So, you want to be like Tasha Tudor and hand spin some yarn. Maybe you don’t want to go too deep into this hobby just yet, because you’re on a limited budget, or aren’t sure if you’ll enjoy it. What is the bare minimum you need to purchase to get started spinning yarn?
To jump to the video tutorial, click here. Or, read below for a full tutorial on what to purchase to begin spinning.
The realm of fiber art and hand spinning is filled with side quests and long rabbit holes. You can spend the rest of your life researching each tool, type of fiber, and technique. There are tons of books, videos, and articles, all with different opinions and suggestions. But let’s start with the basics. Read on for the simplest, least overwhelming way to start spinning yarn.
What to Buy to Start Spinning Yarn
You only need two things to start:
- something to spin with (spinning wheel or spindle)
- something to spin (wool, cotton, angora, etc.)
It’s a little more complicated than that, but not much! I’ll walk you through it.
Something to spin with (what tools?)
First off, if you have access to a working spinning wheel, go ahead and use that! But for most people, you are going to want to start with a basic drop spindle. These are very simple tools that consist of a dowel, a disc, and a hook. If you’re into woodworking, you can make one. Or, buy one from spinning stores, some yarn stores, or my shop. I sell beginner drop spindles as part of a kit, with wool.
Something to spin into yarn (what fiber?)
The best kind of fiber to use is the kind you have access to. If you raise sheep, alpaca, mohair, etc., I recommend using your own homegrown fiber. However, learning to clean and process raw fiber is another (extremely fun and satisfying) rabbit hole. If you raise angora rabbits, your fiber is already clean and ready to spin, because angora doesn’t require additional processing.
If you don’t have clean, processed fiber, and don’t want to learn how to process your own yet, you will need to buy some. I recommend buying the same type of fiber that you grow, processed as combed top, sliver, or roving. However, if you can only get your hands on wool, it’s ok to start with that. Once you learn how to spin one fiber, you can easily transfer those skills to spinning other fibers.
Similarly, if you grow cotton, I recommend using your own cotton to learn how to spin. You will want a slightly different spindle and technique. Read my blog post about what to buy here.
What type of wool to buy to learn to spin yarn
If you don’t grow your own fiber, I recommend purchasing an undyed medium fine combed wool top or roving to begin with. I sell some in my shop as a beginner kit, and you can purchase it here. Dyed braids of combed top can sometimes be very compacted and difficult to pull apart. (A little steam will fix this, but we’re keeping things simple today.)
Good wool breeds to begin with include Corriedale, Blue Faced Leicester or BFL, Cheviot, Tunis, Columbia, or any combed top labeled as “medium wool,” or “medium fine.” Don’t get too hung up on the breeds for now, just use them as search terms to find wool best suited for beginners. Merino wool combed top is very common, but I wouldn’t recommend starting with it, because it is a bit more difficult to work with.
How much wool do you need to spin yarn?
Wool combed top is typically sold either by the ounce or by the pound in the USA. I recommend buying a minimum of 3 ounces, or up to 8 ounces. If you knit or crochet, you know that a typical skein of yarn is about 4 ounces. Roughly 4 ounces of combed top will make a typical skein. Don’t worry about how many yards it will be. That much fiber will be enough to get the hang of things, and then you can move on to colorful dyed braids or other breeds to keep things interesting. You will most likely spin lumpy yarn with inconsistent twist at first. Tell yourself that it is still beautiful and useable (because it is!)
TL/DR. Just tell me exactly what to buy!
If you’re buying online, I recommend simply searching for “Corriedale combed top,” buying about 4 ounces, and searching for “beginner drop spindle” and purchasing one that looks like the ones in these photos. Or, purchase a kit in my shop.
How to spin yarn
Check out my complete video tutorial!
What a wonderful tutorial! I wanted to share when I first tried spinning, it was a class with really rough inexpensive materials to keep costs down. We used a homemade chopstick spindle, raw wool, etc. I actually found that deterred me from learning as it was really difficult to learn on and once I made the small step to a basic spinning kit my interest, ability, and passion grew. Having the right tools can make all the difference! This guide can help you find your way to a love of spinning for sure!
I think you are absolutely right! You don’t have to spend a ton of money, but making sure you have good quality fiber and tools will be so helpful.