[Regia-NA] spinning silk

[Joy Cain]

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It depends on what you are going to use the silk for as far as setting=20=

the twist.

The primary thing you want to use is heat - either a tub of very hot=20
water or steam from a kettle. I soak the skeins in very hot water, roll=20=

them in a towel to get the water out and them spin them around in the=20
shower to get more water out. I then snap them or hit them against the=20=

counter or something to keep the yarns separated and to prevent tangles=20=

(fine yarns tend to tangle more than thick - Murphy's Law). If I have a=20=

small skein or if I am in a hurry, I will either hold the niddy-noddy=20
over a tea kettle and steam it or put the skein on my fabric press and=20=

turn on the steam. it is neat to see the yarns twist by themselves!

Since I use silk fo embroidery and weaving I dry my yarns under some=20
tension usually by hanging a small weight from the hanging skein. If you=20=

want to use the silk for knitting you would want to avoid snapping the=20=

skeins and instead lay the yarn on a flat surface to dry to preserve=20
what little elasticiy the silk has.

I hope this helps!

Joy (who has taught several classes on spinning silk)


On Monday, September 22, 2003, at 02:08 PM, CR Mayhew Comcast Account=20
wrote:

> A quick question on spinning silk--how does one set the twist after=20
> it's spun?=A0 Is it similar to wool or should it be handled =
differently?
> =A0
> Thanks!
> =A0
> --charlotte mayhew

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It depends on what you are going to use the silk for as far as setting
the twist.=20


The primary thing you want to use is heat - either a tub of very hot
water or steam from a kettle. I soak the skeins in very hot water,
roll them in a towel to get the water out and them spin them around in
the shower to get more water out. I then snap them or hit them against
the counter or something to keep the yarns separated and to prevent
tangles (fine yarns tend to tangle more than thick - Murphy's Law). If
I have a small skein or if I am in a hurry, I will either hold the
niddy-noddy over a tea kettle and steam it or put the skein on my
fabric press and turn on the steam. it is neat to see the yarns twist
by themselves!=20


Since I use silk fo embroidery and weaving I dry my yarns under some
tension usually by hanging a small weight from the hanging skein. If
you want to use the silk for knitting you would want to avoid snapping
the skeins and instead lay the yarn on a flat surface to dry to
preserve what little elasticiy the silk has.


I hope this helps!


Joy (who has taught several classes on spinning silk)



On Monday, September 22, 2003, at 02:08 PM, CR Mayhew Comcast Account
wrote:


<excerpt><fontfamily><param>Arial</param>A quick question on spinning
silk--how does one set the twist after it's spun?=A0 Is it similar to
wool or should it be handled differently?</fontfamily>

=A0

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>Thanks!</fontfamily>

=A0

<fontfamily><param>Arial</param>--charlotte mayhew</fontfamily>

</excerpt>=

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