Spinning and Spinning Wheels – How to Get Started

Originally by Teresinha Roberts | Updated & Curated by Pioneerthinking.com

The journey from a bundle of raw fiber to a finished skein of yarn is one of the most rewarding traditional skills you can master. However, the secret to a successful start isn’t just practice—it is the quality of your tools. Many beginners fall into the trap of using “rubbish” wool or a temperamental, antique wheel that requires more repair than spinning.

To become a confident spinner, you must start with materials that work with you, not against you.

1. Choosing the Right Fiber: Start with Quality

It is tempting to accept a “free” fleece from a neighbor, but for a beginner, this often leads to frustration. Raw fleeces are frequently filled with vegetable matter, grease, and “second cuts” that make learning difficult.

The Pioneer Rule: Accept the gift politely, put the unwashed fleece aside for when you are more experienced, and start your journey with combed wool tops.

• Why Tops? Wool tops are professionally cleaned, carded, and combed so the fibers run in the same direction. This allows for a smooth, consistent “drafting” process.

• Best Breed for Beginners: I highly recommend Blue Faced Leicester (BFL). It offers a generous staple length and a beautiful natural luster.

• The Dye Connection: If you plan to experiment with botanical dyes like Barberry or Alder, BFL is a perfect canvas—it takes natural pigments deeply and holds its sheen.

• Avoid Compacted Fibers: Start with natural white wool. Dyed wool can sometimes become slightly felted during the coloring process, adding an unnecessary challenge for your first bobbin.

2. The Spinning Wheel: Precision Over Price

There is nothing more disheartening than a decrepit wheel that requires constant tension adjustment. A wheel in poor repair will either “grab” the yarn too quickly, causing it to snap, or fail to pull it in at all, resulting in a tangled mess of over-twisted “corkscrews.”

What to Look For:

• The Travel Wheel: For the modern pioneer, a folding travel wheel is an excellent investment. They are lightweight, store easily in smaller living spaces, and allow you to bring your craft to Guild meetings or community “spin-ins.”

• The Drop Spindle Alternative: If a high-quality wheel isn’t in the budget yet, do not settle for a broken antique. Instead, master the top-whorl drop spindle. A sturdy spindle with a hook at the top is portable, affordable, and teaches you the essential mechanics of twist and draft.

3. Your First Steps: Drafting and Plying

Before you sit at the wheel, prepare your fiber. Split your wool top into strips about the width of your finger.

The Pre-Drafting Secret

Gently pull the fibers apart just enough to loosen them without breaking the strand. This “pre-drafting” makes the actual spinning much faster and prevents the wheel from “tugging” the fiber out of your hands.

Adding the Twist

Spinning is simply the act of adding twist to fibers so they lock together.

• Too Much Breakage? You likely need more twist. Let the spindle or wheel turn a few more times before feeding the yarn onto the bobbin.

• Yarn Kinking? You may be over-twisting. Increase the tension or feed the yarn onto the bobbin more quickly.

The Finishing Touch: Plying

Once you have filled a bobbin (or a spindle), you have “singles.” To create a balanced, durable yarn, you must ply—twisting two or more singles together in the opposite direction. For those using spindles, a shoe-box “lazy kate” (holding two spindles in place while you ply onto a third) is a classic, effective pioneer solution.

4. Building Your Skillset

If you don’t have a local tutor, the digital world is a magnificent resource. While books are helpful for technical records, watching a video of a spinner’s hand movements is often the “lightbulb” moment for beginners.

Start simple, buy the best fiber you can afford, and soon you will be producing hand-spun yarn that is as beautiful as it is functional.

Pioneer Recommended Resources

To further your journey into traditional fiber arts, we recommend exploring these expert resources:

• Supplies & Tools: Visit Teresinha’s specialized shop at Wild Fibres for high-quality natural fibers, spinning wheels, and professional dye extracts.

• Deep Dive: For more on botanical colors, see our Pioneer Guide to Natural Dyeing, where we document the specific shades achieved with North American plants like Barberry and Alder.

The Authors:

Teresinha Roberts is a Brazilian-born textile artist and MSc Biologist specializing in wool and natural dyes.

Pioneerthinking.com has been documenting traditional self-reliance and heritage crafts for over 25 years, helping modern makers bridge the gap between historical wisdom and contemporary living.