Sovereignty Module: Twist the Fiber
Twist the Fiber
Complete Spinning, Yarn Production, and Fiber Processing Guide
Complete Spinning, Yarn Production, and Fiber Processing Guide
Thread and yarn are the foundation of all textiles. Without spinning, there are no clothes, no rope, no sails, no nets. This campaign covers fiber preparation, spinning methods, and yarn production from raw material to finished thread.
Chapter 1: Fiber Sources
| Fiber | Source | Staple Length | Properties | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wool (sheep) | Sheep fleece | 2-14 inches | Warm, elastic, felts, dyes well | Shear, wash, card/comb |
| Cotton | Cotton boll | 0.5-2.5 inches | Cool, absorbent, strong wet | Gin (remove seeds), card |
| Flax (linen) | Flax plant stems | 12-36 inches | Strong, cool, lustrous | Ret, break, scutch, hackle |
| Hemp | Hemp plant stems | 12-36 inches | Very strong, coarse | Ret, break, scutch, hackle |
| Silk | Silkworm cocoon | Continuous (300-900 yards) | Strongest natural fiber, lustrous | Reel from cocoon |
| Alpaca | Alpaca fleece | 3-12 inches | Warmer than wool, hypoallergenic | Shear, wash, card |
| Nettle | Nettle plant stems | 12-24 inches | Strong, silky when processed | Ret, break, hackle |
| Dog hair | Brushed undercoat | 1-4 inches | Warm, soft (varies by breed) | Collect, wash, card |
| Cattail/milkweed | Seed fluff | 0.5-1 inch | Very short, insulating | Collect, blend with longer fiber |
Chapter 2: Wool Processing
| Step | Action | Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Shearing | Cut fleece from sheep (one piece) | Hand shears or blade shears | Harvest fiber |
| 2. Skirting | Remove dirty/short edges of fleece | Hands, table | Quality control |
| 3. Washing (scouring) | Soak in hot soapy water, rinse | Tubs, soap, hot water | Remove lanolin and dirt |
| 4. Drying | Spread on rack or clean surface | Drying rack | Must be fully dry |
| 5. Picking | Pull apart locks, remove debris | Hands or picker | Opens fiber |
| 6. Carding | Brush between two paddles with wire teeth | Hand cards (pair) | Aligns fiber, creates rolag |
| 7. Or Combing | Pull through metal combs | Wool combs (pair) | Aligns fiber parallel (worsted) |
Carding produces rolags (fluffy rolls) for woolen spinning (lofty, warm yarn). Combing produces tops (smooth, aligned fiber) for worsted spinning (smooth, strong yarn).
Chapter 3: Spinning Methods
| Method | Speed | Portability | Learning Curve | Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thigh spinning (hand rolling) | Very slow | Maximum | Very easy | Coarse cordage |
| Drop spindle (suspended) | Slow-moderate | High | Easy | Fine to medium yarn |
| Supported spindle (resting on surface) | Slow | High | Easy | Very fine yarn (cotton, silk) |
| Spinning wheel (flyer) | Fast | Low | Moderate | Any weight yarn |
| Great wheel (walking wheel) | Fast | Low | Moderate | Woolen yarn |
| Charkha (Indian wheel) | Fast | Moderate | Moderate | Cotton yarn |
| Navajo spindle (large supported) | Moderate | Moderate | Easy | Thick yarn, rug yarn |
Chapter 4: Drop Spindle Spinning
| Step | Action | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attach leader yarn to spindle | Tie to shaft, half-hitch on hook/notch |
| 2 | Hold fiber supply (rolag or top) in left hand | Drafting hand |
| 3 | Pinch fiber where it meets leader with right hand | Controls twist |
| 4 | Spin spindle clockwise (Z-twist) | Flick shaft or roll on thigh |
| 5 | Draft: pull fiber supply away from twist point | Thin the fiber to desired thickness |
| 6 | Release pinch: let twist travel into drafted fiber | Twist locks fibers together |
| 7 | Wind finished yarn onto spindle shaft | Below the whorl |
| 8 | Repeat: spin, draft, release, wind | Rhythm develops with practice |
Key principle: Twist must not enter the fiber supply (undrafted fiber). Pinch controls where twist stops. Draft first, then allow twist to enter.
Chapter 5: Plying
| Ply Structure | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2-ply | Spin two singles Z-twist, ply together S-twist (opposite direction) | Balanced, round, strong yarn |
| 3-ply | Three singles plied together | Rounder, stronger, chain-knitting yarn |
| Cable (2x2) | Ply two 2-ply yarns together | Very strong, rope-like |
| Navajo ply (chain ply) | Loop single yarn into chain, ply on itself | 3-ply from single, preserves color sequences |
Balanced yarn: when a length hangs freely from the middle, it does not twist on itself. Achieved when plying twist equals spinning twist.
Chapter 6: Flax Processing (Linen)
| Step | Action | Time | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Harvest | Pull plants (don't cut) when stems turn yellow | Late summer | Preserves full fiber length |
| 2. Ripple | Pull through coarse comb to remove seeds | Same day | Saves seed for next year |
| 3. Ret (water) | Submerge bundles in pond/stream | 5-14 days | Bacteria dissolve pectin binding fiber to stem |
| 4. Ret (dew) | Spread on grass, turn regularly | 2-6 weeks | Dew and fungi dissolve pectin |
| 5. Dry | Stand bundles upright | 2-3 days | Must be fully dry for breaking |
| 6. Break | Crush stems with flax brake (hinged boards) | 30 min/bundle | Breaks woody core (shive) |
| 7. Scutch | Scrape with wooden blade against board | 30 min/bundle | Removes broken shive pieces |
| 8. Hackle | Pull through progressively finer combs | 30 min/bundle | Separates long fiber (line) from short (tow) |
| 9. Spin | Spin from distaff (wet spinning for finest) | Ongoing | Produces linen thread |
Reference Card
- Drop spindle: spin clockwise (Z-twist), ply counter-clockwise (S-twist)
- Pinch controls twist: never let twist enter undrafted fiber supply
- Carding = woolen (warm, lofty). Combing = worsted (smooth, strong).
- 2-ply is the minimum for durable yarn: singles unravel under stress
- Flax retting: 5-14 days in water or 2-6 weeks on grass (dew ret)
- Wool must be fully dry before carding: wet wool mats and felts
- Cotton requires supported spindle (short staple needs support while spinning)
- One pound of wool produces approximately 1,000 yards of medium-weight yarn
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