Spinning Fiber Into Yarn

Discover the art of spinning fiber into yarn using natural fibers and a drop spindle or spinning wheel.

By Maggie Howe
Updated on October 24, 2023
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by AdobeStock/esebene

Discover the art of spinning fiber into yarn using natural fibers and a drop spindle or spinning wheel.

Spinning fiber into yarn is an age-old art, practiced by people in nearly every culture. “Spinning” is simply twisting fibers together so they make a strong, usable cord.

Many kinds of natural fibers can be spun: plant fibers such as cotton, nettle, linen, hemp, yucca; and animal fibers such as wool, alpaca, angora, mohair, yak or buffalo. Spinning can, at first glance, seem difficult. However, like many crafts, it really isn’t — it simply requires a bit of knowledge and a little practice. Become proficient at this skill, and you’ll convert animal fiber to yarn, then into clothes for all seasons. It’s a fulfilling hobby and pastime that adds clothes to our closets, takes us back to our roots, and lightens the load on our pocketbook all at the same time.

Tools for Spinning Fiber

To learn to spin, you need two things — some fiber to spin, and a wheel or drop spindle upon which to spin it.

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