Spinning from a batt - a guide
Creating yarns from blended batts is a delight for the fingers. The subtle flecks of colour and texture make yarns with incredible dimension and character.
It is a different experience to spin from a batt versus a braid of combed top, as you are managing different staple lengths and types of fibres. This gives the finished yarn a slightly slubby, tweedy appearance over a sleek and smooth finish that you’d get from spinning a single breed.
As a spinner that has mostly spun from single breed combed top or roving since I got started with spinning, I have enjoyed the variety that blended batts provide. The combinations are endless.
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I’ll walk you through how I usually spin from a batt, just to help you get started, in case you’ve never spun from one before.
Putting wools through a drum carder opens up the fibres significantly, making for an airy prep and requires less pre-drafting before you begin spinning.
As my bobbins comfortably hold 50 g of fibre, I will first fold the batt in half and then pull the halves apart. From there, I tear strips of fibre from the batt usually separating it into about 8 pieces. I will spin straight from these strips, however I have tried pre-drafting them slightly to see if that will give me a more consistent spin. Pre-drafting doesn’t seem to make much of a difference for me unless there are larger chunks of silk in the blend.
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I prefer a lower twist for my singles and a tight ply when I am spinning for shawls and a higher twist single and tight ply when spinning for socks.
There are is no wrong way to spin, and I highly encourage you to find what works for you to create yarns you love.
That’s all there is to it really! I hope this helps encourage delve into the world of batt spinning!
Lindsey