do you spin?

[Guest SamplerLady]

If someone was interested in learning to spin...say with a drop spindle.... could you estimate how long it takes to produce a quantity of yarn?

It depends on what your expecations are and what you consider a quality yarn. If one wants yarn that looks just like machine spun yarn, then I'd say years of practice and very expensively processed wool. If one is willing to admit that handspun is made by humans and has variations in size, then it'll take less time.

 

If one looks at what is sold commerically and called Homespun, it's thick and thin. It's called a specialty yarn and it looks exactly like beginners handspun. Beginners spend all kinds of time trying to learn how to spin even yarn and then have to relearn how to make thick and thin!!!

 

Another item that needs to be addressed is if one is talking about single ply yarn vs 2 or 3 ply yarn. Singles (such as Brown Sheep Lambs Pride or Monos yarn) is just one step as far as spinning. One spins it, skeins it, washes and blocks it and once it's dry it's ready to crochet. If one wants 2 ply, then one spins twice as much yarn, plys it together (twists it together), then washes, blocks, and crochets when dry. Theoretically, the plyed yarns are spun thinner and plyed together to make worsted weight or finer yarn if one is really good at spinning.

 

Personally, in the beginning, I think one avoids much frustration by looking upon spinning as one process and making something from the spun yarn a whole totally different thing. I don't spin yarn to make a ______________. I spin and then may make something for myself after the yarn tells me what it wants to be.

 

From start (sitting down to spin) to finish (rolling the finished yarn in a ball) will take much more time than crocheting the item. Spinning is one process, crocheting another. Kinda like growing your own vegetables or raising your own steer for hamburger. Learn to spin. Don't "learn to spin so I can make my own sock yarn". Kinda like, "learn to ice skate." Don't "learn to ice skate so I can be in the next Olympics."

 

Remember, too, spindling (using a drop spindle) is a similiar yet different skill than using a wheel. I don't spindle well (in fact I just gave my spindle away). But I do love my wheel. Spindles are much more portable than wheels so one has more time to spindle (waiting in line, watching the kids at the park, waiting to pick them up at school, on lunch breaks, etc.).

 

How much yarn on a spindle? Depends on how thick your yarn is. Think about wrapping crochet thread on a stick. How much does it take compaired to wrapping rope on the same stick? One is hundreds of yards, one is a couple of yards.

 

BTW, don't think the beginners "thick and thin" is useless! I won a prize at the county fair for a purse crocheted with my first yarns and fulled! Lousy (IMHO) spinning, good crocheting, great fulling!

 

One of the ways of measuring yarn that isn't really popular but can be used to help estimate how much is needed for a pattern is Wraps Per Inch (wpi). If you study this chart you can see the value of knowing how wpi can assist in determining how much yarn one needs for a project. Measuring handspun Yarn Weights More Yarn Weights

 

Here's some more information on spun yarns. Notice on the top this is a Certificate of Excellance. It took her ten years to get this certificate. Now, I don't know if she spun every day of those ten years, or once a week. But, like any other skill, it takes time to be totally proficient.

 

Relax, enjoy the journey from first yarn to excellent yarn. It's all usable from start to finish. Nothing needs to be thrown away! :sb :sheep

[Donna]

Great post, SamplerLady! :thumbsup Now I just might consider joining you spinners someday.

[Guest SamplerLady]

You'll love spinning. It's a total zen thing. Getting "into" the wool, "into" the yarn. The repetitive motion is very stress relieving, just like most fiber arts.