How to Spin Yarn for Singles Tutorial

**I love helping people learn about fibre arts... I also have to pay the bills! A lot of work goes into these videos so if you found it helpful, please consider supporting the channel by buying me a ‘virtual coffee’ via my Ko-Fi account : www.ko-fi.com/tinyfibrestudio or joining my Patreon: www.patreon.com/tinyfibrestudio Thank you!**
In this video I share how I spin yarn for singles. I'm using hand dyed shetland (in my memory it was merino, but after shooting this video I went back and watched episode 3 of my podcast and I discovered my mistake!) with a short backward draw to produce yarn for The Doodler shawl by Stephen West.
I'm a spinner who's trying to be more intentional with my spinning. I host a podcast and tutorial videos on this channel, along with an upcoming spinalong series to coincide with the Ply Magazine 51 Yarns book. Feel free to hit the subscribe button if you don't want to miss out.

[@TinyFibreStudio]

As I was finishing my spinning for The Doodler shawl, I thought now would be a good time to do a singles spinning tutorial for you. Hope you find it useful. I'd love to know whether you've spun singles yarns before and what you've made with them. **I love helping people learn about fibre arts... I also have to pay the bills! A lot of work goes into these videos so if you found it helpful, please consider supporting the channel by buying me a ‘virtual coffee’ via my Ko-Fi account : www.ko-fi.com/tinyfibrestudio or joining my Patreon: www.patreon.com/tinyfibrestudio Thank you!**

[@lunasmum6869]

I spun some yarn a while ago which I am thinking will make a lovely singles yarn for a shawl so, thank you so much for your tips on leaving yarn as singles. I find that steaming compacted fibre works wonderfully in most cases. I have a clothes steamer which stands on its own and I can pass the fibre slowly through the steam. The fibres relaxing is a wonderful sight! I found this by accident as I had some compacted, almost felted, fibre I was having a difficult time with. I decided a cup of tea would be a good thing to help save my sanity! When the kettle boiled I reached in to turn it off and, for some reason, was still holding some of the fibre and was amazed when I saw the effect of the steam on the fibre. Often I carry on spinning forgetting to move the yarn along the bobbin and there is a lot of loose build up. There is no way I could ever afford a Woolee Winder but it would be wonderful not to have to worry and have a nice even bobbin.

[@2ladyhomesteadershodge898]

I am a new spinner living in the middle of the boonies on a 100% off grid homestead. So finding a teacher meant driving hours (and I have livestock to care for). Then I found your channel and Jennifer on Expertly Dyed. I watch your hands, listen to your words, take detailed notes and view your videos multiple times (on my tiny handheld phone). I can now call myself a "spinster." A newbie "spinster " that knits with yarn that I spun from my sheep's fleece. Thank you! You are my hero! BTW: I have Border Leicester sheep. Vivian Ann on the side of the mountain in northeast Tennessee

[@Bobbieliz]

This is a very valuable lesson. I added quite a bit of knowledge for my singles spinning.

[@nystrompalannetmaria594]

Can´t thank you enough for this 51 yarns series! I tell everyone that spin about it and everyone else because they should. Love it, Becks! Thanks again. A great "go to".

[@penelope3536]

Thank you. I especially liked the reviews of the books and also the clear explanation.Look forward to more videos.

[@mstellaravaglia700]

Hello from Brazil! Just a note to say thank you for the great tutorials! I've just started spinning and they are very informative

[@joeannasmith6996]

Just love your videos and learn so much from them. I’ve spun for knitting successfully for a two ply but now need to do a single for a lace weight shawl. This gave me a lot of info to help my spin. Thanks again!

[@llessard]

Thanks for the video Becks! I intentionally spun singles once about two years ago. This reminded me that I should try it again. And giving the yarn a hot/cold/hot bath to set it is a great idea!

[@EmeraldQueen206]

Love this video. I definitely learned a lot. Thank you, for sharing.

[@denisepage-demorst2284]

Thanks so much for your series. So informative.

[@cheryldambrowski8751]

Another great video. Thank you. I have spun singles but haven't knitted anything with them, yet. I love my spun yarn in the skein and don't seem to be in a rush to do anything else with the finished yarn.

