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Encyclopedia > Spinning (textiles)
A hand-turned spinning wheel in action
A hand-turned spinning wheel in action
Cones of yarn for industrial use
Cones of yarn for industrial use
Z-twist and S-twist yarns
Z-twist and S-twist yarns

Spinning is the process of creating yarn (or thread, rope, cable) from various raw fiber materials. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1073x720, 97 KB) This image was originally posted to Flickr as Nepal 12. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1073x720, 97 KB) This image was originally posted to Flickr as Nepal 12. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1762x2700, 744 KB) Description: Conical yarn coils made by spinning and winding. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1762x2700, 744 KB) Description: Conical yarn coils made by spinning and winding. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Yarn Spools of thread Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibers, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. ...

Contents

Process

In spinning, separate fibers are twisted together to bind them into a stronger, long yarn. Characteristics of the yarn vary, based on the material used, fiber length and alignment, quantity of fiber used and degree of twist.


Twist and ply

The direction in which the yarn is spun is called twist, and yarns are characterized as Z-twist or S-twist according to the direction of spinning (see diagram). Tightness of twist is measured in TPI (twists per inch or turns per inch)[1] This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...


Two or more spun yarns may be twisted together or plied to form a thicker yarn. Generally, handspun single plies are spun with a Z-twist, and plying is done with an S-twist.[2]


Handspinning wool

A tightly spun wool yarn with no air in it is called worsted; it is handspun from a roving or combed top, and the fibers all lie in the same direction as the yarn. A woolen yarn, in contrast, is handspun from a rolag, where the fibers are not as strictly aligned to the yarn created. The woolen yarn thus captures much more air, and makes for a softer and generally bulkier yarn. A common misconception is wool spun from rolags may not be as strong, but the strength of a yarn is actually based on the length of hair fiber and the degree of twist. When working with shorter hairs, such as llama or angora rabbit, the spinner may choose to integrate longer fibers, such as mohair, to prevent yarn breakage. Wool may be spun before or after washing, although excessive amounts of lanolin may make spinning difficult, especially when using a drop-spindle. Over-washing prior to spinning may cause felting, making carding difficult and often leading to unusable wool fiber. Often a spinner will spin using varying techniques for hand-carded and rolag based yarns, and thus make a semi-worsted yarn. Wool can be dyed at any time, but is often dyed before carding due to convenience. A common method to dye wool, inexpensively, is to boil wool in vinegar water with Koolaid or food dye.[3] Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, Arizona Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals and people of the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals such as goats and rabbits and oxes... Worsted is the name of both a yarn, usually made from wool, and the cloth made from this yarn. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Combing is a method for preparing fiber for spinning by use of combs. ... Woolen is the name of a yarn and cloth usually made from wool. ... A rolag prepared using handcarders. ... Dyeing is the process of changing the colour of a yarn or cloth by treatment with a dye. ...


History

The earliest spinning probably involved simply twisting the fibers in the hand. Later a stick, called a spindle, was used to add the twist and hold the twisted fiber. Usually a whorl or weight stabilizes the spindle. The spindle is spun and twists the fiber until it becomes yarn. The spindle may be suspended or supported. Later the spinning wheel was developed which allowed continuous and faster yarn production. Spinning wheels may be foot, hand or electrically powered. The hand-turned spinning wheel called a charkha was prevalent in India and was used by Gandhi and his followers. A spindle (sometimes called a drop spindle) is a wooden spike weighted at one end with a wheel and an optional hook at the other end. ... A spinning wheel is a device for making thread or yarn from fibrous material such as wool or cotton. ... Charkha In India, a charkha is literally translated into wheel. ... Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Gujarati: , Hindi: , IAST: mohandās karamcand gāndhī, IPA: ) (October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948), was a major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. ...


Modern powered spinning, originally done by water or steam power but now done by electricity, is vastly faster than hand-spinning. New techniques including Open End spinning or rotor spinning can produce yarns at rates in excess of 40 meters per second per spinning head. Undershot water wheels on the Orontes River in Hama, Syria Saint Anthony Falls Hydropower is the capture of the energy of moving water for some useful purpose. ... A steam engine is a heat engine that makes use of the potential energy that exists as pressure in steam, converting it to mechanical work. ... Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ... In the late 1960’s, a new spinning system was developed in Czechoslovakia by DREF. The principal behind open end, or rotor, spinning is similar to a clothes dryer spinning full of sheets. ... R0t0r is from efnet ...


Hobby or small scale artisan spinners spin their own yarn to control specific yarn qualities and produce yarn that is not widely available commercially, but can be found online and in many local yarn stores. Handspinners also may spin for self-sufficiency, a sense of accomplishment, or a sense of connection to history and the land. In addition, they may take up spinning for its meditative qualities. A hobby is a spare-time recreational pursuit. ...


