Spinning Techniques – Page 2 – Schacht Spindle Company

How to Spin and Weave Thick and Thin Yarn – Gherkin’s Bucket Collaboration

April 2016 / Benjamin Krudwig / Cricket Loom, Projects, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

When Krysten from Gherkin’s Bucket showed me the new colorway she dyed up for this collaboration, I was floored! The stunning blues, greens, greys, and browns are a perfect way to celebrate the coming of spring. When I started planning this project, I knew I wanted to spin a thick and thin single, then ply […]

Spinning Beaded Yarn – Into the Whirled Collaboration

March 2016 / Benjamin Krudwig / Projects, Spinning Techniques

For our fiber collaboration this month, I had the pleasure of working with Into the Whirled (bio below). This month, I wanted to try my hand at spinning beaded yarn. There are a few ways to spin beads into yarn, but I think I might have chosen the most involved (but most secure) method. The inspiration for my […]

Spin Texture with the Bulky Plyer Flyer

February 2016 / Schacht Spindle / Spinning Techniques, Tool Tips

Want to spin art yarn? Want to Navajo Ply? Want to spin really fat yarn? Want to ply a lot of yarn onto a bigger bobbin? Then, the Bulky Plyer Flyer is for you. You can add the Bulky Plyer Flyer to any Schacht Matchless, Ladybug, or Sidekick Spinning Wheel. The same flyer and bobbin […]

From Fiber to Finished Object – Lesson Time

February 2016 / Jillian Moreno and Beth Smith / Floor Loom, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno live about 30 minutes from each other and spend a lot of spinning time together, trading ideas and cheering each other on. Recently, the two have found weaving sneaking into their thoughts more and more. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” they said, “to do a project where we spin our yarn […]

Tips for Spinning Fine Yarns for Handwoven Lace – Maggie Casey

January 2016 / Maggie Casey / E-Newes Archives, Spinning Techniques

Clean and oil your wheel. This is a good rule for any project, but especially when you want to spin a fine yarn. Take the bobbin off your flyer and use a paper towel to remove any old oil or grit from the flyer shaft. Then lightly oil the shaft so your bobbin spins freely. […]

Dispatches from the Loom

November 2015 / Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno / Clothing, Projects, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno live about 30 minutes from each other and spend a lot of spinning time together, trading ideas and cheering each other on. Recently, the two have found weaving sneaking into their thoughts more and more. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” they said, “to do a project where we spin our yarn […]

Spinning to Weave

October 2015 / Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno / Projects, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno live about 30 minutes from each other and spend a lot of spinning time together, trading ideas and cheering each other on. Recently, the two have found weaving sneaking into their thoughts more and more. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” they said, “to do a project where we spin our yarn […]

The Weaver and the Groundhog

October 2015 / Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno / Clothing, Projects, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno live about 30 minutes from each other and spend a lot of spinning time together, trading ideas and cheering each other on. Recently, the two have found weaving sneaking into their thoughts more and more. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” they said, “to do a project where we spin our yarn […]

Sampling: the Long and Short of it

October 2015 / Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno / Clothing, Projects, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno live about 30 minutes from each other and spend a lot of spinning time together, trading ideas and cheering each other on. Recently, the two have found weaving sneaking into their thoughts more and more. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” they said, “to do a project where we spin our yarn […]

Handmade With Handspun

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / Clothing, Decorations, Projects, Spinning Techniques

Here at Schacht Spindle Company, we are no strangers to using handspun yarn in our projects. For many of us in the office, we rarely buy yarn, because our handspun stash grows so quickly. Events like the Tour de Fleece and Spinzilla give us an opportunity to really boost our stash of handspun, but sometimes […]

Smith and Moreno Take On Weaving

September 2015 / Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno / Projects, Spinning Techniques, Weaving Techniques

Beth Smith and Jillian Moreno live about 30 minutes from each other, and spend a lot of spinning time together, trading ideas and cheering each other on. Recently, the two have found weaving sneaking into their thoughts more and more. “Wouldn’t it be fun,” they said, “to do a project where we spin our yarn […]

Seven Suggestions for Savvy Spinzilla Spinners

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

Preparing for our third year of Spinzilla, we have learned some things that helped keep the stress down during the week of full-speed ahead spinning. 1. Prep Prior to the week – This can’t be stressed enough. For many of us, we work a job, have families and still need to spin a bunch of yardage. […]

For Spinzilla, Kate is Spinning…

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

What I love about Spinzilla is that it gets me spinning! Once I’ve got some momentum, spinning is a meditative, calming wonderland, but as a beginning spinner still, it can be hard to get those treadles moving. Last Spinzilla, however, I spun nearly a mile of fiber, and got a running start at the yarn […]

For Spinzilla, Betty is Spinning…

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

One of our high-yardage spinners hails from our shipping department. An award winning and published spinner, BettyPaepke is known for her mixing and blending of fibers. As part of preparing her fiber, she loves starting with raw fleece. Betty has been one of our top spinners two years in a row, and this year she […]

For Spinzilla, Denise is Spinning…

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

One of the industry’s favorite hand dyers of yarn and fiber is Anzula, based in California. I love the consistency and colorways of their fiber braids which include Ocean, Forest, Garden, and Fire. Sabrina searches for yarn bases and fiber that are luxurious and high quality. Anzula also sells a variety of undyed natural fiber. Don’t […]

For Spinzilla, Benjamin is Spinning…

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

For the past few months, I have been a subscriber to the Spunky Eclectic Fiber-of-the-Month Club. A service that provides me with hand dyed fiber every month! Each month a different fiber type/breed is chosen and then dyed by Spunky owner, Amy King, in a color way inspired by a photo. I just love getting a mystery […]

Interview With Beth Smith – Author of The Spinner’s Book of Fleece

September 2015 / Benjamin Krudwig / News, Spinning Techniques

Recently I had the pleasure to sit down with Beth Smith, the author of The Spinner’s Book of Fleece, and ask her a bunch of questions. Beth Smith is an accomplished spinner who has written many articles and now a fantastic resource book for every spinner. Her book takes the reader on a tour through […]

Fish are Jumpin’ and the Cotton is High….

