing your treadling.
    3  The twist will glide over the slub, holding it together.
    4  The slub requires less twist to hold together than the thinner portions.

    6 slubby thick-and-thin yarns


    probably created a thinner section where one fiber’s
    staple ended and another began.)
    Just as you slowed your treadling to add less twist over
    the bulky slub, speed up the treadling to create a stable
    fine section. You will need to practice finding the balance
    between overspinning the slubs (treadling too fast) and
    adding enough twist to the finer sections.
    A good way to judge is to measure and weigh your
    finished yarn. Bulky yarn should weigh around 600–800
    yards per pound. If your yarn has significantly more
    yards per pound but still measures about 10 wpi, you
    may want to practice your predrafting. You can also try
    just treadling slowly—even painfully slowly!—without any
    fiber. (This can be a helpful exercise for any spinner).

    1 2
    spinning thin
    1 When predrafting,
    thinner areas of fiber may
    have developed between your
    hands. These are ideal for
    spinning thin sections between
    slubs.

    2 When you come to a thin


    spot in the fiber, speed up your
    3 4 treadling.

    3 The thinner portion needs


    more twist to hold together
    than the slubby portions.

    4 Alternate thick and thin


    portions for richly textured
    yarn.

    get spun 7
    spin funky
    and functional!
    Looking for ways to jazz up your handspun? Want to create yarns as
    individual as you are, that express your artistic vision, but are still
    useful? Get Spun teaches spinners to create art yarns with structure.
    By combining traditional skills, unconventional techniques, and an
    unlimited range of fiber possibilities, readers can not only create the
    yarn of their dreams, they can make it strong enough to last.

    Inside you will learn :


    4 Art-yarn spinning fundamentals and techniques with clear step-by-step photographs
    4  echniques for wool, silk, and beyond, including nontraditional materials (fabric,
    T
    plastic bags, silk cocoons), glitz, sari silk, and add-ins
    4 Instructions for dyeing and blending fiber and yarn

    Want to learn how to spin the cool, funky art yarns that you find in knitting boutiques
    (at boutique prices) or make your fiber art project unique? This is the book for you!

    Symeon North is an independent fiber artist, spinner, and dyer who works
    Paperback, 8½ x 9, 120 pages under the moniker “Pippi Kneesocks.” Her articles and designs have
    100 photographs
    appeared on Knitty, and she is a contributor to the book Spin to Knit.
    ISBN 978-1-59668-064-7
    $22.95
    available March 2010

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