Core Spinning Just Got A Lot Easier! A Simple Setup for Core Spinning Yarn

Ashley Martineau⁠

⁠

Today I’m excited to share a unique spinning setup that I’ve learned that can help you spin bulky yarn easily for a fraction of the price, measure exact yardage before you begin spinning, prevent an over-twisted core, and just make core spinning a lot easier.

⁠

⁠

Bulky yarn on the cheap?

This method is perfect for spinning an economical bulky yarn. Bulky yarn uses up a lot of fiber, which can be expensive. Sometimes you have a couple ounces of fiber in your stash that you would love to spin into a bulky yarn, but you’d only get a couple yards of what you’d want – and not nearly enough to complete a project. By choosing a bulky yarn as your core (as I have done in this tutorial) we will make our fiber stretch and use up some extra yarn I had taking up space in my stash.

Measure exact yardage?

That’s right! If you know you want 100 yards of yarn, simply measure out 100 yards of your core thread before wrapping it onto the drop spindle! You might want to add an extra 2 yards just in case some twist causes the yarn to shrink while spinning. But this method is wonderful for knowing how much yardage you’ll get in the end.

Prevent an over-twisted core?

The biggest problem spinners have when core spinning is getting their core over-twisted. This setup helps the twist travel down the core to the drop spindle and spin “out” of the core so that you end up with a balanced yarn. This is great for wheels that have a hard time being adjusted (low whorl, high uptake) to spin core spun yarns, or that weren’t designed with core spinning in mind.

Core spinning yarn tutorial

You will need:

Spinning wheel

A top whorl drop spindle

A strong yarn to use as a core

Fiber to use for core spinning

The setup:

⁠

⁠

Step 1:

Take your core yarn and wrap it around your drop spindle. If you want to, you can pre-measure the yardage you put on the drop spindle so you can determine how many yards you want to spin.

⁠

⁠

Step 2:

Take 2 feet of your core yarn off the spindle and wrap the base of that length around the hook of the spindle to secure. Take the top 6 inches and loop it through your leader thread loop to secure. Then begin spinning in a clockwise direction so that twist builds up in your leader thread and tightens around your core. Pinch your core and allow the twist to travel down it to secure. If you have secured it correctly, your spindle should be able to hang from the core thread through the orifice without falling off immediately.

⁠

⁠

Step 3:

Take your fiber and begin spinning it at a 90 degree angle onto the core you are holding. As you spin, allow the twist to travel down into the drop spindle to remove the extra twist and balance your yarn as you spin it.

⁠

Step 4:

When you get to the hook of the drop spindle, unwrap the yarn from the hook and pull out another length to spin. I prefer to not pull out too much, so the spindle hangs freely every time I continue spinning fiber on the core (rather than having the spindle lie on the ground).

Step 5:

Continue spinning until you reach the end of your core thread. Tie the end in a knot and wind onto a niddy-noddy to set and dry for your knitting or crocheting project!

New Craftsy spinning class!

⁠

⁠

Learn how to spin the stunning yarn you’ve always dreamed off with the new Craftsy class

Foundations of Spinning⁠

. Sign up today to enjoy expert instruction from renowned fiber artist Amy King, crystal clear HD video lessons and unlimited lifetime access to your online spinning class.

Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.

Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (

CtrlP

) instead.