# Spinning - Hopeful



## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

I have finished spinning the fiber that was in my "show us your wheel" post, and I plied it last night, after watching several videos of the plying process. I knew I was under-plying, I just didn't realize how much I was under-plying. I also found one showing how to ply when you wind your bobbin single into a center pull ball. I did that because I had a lot left on one bobbin when the other ran out. 

I am hopeful! It looks much better than previous attempts. It is soaking right now to set the twist. Quite a bit of color bleed, but that is to be expected with dark reds. I remember using this fiber one other time, and it really blooms nicely after that first soak. 

So here is a question - how many of you "thwack" your skein as part of setting the twist?


----------



## Linda6885 (Feb 13, 2011)

I have never done so. It is my understanding that 'thwacking' or 'shocking', either technique, slightly felts the plies together.


----------



## nellig (May 10, 2016)

I learned to both beat my skein and shock it. I learned this in a class at Maryland Sheep and wool given by a famous spinner. I think it was Judith MacKensie McCuin, but I'm not sure. It does slightly felt the wool, but in a good way. The fibers puff a bit and the plying evens out. I think it makes the skein more beautiful.


----------



## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

Hitting your skein is a good technique, I'm told, for dealing with linen. It takes linen a little while to soften up and start acting nice, and treating it roughly at the start helps make it feel nicer.


----------



## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

I thwack my skeins a few times - not too aggressively. A bit of fulling is ok, though a few thwacks is not going to do much. I believe it helps even out the twist a bit.


----------



## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

I thwack when I plan on using it as a single. It plies it enough not to have a slant when I'm knitting it


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Off to read more about thwacks. Poor yarn beating it up. It has gone through enough with the spinning process already now you are going to thwack it. oh no. lol lol. Sorry could not help my self.


----------



## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

I didn't mean "plies" I meant felts it a little


----------



## ilmacheryl (Feb 3, 2013)

If you find knitting with under-plyed yarn difficult, weave with it! It makes a beautiful weft!


----------



## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

Never heard of "thwack"


----------



## bakeknitsew (Jun 26, 2013)

When I first started washing my friend's newly spun yarn for her (I have a drying area and she doesn't) She asked if I thwack it! She could tell by how the skein looked. Now, I find that by 'thwacking' a couple of times on each side of the skein, the yarn evens out and looks beautiful even though before washing it was so-so looking. I smile every time I smack it against the counter as it relieves lots of pent up frustrations!


----------



## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

It depends on the fibre. I do thwack some of my yarns especially alpaca. Usually a good snap sorts it out too.


----------



## desireeross (Jun 2, 2013)

nellig said:


> I learned to both beat my skein and shock it. I learned this in a class at Maryland Sheep and wool given by a famous spinner. I think it was Judith MacKensie McCuin, but I'm not sure. It does slightly felt the wool, but in a good way. The fibers puff a bit and the plying evens out. I think it makes the skein more beautiful.


I do this as well, shock the yarn.


----------



## fibermcgivver (Dec 18, 2012)

I have "whacked" washed skeins against our old oak trees before hanging them up to dry. I call it: "beating it into submission" -- meaning obtaining a balanced skein. Can't guarantee it really works, but now it's part of the ritual.


----------



## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

Well, I did a gentle thwack. It's not nearly as consistent as most I've seen, but I am happy with it! I am still at the stage of spinning unintentional art yarns :sm01:


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

I like this. "spinning unintentional art yarns" I have been spinning for some time to and still like my art yarns we all do it some times. Have fun with the wheel you get better with practice.


----------

