How much Handspun Yarn do I need?

 How much yarn do I need?

This is a very common question I get asked when a new customer wants to purchase my one of a kind handspun skeins of yarn. It is understandable because handspun yarn from my farm is not sold in large lots with standardized weights and guage.  Rather each individual ewe from every year's fleece is processed and spun as its own set of skeins.  I usually get 2-4 skeins depending on the age of the ewe per fleece.

 

Fleece from Sansa, one of our black ewes, from the 2020 shearing or "clip"

One of a Kind

The skeins are one of a kind because they are created from an individual ewe's fleece from a given year.  I don't combine fleeces to spin up generic lots of yarn for my handspun skeins.  Rather I will select a fleece from my stash, wash, flick card, spin, ply, wash again, wind and mark each sheep's wool from that year's fleece.  I also do not combine different fleeces from the same ewe that were collected over the years.  This is because every year the fleece can be slightly different due to environmental conditions and age of the ewe.  I like every fleece to be treated individually to get the full enjoyment from that particular ewe.  I provide the micron data, age, year the fleece was collected and a photo of the ewe on my labels. 

Handspun yarn from Sansa with label indicating weight, length, fleece year and age of ewe, as well as AFD information and price.

I knit items and weigh them

In an effort to help with that question, I have knit up a few basic items and taken their weights in order to provide a rough guideline for how much yarn a particular item uses.  I always provide the exact weight of my handspun skeins of yarn on the label and the listing, so you can compare the weight on the skein with the weights of the handknit items I've created to get a feel for how much yarn you need.

Once you receive your yarn you should always create a swatch and block it to ensure you get the desired outcome.  Although I always provide the exact length and weight of each individual handspun skein on the label, I don't spin with a particular weight in mind - rather I use the same technique through out the skein and the wool has a tendency to gravitate to a consistent weight.  This is another advantage by the way of breeding for sheep with consistent fleeces from front to back.

To follow are knit items I have listed in my shop with their weights so you can compare with skeins in the shop that may have caught your interest.  Many of them are just simple patterns I either made up or were taken from vintage pattern books from my mom.  I hope this helps you to select a yarn that will allow you to create a beautiful heirloom that you will treasure for a very long time!

 

 This simple brimless barn hat uses 6" needles and weighs 1.3 oz.

Mittens for an adult, also 6" needles, they weigh 2.6 oz

Adult hat with a brim, 6" needles, 2.1 oz

 

Everything I can think of to tell you about the Majacraft Little Gem Spinning Wheel

The Little Gem from Majacraft is positioned as the travel wheel in their Spinning Wheel product lineup.  It is lightweight and takes up very little space.

The Little Gem is excellent for spinning fine yarns, but is able to spin all types of yarn, just like its bigger sisters the Rose, Suzie and Aura.

The Little Gem was launched in 2000.  There is a video interviewing Owen Poad on YouTube where he says it took 3 years to design, and 3 hours to make.  My takeaway from that is a lot of thought went into the design to ensure they achieved the goal to make a small, transportable wheel that could do everything you would expect from their larger wheels with the same precision and quality that make spinning on a Majacraft wheel an absolute dream.

Majacraft completed a redesign in March of 2019.  Per the blog post that announced the change, the some of the upgrades include the following:

• They moved the tension knob so you could use the standard Jumbo bobbin and associated flyers without changing the tension knob.
• Moved the stem lock bolt to the front of the wheel
• Changed the stem lock material from brass to stainless steel to add strength (I read some Ravelry posts where this part was breaking and people were needing to replace it.
• Changed the pedal shape to standardize with the other wheels

The majority of the wheel is hand crafted from New Zealand Rimu wood.  Rimu wood grows in New Zealand and is sustainably harvested for use in Majacraft products.  The drive wheel is made of bamboo and hard board.  The bamboo is sourced from renewable forests.

The Little Gem uses Scotch Tension to take up the yarn on the bobbin.  This means that the drive band from the drive wheel is directly connected to the flyer via the whorl (aka pulley) - as the wheel spins the flyer spins.  The Flyer spins at a rate determined by the pulley groove you set your upper drive band in, each groove has a calculated ratio for the speed that your flyer will rotate in relation to one turn of the drive wheel.  The bobbin rotates free from the drive band, but is controlled by a brake band that applies tension to the bobbin to control the speed at which it rotates.  The Flyer will rotate faster than the bobbin to apply twist and wind onto the bobbin.  The adjustable brake tension is what controls the speed at which your yarn is drawn onto the bobbin.  Compared with other tension systems (Irish, Double), Scotch tension is known to be better for spinning finer yarns.  The three elements making up the Scotch tension system are the tension spring, tension knob and tension band.  All three of these items can be purchased as replacement parts.

Scotch tension system on the Little Gem

The Little Gem weighs 19 lbs in the package with the accessories and bag.  Once assembled it weighs ~9-10 lbs.  The weight will vary depending on the grain of the wood.  More grain means a heavier wheel.

The footprint dimensions are 15" x 13.4".  Maximum height is 29.1"  The wheel diameter is 11.8".  Orafice height is adjustable - from 27.5" to 30.7".  Its folded height is 5.9".

The ratios you can achieve with the Little Gem are as follows:

Whorl size - 5 is largest ->	5	4	3	2	1
Standard Pulley	4.7	5.7	7.5	9.8	12.8
Suzie Pulley	3.5	5.3	7.3	9.1	11.6
Rose Pulley (Slow Speed Kit)	2.9	3.8	4.9	7.5	10.2
Fast Pulley		8.0	10.2	12.1	15

 

They say that people have taken the Little Gem onto planes as a carry on item.  People have actually spun on planes and in cars.