[@heathertewksburyht]

Thank you so much. I haven't been able to find any videos that are as informative. I have never tried singles but am feeling a little more confident now. Please continue with these tutorials. So helpful

[@TinyFibreStudio]

You’re welcome Heather! I’m happy to hear you’re feeling a bit more confident! I’ll definitely be doing more of this style of video. 👍

[@elizabethtoedt4479]

Becks, Thank you for your helpful videos! I have been knitting for 25 years and am fairly new to spinning. Your tutorials are great! The 51 Spinning was a brilliant idea! Cheers from Olympia WA.

[@sharonimler857]

I have been spinning for a long time and I thought it was very helpful. You did a great job..

[@howlingwind1937]

I find spinning a fine micron merino very nice, the staples are lovely and long and soft, so I was surprised your experience wasn't nice. But I guess that just shows how our art of spinning has many variables, and surprises! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Cheers!

[@kristibbradshaw]

Wonderful video. I really loved it. Thank you.

[@sleepydrJ]

Absolutely love your videos!

[@janemorrow6672]

Wonderfully helpfull. I’m interested in spinning singles for weaving and using as the weft.

[@justducky0]

outstanding explanation and demonstration, many good tips that others have overlooked

[@TinyFibreStudio]

Thank you so much - that means a lot to me. 😊

[@andreabritz4572]

I am just starting to spin and found your video very informative

[@Cellottia]

Hello, I'm new to you and your channel and am enjoying soaking up your spinning knowledge! 12:35 Spinning clockwise or anticlockwise: I have found that crochet with my own handspun takes a lot of twist out and makes a weak and too-soft yarn. Thus if I'm spinning to crochet, I'll spin anti-clockwise and ply clockwise. Knitting or other uses don't have that effect, I have found, so I spin those in the received manner: spin clockwise, ply, anti-clockwise. Now weavers, on the other hand, especially those re-creating historical (I'm talking about medieval and perhaps Anglo-Saxon) fabrics, may have a need for alternating S- and Z- twist yarn ends in the warp, as this will give the finished fabric a particular energy and appearance. I forget whether this is done in order to mimic a more complicated weave or whether it gives longevity, or some other property to the fabric, but I know for sure that ends (warp threads) spun in opposite directions have been purposefully alternated in the warp as a conscious design decision. Oh, that I could remember all that I come across and find fascinating or useful! Keep doing what you're doing, it's good stuff! Katherine from Kent 🐑🐏🐐🐃🐫🐕(yes, I have dog fur in my stash!l

[@alwayshappyfeet5278]

I like your tutorial a lot > perfect informative and well put together ....> very useful ...More Please

[@TinyFibreStudio]

Thank you so much - I’m really glad you enjoyed it. There will definitely be more coming soon. 👍

[@vernonbowling5310]

Amazing you don't have to move the slider or change to another hook on the e spinner it balances the yarn on the bobbin perfectly.

[@Laurie_in_Maine]

Pauses video to go round up basket of Ply issues. (I've only ever knit with a commercial skein of single yarn once - daughter bought (and asked: Please, make me a hat?). Such an interesting video. How have I not come across your channel until this morning? I see how my morning will be spent!

[@Laurie_in_Maine]

(The answer is "she lives under a rock!")

[@janethowell9048]

Really useful. Thank you. I’ve been crocheting with commercial singles Aran and chunky weight for a while but they are getting harder and more expensive to buy. I’ve got my wheel down from the attic and have decided to spin my own

[@janethowell9048]

PS. Anyone want to form a “singles yarn” group or know of one?

[@sean...]

Fantastic video thank you so much for this :-)

[@3003suzieq]

Very interesting

[@pathowes32]

Excellent video. I did single yarn and knitted a big shawl.

[@TinyFibreStudio]

Thanks Pat - here’s hoping mine can successfully become a shawl too!

[@jessiepaul6620]

Love the video - very informative. I have not ventured yet into spinning singles but I really want to. Thank you so much and I look forward to more spinning tutorials

[@TinyFibreStudio]

Thanks for the feedback Jessie - I’m glad you enjoyed it. There will definitely be more videos like this. 😃

[@KathyReedKnits]

Becks, Do you dye your fiber in the roving stage? Does it change the spinning experience to dye at that stage?

[@kathyreast9843]

thank you this was so helpfull

[@TinyFibreStudio]

You’re very welcome Kathy! I’m happy to hear that it was helpful! Enjoy your spinning. 😀

[@nataliesheldon4518]

Excellent video. I have yet to spin a so for to knit a project with. I was just about to and had changed my mind because I wasn't sure I wanted to take the risk, but with a few of the pointers in this video, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go ahead and jump right in. Thanks for taking the to.e to make this

[@TinyFibreStudio]

You’re very welcome Natalie - I’m glad it’s given you the confidence to try! That makes my time well worth while. 😃 What are you planning to spin for?

