The Spinner's Companion eBook

Spinning Wheels
Parts of the Wheel
Saxony-style Wheel
Flyer Wheel
Spindle Wheel

Wheel Mechanics and Troubleshooting
Ratio
Diagnosing Wheel Problems
Lubrication

Spindles
Drop Spindles
Supported Spindles
Portable Distaffs

Fiber Types and Characteristics
Protein (Animal) Fibers
Wool
Wool Counts
A Comparison of Selected Wool Types
Choosing a Fleece
Some Other Protein Fibers
Camelid Fibers
Goat Fibers
Other Fibers
Silk
Silk Forms
Cellulose (Plant) Fibers
Seed Fibers
Cotton Breeds
Cotton Grading
Other Seed Fibers
Bast Fibers
Flax
Some Other Bast Fibers
Leaf Fibers
Man-Made Fibers
Fiber Characteristics

Fiber Preparation
Sorting Wool
Scouring (Washing) Wool
Washing Other Fibers
Aligning Fibers
Preparing Wool and Similar Animal Fibers
Teasing (Picking)
Carding
Combing
Pulling off Sliver
Cotton Preparation
Preparing Flax
Preparing Silk Mawata
Conditioning Fiber

Prepared Fiber Forms
Wool
Silk
Short Protein Fiber
Cotton
Flax
Other Fibers
Variegated Fibers

Drafting
Drafting and Spinning Methods
Short Draw
Long Draw
Spinning from the Fold
When Your Fiber Won't Draft
Woolen vs. Worsted
If Your Yarn is Irregular

Spinning Fine Yarn
Techniques For Spinning Fine Yarns
Finding a Lost for Buried Ends
Preventing Lost and Buried Ends

Twist, Grist, and Other Measurements
Twist
Spinning Singles
Measuring Twist
Removing Excess Twist from Over-twisted Yarn
Twist Angle
Grist
Comparing yarns
Twists per Inch
Characteristics of Some Commercial Yarns

Plying
How Much Twist?
Testing for a Balanced Ply
Plying with Two or More Singles
Plying from a Center-Pull Ball
Plying from a Lazy Kate
Navajo Ply
Novelty Yarns
Basic Novelty Plies

Finishing Yarn
Winding a Skein
Tying a Skein
Twisting a Skein
Center-Pull Balls
Setting Twist
Washing Yarn
Steaming
Warp Sizing
Sizing Recipes
For Wool
For Cotton or Fine Protein Fibers
For Silk
For Linen

Pest Problems and Storage
Mildew
Bacteria
Insects
Incidental Damage
Direct Damage
Detecting Insect Infestations
Remedies
Chemical Controls
Natural Controls
Biological Control
Herbal Controls
Prevention
Storage
Susceptibility of Fibers to Damage

When It Hurts to Spin

Selected Bibliography

Resources and Associations

Index

Bobbie Irwin of Montrose, Colorado, has been weaving for nearly thirty years, spinning for twenty, and teaching textile topics since the Bicentennial. She is the author of Tradition in the Making: Twined Rag Rugs (Krause Publications, 2000) as well as articles in numerous craft publications including Handwoven, PieceWork, Rug Hooking, Spin-Off, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot, The Crafts Report, and Weaver's.