Spinning a Basic 2-ply Yarn
Join me as I spin hand-dyed Targhee top roving into a 2-ply yarn using my electronic spinning “wheel,” AKA e-spinner. I spin the singles first and then ply, using joins where I decide to detach and reattach the singles when the color doesn’t match up just right. The yarn is finished via wet finishing and thwacking.
This video was made with the beginner or novice spinner in mind, or those curious to see how another spinner creates handspun yarn. I am a self-taught indie dyer and spinner with over 12 years of experience. I am by no means an “expert,” but someone passionate about the fiber arts who hopes to inspire others to take up the craft or expand their skill set without intimidation.
You may want to check out my post on How to Dye Yarn in a Crockpot. I hope to do a video in the near future of dyeing roving this way.
I filmed this video in the winter of 2023 – and I’m just getting around to finishing it, in the Fall of 2024. Better late than never, right?
The truth is when I filmed myself making this yarn, I wasn’t sure I was going to do anything with it. Last winter is when I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to make videos for the blog, so much of this was just me playing around with cameras and angles to see if I could get useable footage. All I can do is improve from here, right?? 🙂
Spinning Targhee Wool Roving from Start to Finish
I’ve subtitled the video, so feel free to watch with the sound off. 🙂
I’m still pressed for time so I don’t have the time to write a detailed blog post on this subject, but I am always happy to answer questions or support others in their spinning journey, as best as I can from a distance, anyway! So feel free to ask any questions to this seasoned but by no means perfect, or expert self-taught spinner. 🙂
When I started my spinning journey, there was not as much information on the subject as there is now. For the few people making content on YouTube, I was drawn mostly to those whose spinning I could watch and whose projects I could use for inspiration. Never mind showing me how to spin per se – that I would figure out on my own. I got interested in spinning by watching others work at Wool Shows and Fiber Festivals. I appreciated the rhythmic movement and calm that the spinning wheel presented.
Now at home with my own wheel I was left wondering what to do with the beautiful fiber I had purchased to spin. I vowed when I got good enough, I would pay-it-forward and make my own content to encourage and inspire others.
I guess you can say this video of me spinning my hand-dyed Targhee roving is my official foray into the content-creating world. 🙂 How much I end up creating remains to be seen, but fingers crossed it will be educational and helpful.
Video Description
In this short video, I cover:
- Different ways to split roving for spinning
- Spinning two sets of singles and weighing them to see if I have an even amount on each bobbin
- attaching the singles to the leader with a square knot
- plying two singles together, with my advice for those getting started
- how to do joins for reattaching yarn in the middle of plying
- wrapping yarn onto a niddy noddy
- how I tag/inventory my handspun yarn
- wet setting my super fast way, great for small skeins
- thwacking yarn
- showing the final 2-ply yarn
This is not detailed instruction on how to spin targhee wool, but a quick example that will (hopefully) inspire you to continue spinning or to appreciate the art of spinning. 🙂
Thanks for joining me as I spin this hand-dyed targhee top. 🙂
Have you ever spun or dyed targhee wool? What did you think of it? It is becoming one of my favorite fibers to work with.
Until next time…
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