[@nataliesheldon4518]

Tiny Fibre Studio I have a book called country weekend knits by Madeline Weston that has a lovely lace cardigan in it. There is no way I'm going to spin a 2-ply lace weight yarn, but I thought I would give it a try with a single (my standard spin when I'm doing mindless spinning is a 2ply DK, So i should be able to do it just about right)

[@masz10676]

Very interesting. Ur spinning was very well presented. Is it cheaper to buy bats than spun hanks? It would b nice to see from dying to spinning to finished project. If u already have that info I would appreciate u direction. Excellent AV.

[@marydownes3869]

Thank you so much for this video, it is wonderful! You mention washing the singles with warm and then cold and then warm again. Do you discuss that in greater detail in any of your other videos? I have not heard of that technique before so I’d like to get some more information before I try. Thank you!

[@TinyFibreStudio]

You’re very welcome. The technique is known as ‘fulling’ - not quite felting the yarn but making the individual fibres stick together a bit to make them more stable. Different people do it in different ways but alternately dunking in hot and cold water is quite a common method. I talk about it a little bit in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laWtanufjaepqa8si=4wBIVN92LaKpzum3 but I should really do a separate video for it so thanks for prompting me to add it to my list! :)

[@Gigiknittingandmore]

If singles are my good for singles what is good for lace threads

[@aurianabaun5582]

Hello!! Thank you for the videos! I was wondering if you have a link to your yarn spinner? I've been looking for a good machine that's good for beginners. Thanks !

[@aurianabaun5582]

Actually I subscribed and found a review video on the spinners right there! Definitely loving your channel!

[@pattypat60]

hi, do you talk about your self-sliding hook, please! I can't be able to find it :( Thank you so much

[@TinyFibreStudio]

Hi! Thanks for your comment. It’s a Woolee Winder and their website is www.wooleewinderstore.com Hope this helps!

[@sharonnewport7257]

Hi there, where can you please advise where to find those clear cards that have the yarn measure so you can compare between hand spun and commercial yarn. Watching from New Zealand 🧶

[@TinyFibreStudio]

Hi Sharon, I have a couple - one which came from the US years ago and doesn’t seem to be available now. The other is from Hilltop Cloud. It might be worth searching somewhere like Etsy for 'spinners control card' to see if there's one available a bit more locally for you.

[@howlingwind1937]

Merino with short fibres?! My experience with merino here in Australia, is that it has long staples not short and it's very easy to spin and is very soft. I've never had a merino fleece that had short staples long and lustrous due to its high lanolin content, and merino is very easy to felt so when washing it should be just left in the water not swished around.

[@TinyFibreStudio]

The staple length range for merino is generally accepted as 2-5” (source: The Fleece & Fibre Sourcebook). The merino I was working with here was on the shorter end of that range. Obviously as a natural product this can vary and in particular it may well vary from one country to another. I don’t remember the context of the washing comment but I did make deliberate decisions to full (ie. Deliberately agitate) the yarn to make the singles a bit more stable. Hope this helps.

[@howlingwind1937]

@@TinyFibreStudio I think it would be tedious trying to spin a short fibre, I hope you manage to find some with a longer staple next time. Yeah in general the raw fibre should just sit in the water with no swishing, but because yours is already processed you don't have to worry so much about that. But when washing it as a single to knit with it works best if it's a slightly felted yarn then you don't get that bias thing happening in the garment. I really enjoy watching your videos, I've learnt a lot I'm in my 60s now having started spinning at 21yrs, but I still learn a lot, the day I stop learning is the day I stop doing it!

[@chanterellelady]

Wondering where I can purchase your sample control card?

[@TinyFibreStudio]

That one was by VIP Fibers, bought in a now-closed store in Sunnyvale, CA. I can’t find anyone selling the exact same one right now, but there’s a similar one available from www.mielkesfiberarts.com/product/precise-spinners-control-card/ or woolery.com/rosies-precise-spinning-control-card.html Hilltop cloud also makes one, if the UK is more convenient for you. hilltopcloudshop.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/wpi-yarn-measuring-tool-spinners-control-card-yarn-thickness-gauge-in-acrylic-and-cherry-veneer?variant=2984037253160