How to Spin

Expert Beth Smith teaches you everything you need to know to spin your own yarn, from choosing a spinning wheel to every stage of preparing your fiber, plying, winding off, and finishing. Fully illustrated step-by-step instructions make it simple and easy! A Storey BASICS title for complete beginners, starting with how to choose a spinning wheel and guiding readers all the way to making yarn.

Introduction
Take the Spinning Plunge

Chapter One: Spinning in a Nutshell
Typing on a Leader - Treadling - Drafting

Chapter Two: Wheels and How They Work
Spinning Wheel Parts - Types of Wheels - Drive Systems - Tension and Tension Adjustments - Spinning Wheel Maintenance

Chapter Three: Fiber Preparations
Carded Preparations - Combed Preparations - Short Fiber Preparations

Chapter Four: Drafting Methods
Woolen Versus Worsted - Short Forward Draw - Short Backward Draw - Supported Long Draw - Long Draw - Spinning from the Fold

Chapter Five: Perfecting Your Skills
Joining New Fiber - A Matter of Twist - Tricks for Improving Consistency

Chapter Six: Plying
Lazy Kates - Choosing the Right Whorl for Plying - Choosing the Number of Plies - Rewinding Bobbins - Holding Singles for Plying - Plying from a Single Bobbin - Plying from Both Ends of the Same Strand - A Matter of Balance - Winding Off - Measuring the Length of a Skein

Chapter Seven: The End Is in Sight
Finishing Techniques - Drying Your Finished Yarn - The Importance of Samples

Glossary of Spinning Terms
Index Learn to Spin the Yarn You Love

From start to finish, spin any type of fiber into yarn that is ready to use for your favorite knitting, crocheting, or weaving projects! With expert author and teacher Beth Smith's step-by-step instructions and encouraging guidance, plus detailed illustrations and an extensive glossary, this indispensable resource covers everything from choosing your wheel to drafting the fiber and plying and finishing your beautiful yarn.