Text of an article for the Bhakail Newsletter, June 2011

Based on a class I taught at pennsic 2010.
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Applied Spinning, or, “I can make pretty yarn now what do I do with it?”

If you have ever had the opportunity to observe an experienced spinner at work, you already know that there is something hypnotically pleasing about watching the whirl of the drop spindle or wheel as it goes round and round. Modern spinners enjoy their craft for a similar reason; they spin because it feels good. However, every time I spin at an event or in public, I am always asked the same question: “What are you going to make with your spinning?” When I was first learning how to spin, my answer to that question would be to tell people that I was “just practicing.” Yet, as my spinning improved, giving that same answer became less and less satisfying for me. After all, in period, producing beautifully spun yarn was not the end of the process, but rather the beginning, because the yarn or thread being spun was always meant to be used for a purpose. Spinning for projects has many benefits. Learning to direct my efforts towards spinning for projects has helped me to become a better and more agile spinner. It has also increased my understanding of the mechanics of spinning, of different fibers and their properties, and it has helped me to learn a lot about period spinning and fiber arts. I only wonder at times why I waited so long to start applying my spinning.

Benefits for the Artist
Learning to spin for a specific end product has many benefits for the spinner. Different projects call for different raw materials, and this means that the spinner will need to develop the ability to work with different fibers (linen, silk, cotton) or with wool from different breeds of sheep. The spinner may also need to learn how to add varying amounts of twist to their fiber in order to create yarn of varying thicknesses for different projects. Spinning a lofty bulky yarn can feel very different from spinning a fine and tightly woven yarn. Learning how to spin in all of these different ways can be a challenge, because spinners often develop a preference for a certain material or for a certain way of spinning. However, becoming a flexible spinner is an important part of applying your spinning.

The Science of Spinning
In addition to increasing the spinner’s skill level, spinning for specific projects also leads the spinner to think much more in-depth about the fiber they are spinning. Knowing the properties of different fibers is important when picking the correct material to use for a project. For example, the wool from different breeds of sheep varies widely in the length (staple) of the fibers, in the average thickness of each fiber, and in other properties, such as the luster of the fibers and its likeliness to felt. These differences determine how the wool will feel and perform, and thus what type of project that yarn will be most suited for. A good reference book about different types of fleeces that also contains information about the properties of wool and how to care and process raw wool is In Sheep’s Clothing by Nola and Jane Fournier. A book which goes into detail about the properties of plant and animal fibers other than wool is Fiber Facts by Bette Hochberg.

Period Considerations
When reproducing period artifacts the spinner must also consider the types of fiber and the methods of fiber preparation that were available in period. For example, the properties of wool fiber in the early Middle Ages are somewhat different from much of the fiber that is commercially available today for modern spinners. The fiber available in period, especially early period, was generally somewhat coarser than what can be found today, due to the influence of modern selective breeding, making some of the processed fiber that a modern spinner might use less suitable for period recreations. However, fleeces from sheep breeds that have closer genetic ties to their historic counterparts are available for recreating historic artifacts.

Project Suggestions
If you are a new spinner, don’t worry, there are some projects you can spin for, even if your yarn is not wonderfully even to start with. The key is to look for crafting methods which are forgiving of weak spots in the yarn, particularly techniques that will not put your yarn under much tension, or techniques that will not abrade your yarn too much. Also, beginning spinners should always work with plied yarn for their early projects. The act of plying, spinning the yarn back on itself to create a double stranded yarn, gives the yarn added strength and durability. One crafting method that fits the above criteria quite well is knitting. A good book about period knitting with some project suggestions for period hats, socks, knit purses, and more, is Richard Rutt’s A History of Handknitting.

When your yarn is a bit more even, you might want to try nalbinding, a technique that looks similar to knitting, but which uses shorter strands of thread pieced together. For a project that uses a very small amount of fiber, but that may require a bit more spinning consistency you can try fingerloop braiding, a technique which, like knitting, does not abrade the yarn very much. Once your spinning becomes generally more consistent, and you are able to spin a relatively fine yarn, consider some narrow weaving projects using tape loom. Save a technique like tablet/card weaving until you are more experienced, since the turning of cards abrades the yarn much more than other weaving methods. One excellent book which provides information that will assist with project recreations such as the ones described above is Textiles and Clothing: Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, c.1150-c.1450 by Elisabeth Crowfoot.

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If you have never thought about spinning, perhaps this article has whetted your appetite for the art and given you a glimpse of the level of complexity involved in this deceptively simple craft. As you saw above, there are some simple, but very period projects can be completed with some of your early hand spun yarn. If you spin already, but had not considered spinning for a specific period project, hopefully this article has invited you to think outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to take your spinning to the next level. If you love to spin and wish to become more skilled in your chosen art, but don’t wish to learn other crafts, remember that there are other artisans in the barony or kingdom who would be eager to get hold of hand spun yarn to with. You can team up with another person who will create a period piece from your period handspun yarn. This has the benefit of encouraging you to learn to spin in different ways, while giving someone else a good period yarn to work with.

Two additional reference books of use to the beginning or more advanced spinner are:
· Handspinner’s Handbook by Bette Hochberg
· The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning

Questions? Please feel free to e-mail me at laralu@gmail.com

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