Handspinning Tutorials

Every Sunday I do a short video and share a special stitch or trick or cheat. These are the posts that feature handspinning!

I also have a collection for knitting, crochet, and then a few I filed under miscellaneous because they did seem to fit anywhere.

Enjoy!


Handspinning has probably been around for as long as there have been people with hands, as these spindle whorls from 5000 BC attest to. And yet here we are, in the post-post-modern age where our phones are smarter than we are, trying to re-learn how to spin. Maybe in 500 years there will tutorials on how to write with pencils.


Help for Handspinners

How to do the Short Draw and the Long Draw in Worsted Style spinning (scroll waaaay down in the post)
Vocabulary for Handspinners (Worsted vs Woolen)
How to Spin A Fractal Yarn

 

How to Make and Use a Beaded Wrist Distaff
How to Test a Fiber Before You Spin

 

How to Chain Ply Yarn

 


Looking for something in particular? I take requests. Let me know what you would like to see in the comment section and I’ll try to get it done.



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6 Comments on "Handspinning Tutorials"

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Julie
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Saw your video on “Make Ones” it was just what I was thinking about last night when I was knitting a pattern that calls for a “M1″…The lean Left and Right plus the “e-loop” was really timely and very well presented. Thank you. I do have a question for you as far as increasing stitches within a pattern and it is in the pattern I am doing now as well as is the “make one” and that is to –knit or purl into the front and back of the same stitch. I was thinking as I knit this , why… Read more »
knitsbyjenn
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Well I’m glad that I found my way to you just when you needed me. I live to teach. Its a passion and I’m so luckyto find willing victims…. err… I mean volunteers. Now about that other increase stitch: Is it referred to a “kfb” or kf&b” or possibly “pfb”? Those “knit into the front and then into the back of the same stitch are sued by designers for a couple of different reasons. 1) kfb/pfb are more widely known and used than make ones. If you need or want to keep a pattern simple and easy (some publications want… Read more »
Julie
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A question about using a Drum Carder(electric). Why does it take perfectly nice batting and make small little knots or noils in it. I spread the fiber very thin, I have it at the slowest speed possible and the licker and drum are set at almost paper thin distance. I want to blend batts I have dyed but I get all these little rolled up balls of fiber….looks like a spider web filled with well wrapped little insects. Any ideas…It is a new Drum carder Brother. Julie Thanks

knitsbyjenn
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Well… noils are the result of over-processing of carding too much/too vigorously. Now I can see that you are using the lightest of setting but let me just say that noils are most commonly occur when the teeth mesh together too much. That can happen due to speed, separation of teeth and just the density of teeth themselves (pins per inch). But, some fiber does not card well at all no matter what setting you use. Usually that fiber is very (very!) fine and soft and/or very crimpy. The first rambouillet fleece I worked with taught me that some wool… Read more »
Becky AKA quirkyurbangirl
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Becky AKA quirkyurbangirl

Hi Jenn,
I would love a post about how to use a drop spindle. I know that there are lots on YouTube but you are just so easy to follow!
Blessings
Becky

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