Sovereignty Module: Spin the Thread
Spin the Thread
Complete Fiber Processing, Spinning, and Yarn Production Guide
Complete Fiber Processing, Spinning, and Yarn Production Guide
Cloth begins with fiber. This campaign covers processing raw materials (wool, flax, cotton, hemp) into usable yarn for weaving, knitting, and rope making.
Chapter 1: Fiber Sources
| Fiber | Source | Harvest Season | Processing Difficulty | Warmth | Durability | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wool (sheep) | Shearing (annual) | Spring | Low | Excellent | Good | Moderate |
| Flax (linen) | Plant stalk | Late summer | High (retting required) | Cool/breathable | Excellent | Very high |
| Cotton | Seed boll | Fall | Moderate (ginning) | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Hemp | Plant stalk | Late summer | High (retting required) | Moderate | Excellent | Very high |
| Nettle | Plant stalk | Late summer | High (retting) | Good | Good | High |
| Milkweed | Seed floss | Fall | Low | Good (insulation) | Poor (short fiber) | Low |
| Dog/cat hair | Brushing | Year-round | Low | Good | Moderate | Low-moderate |
| Rabbit (angora) | Plucking/shearing | Quarterly | Low | Excellent | Poor (delicate) | Low |
| Silk | Silkworm cocoon | When moths emerge | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Very high |
Chapter 2: Wool Processing
| Step | Action | Tools | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shearing: remove fleece from sheep | Hand shears or electric | 5-15 min per sheep |
| 2 | Skirting: remove dirty/matted edges | Table, hands | 10-20 min per fleece |
| 3 | Washing (scouring): remove lanolin and dirt | Hot water + soap (3 washes) | 1-2 hours (soaking time) |
| 4 | Drying: spread flat, air dry completely | Rack or clean ground | 1-3 days |
| 5 | Picking: open up locks, remove debris | Hands or picker | 30-60 min per pound |
| 6 | Carding: align fibers into rolag/batt | Hand cards or drum carder | 30-60 min per pound |
| 7 | Spinning: twist fibers into yarn | Drop spindle or spinning wheel | 1-4 hours per pound |
| 8 | Plying: twist 2+ singles together for strength | Spindle or wheel (reverse direction) | 30-60 min per skein |
| 9 | Setting twist: soak in warm water, hang to dry | Basin + weight | 1-2 hours |
Chapter 3: Flax to Linen Processing
| Step | Action | Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvest: pull plants by roots (don't cut) | 1 day | When lower leaves yellow, seeds forming |
| 2 | Ripple: remove seeds (pull through comb) | 1 day | Save seeds for next year's planting + linseed oil |
| 3 | Ret: soak stalks to rot outer bark | 5-14 days (water) or 2-4 weeks (dew) | Water retting: submerge in pond. Dew retting: spread on grass. |
| 4 | Break: crush dried stalks to shatter woody core | 1 day | Flax brake (hinged wooden boards) |
| 5 | Scutch: scrape away broken woody bits (shives) | 1 day | Scutching knife against board |
| 6 | Hackle: comb fibers through progressively finer combs | 1 day | Separates long fibers (line) from short (tow) |
| 7 | Spin: wet spinning for smooth linen thread | Ongoing | Wet fingers or water bowl while spinning |
Chapter 4: Drop Spindle Spinning
| Component | Function | Material | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaft | Provides rotation axis | Straight stick/dowel | 10-12 inches long, 1/4-3/8 inch diameter |
| Whorl (weight) | Provides momentum (flywheel) | Clay disk, stone, or wooden disk | 2-3 inches diameter, 1-2 oz (fine yarn) to 3-4 oz (thick yarn) |
| Hook | Holds yarn during spinning | Wire or carved notch | At top of shaft |
| Cop (yarn storage) | Holds finished yarn on shaft | Built up during spinning | Wind in cone shape |
Spinning technique: Attach leader yarn to hook. Draft (pull) fibers from rolag/roving. Let spindle drop while twisting fibers. When spindle reaches floor, wind yarn onto cop. Repeat. Clockwise spin = Z-twist (standard for singles). Counter-clockwise = S-twist (for plying).
Chapter 5: Spinning Wheel Types
| Type | Speed | Fiber Type | Skill Level | Portability | Production Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drop spindle | Slow | All fibers | Beginner | Excellent (pocket-sized) | 1-2 oz/hour |
| Great wheel (walking wheel) | Moderate | Wool (long draw) | Intermediate | Poor (large) | 3-4 oz/hour |
| Saxony wheel (flyer/bobbin) | Fast | All fibers | Intermediate | Moderate | 4-8 oz/hour |
| Double-drive wheel | Very fast | Fine fibers | Advanced | Moderate | 6-10 oz/hour |
| Charkha (cotton wheel) | Fast | Cotton (short fiber) | Intermediate | Good (compact) | 2-4 oz/hour |
Chapter 6: Yarn Properties
| Property | Controlled By | Effect | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness (weight) | Amount of fiber drafted | Thicker = stronger, warmer; thinner = finer, lighter | Wraps per inch (WPI) |
| Twist (turns per inch) | Speed of spindle vs. drafting speed | More twist = stronger, harder; less = softer, weaker | TPI (turns per inch) |
| Ply | Number of singles twisted together | 2-ply = balanced, round; 3-ply = rounder, stronger | Count singles |
| Fiber content | Source material | Wool = warm, elastic; linen = cool, strong; cotton = absorbent | Fiber type |
| Texture | Fiber prep + spinning style | Worsted (smooth) vs. woolen (fuzzy, warm) | Visual/touch |
| Yarn Weight | WPI | Needle Size | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lace | 30+ | Very fine | Delicate shawls, doilies |
| Fingering/sock | 14-20 | Fine | Socks, lightweight garments |
| Sport/DK | 11-14 | Medium | Sweaters, hats, mittens |
| Worsted | 9-11 | Medium-large | General knitting, blankets |
| Bulky | 6-8 | Large | Quick projects, outerwear |
| Super bulky | 4-5 | Very large | Rugs, heavy blankets |
Reference Card
- Wool: shear → skirt → wash (hot water + soap ×3) → dry → card → spin → ply → set twist.
- Flax: harvest → ripple → ret (5-14 days water) → break → scutch → hackle → wet spin.
- Drop spindle: cheapest, most portable spinning tool. Master this first. 1-2 oz/hour production.
- Clockwise spin = Z-twist (singles). Counter-clockwise = S-twist (plying). Always ply opposite to singles.
- More twist = stronger yarn. Less twist = softer yarn. Match twist to intended use.
- Wash wool in hot water (140F) but do NOT agitate (causes felting). Soak, squeeze, don't wring.
- Card wool with hand cards: load one card, brush with other until fibers align. Roll off as rolag.
- Fiber yield: 1 sheep = 5-10 lbs raw fleece = 3-6 lbs clean wool = enough for 1-2 sweaters.
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