How to Spin Novelty Yarns
Spun novelty yarns are a custom handspun yarn often made of exotic or unusual fibers such as bamboo, silk, tie-dyed wools, pet hair or yak. Spinners add almost any embellishment imaginable to the fiber---silk flowers, vintage fabric, buttons, even plastic---as it is spun with a spinning wheel for a one-of-a-kind yarn that knitters love. The only limitation to creating a novelty yarn is the size of the spinning wheel's orifice or opening.
Things You'll Need
- Spinning wheel
- Jumbo flyer
- Spinnable fiber
- Quilting or sewing thread
- Embellishments
Instructions
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Novelty Singles
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1
Replace the standard spinning wheel flyer and orifice on your spinning wheel with a jumbo flyer, or yarn guide, that has an extra-large orifice.
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2
Tie a leader made from string about 18 to 24 inches long to the bobbin, and pull the leader through the hooks in the flyer and out the orifice.
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3
Draft or fluff out a little bit of the fiber, then start the spinning wheel in motion. Place the fibers near the leader until it twists and pulls the fiber into a thread or yarn.
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4
Add some glitter fiber or an embellishment such as ribbon or bits of yarn leftovers in your hand. Allow the spun fiber near the orifice to pull and twist the unspun fiber around the added embellishment to embed it into the yarn.
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5
Release the spun yarn and added embellishments into the spinning wheel to wind onto the bobbin. Continue to draft and add new fiber and embellishments to the twisting yarn until all the fiber is used.
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6
Remove the finished yarn from the bobbin by taking the yarn end and winding it into a ball, then cut the end off the leader string.
Novelty Plying
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7
Place the wound yarn you are using in a sandwich bag, and place it next to you on one side. Place the spool of thread on the other side of you.
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8
Tie the ends of the yarn and thread to the leader on the spinning wheel, then start the spinning wheel to pull the leader with the ends onto the bobbin.
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9
Hold the yarn and thread with your leading hand closest to the spinning wheel---one between your index and middle finger and the other between the index finger and thumb.
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10
Start the spinning wheel in the reverse direction to ply the thread and yarn together into a two-ply yarn. Adjust the tension of the yarn going into the orifice by tightening or releasing your thumb and hand.
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11
After the plied yarn is started, add in an embellishment between the yarn and thread, allowing the twisting yarn and thread to wrap the embellishment into the yarn so it is secure.
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12
Loosen the tension in your hand to allow the spinning wheel to pull in the plied yarn and wind it on the bobbin.
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13
Keep adding embellishments, twisting and releasing the plied yarn onto the bobbin until the original yarn or thread runs out.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you cannot use a jumbo flyer on your spinning wheel, use or borrow a spinning wheel with the largest orifice possible.
Slow down or stop spinning if the embellishment gets stuck at the orifice and pull the embellishment through the opening by hand.
Do not be afraid to use items in your novelty yarn that seem odd, like doll parts, wire, paper, felted wool, hair, jewelry or plastic shapes.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit mittens image by bright from Fotolia.com
