How to Help Dry Your Handspun Wool Yarn by Wuzzing

Now that you have spun, plied and washed your handspun wool yarn in a skein it’s time to get it dry. In Colonial times in early America, this was accomplished using basic centrifugal force. This makes a great historical demonstration outside.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Wet clean handspun yarn in a circular skein loosely tied with figure eight ties to keep it from tangling
• Short dowel stick about 8 to 10 inches log and at least ¼ inch thick
• Clear warm weather
• Wide clear space outside
• Old clothing to wear you don’t mind getting a little wet

1. Pick a good clear warm day for washing your handspun yarn. Wear your old clothing.
2. Picking up the wet handspun newly washed skein of yarn and short thick piece of dowel, step outside some spot you have plenty of room all around you.
3. Looping the long skein of yarn on the dowel, begin to twirl the yarn on the dowel in a circular motion front of you. This creates centrifugal force pull the water out of the yarn.
4. Keep twirling, stopping every few minutes to test the dampness of the skein of yarn.
5. Once you think you can extract no more water out of the yarn hang up somewhere to dry more fully.

Tips & Warnings

• Though this does not completely dry your yarn, it will be dry more quickly, usually by the next day.
• Be aware that wool yarns can hold up to a third of their own weight in water and still feel dry to the touch.
• This makes for a great demo for the public or for school children on field trips, if you are doing any historical reenacting and are in costume.