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invinciblegirl
New Pal
USA
47 Posts |
 Posted - 08/23/2005 : 11:22:03 AM
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| I am using a top whorl spindle, and I've been spinning for a couple of weeks. My yarn is getting much more consistent (and thinner, because I want to try plying), but it's kinky. Will plying relax the kinks some? Or am I chronically overtwisting? |
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jaymeKnits
Permanent Resident
USA
1326 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2005 : 12:23:39 PM
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I'm pretty new too and had the same problem. Setting the twist helped and plying looks like it is fixing the rest of the problem. I'm going to try to have less twist on my next try. The goal is that when your yarn is completely finished and in a skein when you hold the open skein by one end of the loop the other end hangs straught down and doesn't twist.
I was told there is no really way to know how much twist you need, it's just trial and error and experience.
Jayme |
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Momma78239
Permanent Resident
USA
4859 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2005 : 1:47:03 PM
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Plying will take care of it - if you ply with enough twist to balance it. But don't worry about it too much. That over-twisted yarn is also called "energetic" yarn, and is actually preferred for some applications. Some say socks last longer done in energetic singles.
-Wendy
And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. Exodus 35:25 |
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petiteflower
Chatty Knitter
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2005 : 3:57:46 PM
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Here is a way to test whether you are in the general ball park of spinning a single with the right amount of twist. Now, this is for a single that is going to end up getting plied with one or more buddies.
Spin a length of yarn, say a yard or so, just to get yourself going and to get established so you are spinning the thickness that you want. Now, slowly release any tension you are holding on this just-spun yarn and let it "ply back" on itself for several inches. We'll call this several inches your "test length". Is it a nice evenly-twisted 2-plied yarn that you see? Then you are doing terrific. If you are over spinning you are going to see crammed together and uneven twists, and the more you've overtwisted, the more crammed together and uneven the twists will be. Not enough twist might look somewhat even, but as it's plying back on itself it will do so a bit lifelessly, and you will see that your singles are looking weak because they don't have enough twist to withstand the UNtwisting that they went through to get plied. Keep up this little routine, of spinning a bit, like a foot or two, checking it with the ply-back test, and then making adjustments as needed. When you get your singles in that happy medium, this "ply-back" test is going to SHOW YOU that you are there. Your plied yarn is going to look very much like your test length, so get your test length how you want it and keep checking every so often as you are spinning just to make sure you are staying on track. YOU are in control of the amount of twist. With a spinning wheel, you have your treadling to help you gauge the addition of twist. Each treadle is a revolution of the drive wheel, and adds exactly the same number of twists to your yarn. If you draw the same length and thickness of fiber out with every push on the treadle, you will be putting in a calculatable number of twists per inch of yarn. Now, with a spindle, you have no treadling to measure against, but you have your mind that gives you your sense of timing, your power of observation, your emperical knowledge. Once you've used the ply-back test to establish what it is you are striving for in the way of twist, then it's just a matter of time and experience before you instinctively know what to do in order to get the single to look like that. And your fingers will be learning how the single should FEEL without your brain even knowing about it. It is not just the look of things that guides us. In fact, there have been a plenty of sightless spinners who have enjoyed this craft.
Now, the ply-back test is not quite the thing for spinning yarns that are going to stay singles, because singles don't need that extra twist put in that gets lost during plying. You don't want a single ply yarn to be plying back on itself quite as energetically. I don't use singles in my knitting so I do not make them, but I am thinking that someone who spins single ply yarn a lot probably has a good method to their madness. |
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invinciblegirl
New Pal
USA
47 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 11:08:03 AM
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That is bar-none, the perfect advice.
Thank you! |
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petiteflower
Chatty Knitter
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2005 : 4:50:22 PM
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| You are so very welcome! |
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