Spinner's Guild

GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS

carders: a pair of brushes used to smooth and straighten fibres for spinning

comb: used to process long stapled wool for worsted spinning

crimp: amount of curl in a lock of fleece; fine wool is very crimpy

draft: amount of wool let out at once to be spun

niddy-noddy: tool used in skeining spun yarn

noils: short fibres removed when combing the fleece; can be mixed with other wool and carded and spun

plying: winding two or more yarns together; must be done in the opposite direction to that in which they were spun

rolag: finger sized roll of carded wool, ready for spinning to make woollen yarn

roving: long tubes of carded wool, produced by carding machines

skeining: winding yarn off the spindle

staple: length of a lock of fleece

tops: long fibres straightened by combing

woollen: yarns made from short-stapled wool; has a soft finish and felts well

worsted: made from long-stapled wool; has a firm finish and does not usually felt (i.e. most tweeds, suit or jacket material)

Z or S twist: yarn spun with a clockwise spin with Z twist; anti-clockwise is S twist

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