LEARNING PATH | SPINNING
LEARNING TO SPIN YARN
Spinning your own handspun yarn for knitting or weaving can be so much fun and satisfying. Learning to spin will give you ultimate understanding and control over so many characteristics of your yarn. From softness to size and from twist to texture, learn how we make our own yarns with our enthusiastic and encouraging spinning instructors here.
1
Spinning From Scratch
1 hr 43 min | 14 lessons
- Learn to spin a continuous yarn using your spinning wheel.
- Learn to make a simple, traditional 2-ply yarn and finish that yarn in preparation for knitting or weaving, or whatever you might like to do with it.
- Understand that multiple variables affect the characteristics of your finished yarn. We’ll talk about the main variables that affect your handspun like what makes a thin or thick yarn, what makes a soft and smooth yarn, what makes a lofty yarn or a sleek and slinky yarn, and more.
2
Spinning with Suspended Spindles
1 hr 40 min | 9 lessons
- Explore each step of Debbie Held's own supported spindling process, demystifying these spindles and demonstrating how you too can spin your most beautiful yarns yet — even when you’re on the go!
3
Spinning with Supported Spindles
1 hr 38 min | 2 lessons
- Explore each step of Debbie Held's own supported spindling process, demystifying these spindles and demonstrating how you too can spin your most beautiful yarns yet — even when you’re on the go!
4
Spinning with E-Spinners
1 hr 16 min | 2 lessons
- Learn to spin with e-spinners like the Ashford E-Spinner, Hansen Minispinner, and Nano EEW.
- Completed “Spinning with E-Spinners” course
GROWING YOUR SPINNING SKILLS
1
Spinning Up a Level
3 hr 58 min | 37 lessons
- Explore how you can begin to go from a beginner spinner to a spinner that can plan the exact kind of yarn they want to spin for a specific project.
- Discover various techniques of fibre choices, fibre preparation, drafting, plying, and finishing to achieve the hand-spun yarn of your dreams.
2
Nuances to Spinning Better Yarns
3 hr 21 min | 9 lessons
- Learn how to treat commercially prepared fibre with a soaking treatment.
- Learn how to prepare carded rovings and rolags with a blending board.
- Understand how to ply through rings, and package fibre for spinning.
- Discover joining techniques.
- Explore how to describe or assess your handspun, and more!
3
Spinning Intentional Colour
2 hr 31 min | 7 lessons
- Learn how colour is affected by spinning.
- Recognize essential colour theory vocabulary: hue, saturation, value, and temperature.
- Discover how to make a “muddy” skein so we can intentionally choose to avoid, or embrace, the mixing and blending of colour.
- Understand how our spinning decisions affect our colour results and also produces different kinds of yarn.
LEARNING TO SPIN DIFFERENT FIBRES
1
Spinning Sheep Breeds
5 hr 22 min | 26 lessons
- Learn the differences between wool classified as fine, medium, long, down and primitive wools.
- Show how to spin the wool and the thoughts behind these choices.
- Explore uses for the yarns we make from various wools.
- Talk about project planning and inspire you to use your own handspun.