May 2015 / Denise Renee Grace and Irene Schmoller / Spinning Techniques

Though I know summer is just around the corner, it is still chilly here and has been wet (which is actually lovely for this time of year), but soon it will be nice and warm hot. In anticipation for summer, I have been drawn to working with cotton. It is such a different experience to work […]

Spinning and Weaving Lessons: Crafting a Life

January 2015 / Kate White / Clothing, Floor Loom, Harness Loom, Projects, Spinning Techniques

When we weave and spin, we create something new. From nature, we gather that which appears to be formless and apply the uniquely human work of our hearts, hands, and minds. We spin countless individual fibers together into a yarn that is strong. We then cross that yarn with another one, over and under, to make the […]

Joy to the Whorl – Beginning Spinner

January 2015 / Pam Mondry / Spinning Techniques

Pam spinning at the Denver Art Museum during Spinzilla The opportunity to work at Schacht Spindle Company presented itself to me this summer, and two weeks before starting, Jane Patrick called asking if I wanted to be on the company’s Spinzilla team. I love trying new things but spinning is something I believed I would […]

Spinning lessons – Momentum

January 2015 / Kate White / Spinning Techniques

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, and I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it […]

How to Spin an Ombre Yarn

November 2014 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

With Spinzilla a month behind us, I finally have found time to explain how I managed to blend two colors of bamboo fiber into a five-hue shift ombre yarn. Ombre and gradient have been a particularly popular trend over the last couple of years. I decided that I wanted to hand blend my own long-color change […]

Denise’s Guide on Choosing a Schacht Wheel

October 2014 / Denise Renee Grace / Spinning Techniques, Tool Tips

This post is about how each wheel performs from Denise’s perspective. For a list of specifications and additional information, check out our website! With a personal account of each wheel, the comparison chart, and talking with your dealer, you should be able to choose a wheel with ease! On the heels of Spinzilla, I still have […]

Let’s Talk About Tension

September 2014 / Denise Renee Grace / Spinning Techniques

A guide to fine-tuning your tension to make the yarn you want. Your treadle speed, your drive ratio, and your tension all contribute to being able to spin different fibers into different yarns – the possibilities truly are endless. Today we’ll talk a bit about using tension in support of spinning the yarn you envision. As Spinzilla nears ever closer, […]

Spinning Lessons – Presence

August 2014 / Kate White / Spinning Techniques

As a knitter, I always planned my projects with the finished product in mind, choosing my pattern and recipient, and then the yarn, with great intention. As a spinner, on the other hand, I’ve been acquiring fibers with no knowledge of their destiny, or even how to spin them. I bought my first roving about […]

Default Yarn Challenge – Denise Renee Grace

August 2014 / Denise Renee Grace / Spinning Techniques

Spinning is probably my favorite fiber art. That is a pretty big statement for me, as I love all of the fiber arts tremendously. Although spinning is free and flowing, it still gives me an avenue of utmost control. It is the best of both worlds! Exploring everything from crazy textured yarn to 6-ply lace […]

Default Yarn – Benjamin Krudwig

July 2014 / Benjamin Krudwig / Spinning Techniques

From left to right – Top row: 2-ply, singles. Bottom row: 4-ply, 3-ply. Initially when I started thinking about my yarn, I thought “I will make a worsted weight 2-ply yarn.” However when I started to think deeper about my “default yarn,” I realized it wasn’t the weight or ply of the yarn, but the mechanics […]

Spinning Lessons – Inflection

July 2014 / Kate White / Spinning Techniques

Several years ago, I signed up for the Fiber Project at Feederbrook Farm. Then a knitter, I requested my wool share as roving, with the idea that I would one day learn to spin. I moved that fleece across the country with me, and when I interviewed at Schacht I said, “well, I don’t […]

Default Yarn Challenge – Gail

July 2014 / Gail Matthews / Spinning Techniques

Default Yarn Challenge – Gail Matthews I was happy when the office staff decided on the “spin your default yarn” challenge because I conveniently had a full bobbin of my default singles waiting (for a year or more) for me to do something with it. Navajo Plied on the Bobbin Not long after I started […]

Default Yarn Challenge – Paul

June 2014 / Denise Renee Grace / Spinning Techniques

Default Yarn Challenge – Paul Paul’s barber pole yarn. This article comes from Denise, who has been a wonderful spinning mentor for Paul. After Spinzilla last year, Paul, who is our master molder and Cranbrook Loom builder, joined the ranks of the spinning enthusiasts here at Schacht. He then took Maggie Casey’s spinning class where she teaches how to […]

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