How to Spin Worsted & Woollen Yarn on a Spindle

The spindle holds the finished yarn.

Participate in the age-old practice of spinning wool into yarn by spinning worsted and woollen yarn onto spindles. Before the invention of the spinning wheel, wool fibers were twisted into thread by hand. Worsted yarn uses longer wool fibers that are flattened by hand; it's often used for rugs and blankets because it's so strong. Woollen yarn uses shorter wool fibers and is spun in a way that traps air in it. This creates a soft yarn suitable for knitted garments.

Things You'll Need

• Clamp
• Dutch comb set
• Wool fleece
• 2 feet of yarn
• Spinning wheel
• Hand carder set

Instructions

Worsted Yarn

1. Clamp the stationary part of the Dutch comb set to the edge of your table so the tines are facing up. Pull off a small handful of wool fleece and press it onto the comb's tines. Brush the wool with the hand comb part of the Dutch comb set from the right to the left. Repeat the brushing until only the shorter fibers are left on the stationary comb and the longer fibers are on the hand brush.

2. Discard the fibers on the stationary comb. Brush the hand comb with the longer fibers up and down onto the stationary comb until all the wool is transferred. The wool on the stationary comb is ready for spinning into worsted yarn. Repeat with all your wool.

3. Tie a 2-foot long piece of yarn onto the center of the spinning wheel's bobbin or spindle as the leader yarn. Thread the other end into the orifice. Press the feet petals with both feet up and down to start treading the spinning wheel. This pulls the leader yarn and wraps it around the bobbin. Tie a loop at the end of the leader yarn to catch the wool.

4. Insert a small amount wool into the loop on the leader yarn. Tread the spinning wheel with your feet. Draft your wool by holding it with your left hand and flattening it and pulling it with the right hand.

5. Draft the wool inch by inch. As the spinning wheel pulls on the wool, flatten and pull the wool out of your left hand using your right hand. Continue this process with all the wool. The bobbin or spindle holds all the finished yarn.

Woollen Yarn

1. Lay wool over one of the hand carders so that it's evenly distributed and all its teeth are covered. Hold the handle with your left hand. Brush it with the other hand carder toward you. Repeat the brushing 10 times so the wool ends up on both carders.

2. Transfer all the wool to one of the carders by brushing the top end of the carder in your right hand to the bottom edge of the carder in your left hand. Repeat the brushing until all the wool is on the carder in your right hand.

3. Place the carder with the wool on your workspace facing up. Roll the wool up towards the handle using the top edge of the other carder. This forms a rolag and is ready for spinning.

4. Tie a 2-foot long piece of yarn onto the center of the spinning wheel's bobbin or spindle as the leader yarn. Thread the other end into the orifice. Press the feet petals with both feet up and down to start treading the spinning wheel. This pulls the leader yarn and wraps it around the bobbin. Tie a loop at the end of the leader yarn to catch the wool.

5. Pull and flatten the rolag all over to pre-draft it before spinning. Insert a small amount of wool into the leader yarn's loop. Tread the spinning wheel with your feet.

6. Hold the wool with your left hand as the spinning wheel pulls on the wool with your right hand guiding it. Adjust the thickness of the yarn with your index finger and thumb on your right hand as you hold the wool in the left hand. Continue this process with all the wool. The bobbin or spindle holds the finished yarn.

Tips & Warnings

• Draft the wool with whichever hand feels more comfortable.

• Tread the spinning wheel slowly until you're using spinning yarn.

• Worsted and woollen yarn can be wound by hand onto a drop spindle, which doesn't use a spinning wheel.

References

• Seven Sisters Sheep Centre: The History of British Wool