knittingthestash: How to Spin a Gradient Yarn

[@cheryldambrowski8751]

Loved seeing this. You took what to my eyes looked like a jumble of colors that were, for me, quite ugly and turned them into an absolutely beautiful skein of yarn. The gradient is just lovely. Thank you.

[@tlockerk]

Aha, another Bosworth Traveller, I really enjoy mine. I'm a tech and design junkie, instantly knew this was the wheel I wanted. And yours came into your life near my previous home in Lawrence KS! The one thing I probably do differently is to learn on a more standard wheel, here in Savannah our Fiber Guild rents out spinning wheels (and looms and such) to members. It took me a little longer to learn because I had to 'translate' instructions to the upright format. I have to say, the space age design looks a little weird at our re-enactment events, but I just call it an Indian Charkka "on steroids" and forego the mobcap. Spin on ....

[@Cellottia]

Thank you for filming and sharing this: it's the most useful video/tutorial I've ever seen on how to spin a gradient yarn. It never occurred to me to separate the splodges of colour in a dyed top (roving?) into lots of small pieces that I can manipulate myself to get the yarn I want... Funny how brains work, isn't it!? I really like the yarn you made; I like the orderly procession from one colour to another instead of the chaotic dashes found in the roving. Thank you!

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks so much, Katherine! So glad to pass on what I've learned :) Happy spinning!

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

Thank you! I’m a newbie spin and have two braids in my stash that I was wondering how I’d manage them. Now I’ve got a better idea of how I’d possibly handle them.

[@alisonpearson1236]

Brilliant video. Thank you so much for explaining how to do this as it’s what I want to achieve rather than having just a single or the barber 💈 look

[@knittingthestash]

Awesome! Thanks, Alison :)

[@TRaceTK]

Great tip about the staple length affecting the degree of marling....I always learn something new from you. Thanks!

[@cindymaag4212]

Thank you! I've only been spinning a year. It was incredibly helpful to see how you divided the fiber and lined it up for the spin for a Navajo ply. Thanks to your video I've now learned how to spin a gradient!

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks, Cindy! Glad to be of assistance :) Have fun with your spinning!

[@Patricia-ro33]

The colours remind me of a sunflower head -- it's lovely

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks!

[@mytrueserenity5666]

Agree...great video. I can't wait to see what you make with your yarn.

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks much!

[@lauriemc3682]

This was great, very informative. Thanks Melissa ;-))

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks so much, Laurie!

[@myroslavajacklitsch6039]

Thanks!

[@treehousefiberarts2694]

Thank you for that great tutorial!

[@knittingthestash]

Thanks, Rachel!

[@sobat7402]

Thank you so much! Your result is beautiful! Is chain ply the only way to achieve this result or can 2ply also?

[@knittingthestash]

Hi Milda--If you are a super even spinner, you may be able to make a 2-ply work with these color shifts. You would need to divide the fiber by weight (into 2 even portions) either before or after you divide for and order your colors. Then, you would have to spin spot-on consistent in terms of grist. It's a bit trickier, but I see no reason why you couldn't achieve cool results (that might differ a bit, but be equally interesting). You may end up with more marling between color changes as the two plies might not line up exactly in terms of color.

[@sobat7402]

knittingthestash , Hello Melissa, thank you for this answer. I am a beginning spinner and I never did the chain ply. Your answer give me a push to learn the chain ply so I hopefully get the same beautiful result. I love your podcast and I am always look forward to a next episode!! 👍😊

[@lynnann96]

you were Navajo plying, but it still looks like only two ply?

[@knittingthestash]

It's a chain ply (sometimes called Navajo ply); so, the final result is a 3-ply yarn!

[@bhudrlik5183]

Ok but this video is titled how to do a gradient spin but you didn’t show how you did the actual “spin”, only the preparation. Did you put the gradients of color on separate bobbins then what did you do to ply them? I saw that you used a chain ply but I’m sure that some of the different colors had more quantity than the others. Was some of the ply done with more than one of the gradients? Ie: do you have some of the light mixed wit the medium or medium with the dark? If not how did you avoid that? Do you ply only light with light and dark wit dark etc. ? I have more questions now than I did before watching the video.

[@concettorametta9005]

Love it thank you :)