Tips and Tricks for Spinning

These are tips and tricks for spinning compiled by the members

Carding:

• Don’t put too much fiber on at once. Take your time.

• Best to keep the fiber on the surface, and flick it, don’t pack it down.

• For nicely shaped rolags electric drum card first, then hand card.

Dyeing:

• Roving - card after dyeing, don’t agitate.

• For space-dyeing, stencil and foam brushes work best.

Spinning:

• Oil the wheel and parts often. After every use is best.

• Use Vaseline on the metal shaft of the spindle.

• A non-slip lead on the bobbin can be made by doubling a length of yarn wrapped on the bobbin with a larks-head first and then followed by a half-hitch knot/loop.

• Always maintain tension, very important to be consistent.

• For crushed roving place pulled apart sections into tepid water for 5 minutes or so, remove and dry carefully without wringing or flattening. This will bring back the loft to the roving.

• When drafting a new fiber a drop spindle is a good way to learn how the fiber behaves.