Finding the “right” end of cotton sliver

Glenna — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:01:26 +0000

For those of you who spin cotton sliver, this is a simple method for finding the right end to spin from. Usually I have just seen the tip that if your cotton drafts lumpy, turn it around and spin from the other end, because cotton has a “nap” to it, but this is a method I have come up with so that you don’t have to go that far. (I think this will work for other roving or top, but other roving and top tends to be a little better behaved than cotton).

Imagine your cotton is laid out like this (because it is, due to the nap in it):

(I still haven’t quite figured out the pictures). The arrow is the direction you want to draft the roving (with the end toward the spindle and the arrow pointing toward your hand if you are spinning on a charka). If you notice, the fibers line up in a particular direction and your hand would be smoothing down the fibers. If you are sensitive enough, you can actually feel this.

Lay your sliver across your palm with one end toward your fingertips and the other end toward the heel of your hand. Lightly stroke the fiber with your other hand lengthwise first one direction then the other. The fiber should feel smoother when you stroke it one direction. If going from your fingertips to the heel of your hand feels smother, you are golden, this is how you should hold your fiber. If it feels smoother the other way, flip your fiber around. You should now be able to spin from the right end of the fiber every time.

Plying

Glenna — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:25:57 +0000

Okay, more of getting ready for classes. Here are some tips on plying. Very short and sweet, on my handout I have some pictures, but I’m not sure of how to get them to work here.

Navajo Plying (aka Chain Plying)

1. Form a loop with your yarn and pinch the end of the yarn to keep the loop stable.

2. Pull another loop through this loop.

3. Holding you loop open and holding the free end of the yarn add twist in the opposite direction of the twist of your singes.

4. Pull another loop through open loop.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 until you have plied all your yarn

Plying from Two Ends of a Center-Pull Ball

1. Using a Ball Winder or Nostepinde (Nostepinne), wind your singles into a center-pull ball.

2. Match up the inside strand and the outside strand and pull some yarn from both the inside and outside of the ball.

3. Add twist in the opposite direction from your singles.

4. Pull more yarn from the inside and outside of the ball.

5. Repeat Steps 3-4 until you have plied all your yarn

charkhafiberbook.com Blog » Spinning Tips

Finding the “right” end of cotton sliver

Plying