Contemporary hand spinning

Within the recent past, many new spinners have joined into this ancient process, innovating the craft and creating new techniques. From using many new applications of dyeing before spinning, to mixing in random elements (Christmas Garland, eccentric beads, money, etc.) that would not be in a traditional yarn, to creating new techniques like coiling[4], this craft is constantly evolving and shifting.


Materials

Yarn can be made from a wide variety of materials:

Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are used to make paper or cloth. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... Binomial name Linum usitatissimum Linnaeus. ... Torn linen cloth, recovered from the Dead Sea Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant. ... Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ... Binomial name Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich. ... U.S. Marihuana production permit. ... Species See text. ... Species About 25-30 species, including: Raphia australis Raphia farinifera Raphia hookeri Raphia regalis Raphia taedigera Raphia vinifera The Raffia palm (Raphia) is a genus of tropical palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar, Central America and South America. ... Species many, see text Yucca filamentosa in New Zealand Yucca decipiens in Zacatecas, Mexico Joshua Trees growing in the Mojave Desert. ... Binomial name L. For other uses, see Coconut (disambiguation). ... Banana Tree = Timmy wow why would you enter that you scum bag ... Binomial name Glycine max Soybeans (US) or soya beans (UK) (Glycine max) are a high-protein legume (Family Fabaceae) grown as food for both humans and livestock. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, Arizona Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals and people of the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals such as goats and rabbits and oxes... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... The angora goat is a goat from the Angora region in Asia Minor, near present-day Ankara. ... from: http://www. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world. ... The Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long, soft hair. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The llama (Lama glama) is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas[1] and other natives of the Andes mountains. ... This article is about a breed of domesticated ungulates. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... For other uses, see Camel (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1766 Subspecies Bos grunniens grunniens Bos grunniens mutus The yak (Bos grunniens) is a long-haired humped domestic bovine found in Tibet and throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, as well as in Mongolia. ... A small piece of qiviut wool Qiviut (less commonly spelt qiviuq, and pronounced kiv-ee-yuk) is the wool of the musk ox. ... Silk dresses Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont. ... Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulosic fiber. ... An acetate, or ethanoate, is a salt or ester of acetic acid. ... Polyethylene terephthalate (aka PET, PETE or the obsolete PETP or PET-P) is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family that produced by the chemical industry and is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fiber. ... Lyocell is a fibre made from wood pulp cellulose. ... Ingeo™ is a trademark for the first commercially viable man-made fiber made from 100% annually renewable resources. ... A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure and specific physical properties. ... Fibrous asbestos on muscovite Asbestos Asbestos Blue asbestos (crocidolite) from Wittenoom, Western Australia. ...

In mythology

In Greek mythology, Clotho spins the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle. The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Fates redirects here. ... Spinning Flax from a distaff As a noun, a distaff is a tool used in spinning. ...


See also

This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Detail of a crocheted doily, Sweden Crochet (IPA: krəʊʃeɪ) is a process of creating fabric from yarn or thread using a crochet hook. ... Knit hat, yarn, and knitting needles Knitting is a craft by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth. ... A Turkish woman in Konya works at a traditional loom. ... Model of the spinning jenny in a museum in Wuppertal, Germany The spinning jenny is a multi-spool spinning wheel. ... Tweed loom, Harris, 2004 Woven sheet Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn made of fiber called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. ... A spinning wheel is a device for making thread or yarn from fibrous material such as wool or cotton. ... A spindle (sometimes called a drop spindle) is a wooden spike weighted at one end with a wheel and an optional hook at the other end. ...

Notes

  1. ^ Kadolph, Sara J., ed.: Textiles, 10th edition, Pearson/Prentice-Hall, 2007, ISBN 0-13-118769-4, p. 197
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ [2]
  4. ^ Toil, Toil, Coils and Bubbles, Knitty Magazine, http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/KScoil.html

Resources

Books

  • Amos, Alden (2001). The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning, Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press. ISBN 1883010888
  • Boeger, Alexis (2005). Handspun Revolution, Pluckyfluff. ISBN 0976725207
  • Ross, Mabel (1987). Essentials of Handspinning, Robin and Russ Handweavers. ISBN 0950729205
  • Simmons, Paula (1982). Spinning for Softness and Speed, Seattle: Madrona. ISBN 0914842870

Instructional Sites

  • A complete spinning website - Learn about Blow room,carding,spinning, Fiber testing, Textile calculations etc
  • Hampshire Spinning Guild - glossary of spinning terms, and pictures
  • Joy of Hand Spinning - video instruction
  • Spin-Off Magazine Spinning Basics - A list of PDF articles from the magazine on various spinning techniques.
  • Navajo 3-ply Tutorial - plying video instruction

External links

Wool Festivals


  Results from FactBites:
 
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Spinning (textiles) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (422 words)
Spinning is the process of creating yarn (or thread, rope, cable) from various raw fiber materials.
Modern powered spinning, originally done by water or steam power but now done by electricity, is vastly faster than hand-spinning.
Hobby or small scale artisan spinners spin their own yarn to control specific yarn qualities and produce yarn not commercially available.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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