The Little Gem has different treadle mechanics from other Majacraft wheels.  The treadles aren't connected by way of rods to the drive wheel.  Rather they work more like pedals on a bicycle which move rollers under the treadles.  These rollers turn a shaft, which in turn rotates a gear which is connected to the drive wheel.  The treadles can lift up off the rollers - which is how you install the lower drive band.  This causes the treadling action to feel a little different from the other Majacraft wheels, but just takes getting used to.  They recommend you shift your feet up on the pedal a little to have the most effective foot motion.

Every Little Gem is tested before it leaves the factory.  A member of the Poad family signs their name on the bottom of the wheel with its serial number before it ships out.  You should register your wheel on the Majacraft Site when you receive it so they have record of where it is and who owns it.  It makes it easier down the road if you need technical support as they will be able to know what revision you have in order to help you optimize the wheel for your needs.  It is also helpful if you need to make a warranty claim.  Majacraft warranty on the Little Gem wheel is 2 years from when you purchased the wheel from me.  It is limited to repair or replacement of defective parts, determined by Majacraft.

The only accessories you cannot use on the Gem are the Overdrive head and bobbin.  You can use the High Speed head, but it won't add any speed to the Gem as the Little Gem already has the ability to move at very fast speeds.

When you order a Little Gem it comes standard with one delta flyer, 3 standard plastic bobbins, a travel case and a 2 bobbin capacity travel lazy kate. 

Travel Lazy Kate is included with the Little Gem

If you require a 3 bobbin capacity Lazy Kate, you can purchase a Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate as a separate accessory.

Majacraft Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate allows for 3 bobbins - can also accommodate Jumbo Bobbins

The Delta Flyer is easy to thread and constructed of stainless steel.  The flyer hook has an 8 mm orifice.  The flyer bar on the Delta Flyer is 4.7" long. For best results with the Delta Flyer, make sure your fiber is drafting at a 90 degree angle to the flyer bar.  If you are drafting from the side of the wheel, you can swivel the head to achieve the correct angle.

Majacraft Delta Flyer with 8 mm Flyer Hook

The standard plastic bobbins are reversible with brake grooves on both ends.  The core has holes so you can submerge the entire loaded bobbin into a dye bath and get full dispersion of dye into your yarn. The bobbin flange diameter is 3.5", 4.5" long, core diameter is .8 " and the bobbin weighs .22 lbs.

New Majacraft Black Plastic Bobbins will come standard with your Little Gem

You can order your Little Gem to be outfit however you like rather than going with the standard accessories.  If you prefer to order with a different flyer or bobbins, just let me know and I will provide you with a custom quote for your requested configuration.  Majacraft is very flexible and open to customizing to ensure you receive the wheel that allows you to "spin your dreams". 

You can purchase additional accessories for the Little Gem, specifically flyers and bobbins.  Not all flyers and bobbins can or should be used together.

The table below outlines the Flyer and Bobbin accessories you can use with your Little Gem with indication for bobbin compatibility in the body of the table.  The flyers are listed in the first column, bobbins along the top, with comments in the table regarding suitability for the bobbin's use with each type of flyer.  Majacraft has simplified the selection process by creating kits for the optimal combinations of flyer/bobbin.  I will write a blog post in the future with very detailed information about the kits available from Majacraft.

	Standard Plastic Bobbin	Standard Wood Bobbin	Lace Bobbin	Baby Bobbin	Stylus Bobbin	Jumbo Bobbin
Lace Flyer	Not Compatible, bobbin too large	Not Compatible, bobbin too large	Best for lace singles	Best for plying lace	Doesn't have a flyer	Not Compatible, bobbin too large
Delta Flyer	Compatible	Compatible	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Doesn't have a flyer	Not Compatible, bobbin too large
Fine Flyer	Compatible	Compatible	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Doesn't have a flyer	Not Compatible, bobbin too large
Hybrid Aura Flyer	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Doesn't have a flyer	Compatible
Wild Flyer	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Doesn't have a flyer	Compatible
Plying Flyer	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Can be used but not optimal	Doesn't have a flyer	Compatible

 

The Little Gem has two drive bands.  There is the drive band that connects the pedals to the drive wheel.  When reordering this band it is called the Little Gem Lower Drive band.  This band is thicker (4 mm diameter) and shorter.  There is also a band that connects the drive band to the flyer whorl (2 mm diameter, 43.3 inches long).  This is called the Little Gem Upper Drive Band.  When you ply with the Little Gem you cross the upper drive band rather than reverse your treadling.

You can adjust the height of the Little Gem by loosening the wooden lock knob on the stem and easing the entire spinning head upwards.  You can also adjust the direction the head face if you like to draft off to the side of your wheel.

The recommended retail price on the Little Gem is $1,190 USD.  If you decide to tailor the accessories, we can reprice it accordingly.

Links/Resources:

Purchase a Little Gem

Majacraft Little Gem Live Stream Video

Majacraft Little Gem Assembly Manual

How to change the lower drive band video

Little Gem Maintenance Video

Plying with the Little Gem Video

What I am Working On

Got to spend a little time in the barn with the girls this very cold Saturday morning.

Still flick carding Soraya - about halfway through.

Here is the first plied skein from Soraya, almost iridescent!

Next on the wheel will be the gradient yarn from Cersei

Decided to make batts with the carded locks left from Georgianna, these will be heading to the etsy shop soon.

These yarns are on deck for washing and thwacking today.  L to R we have the Rhinebeck skein, 2 full skeins of Georgianna and 10 small skeins for the sheep heid kits, 10 small skeins of Soraya also for sheep heid and one full skein of Soraya.  They are in the utility tub now for the soapy soak.

Hazel is still on the needles, here I am knitting continental and feeling very sophisticated.  At the airport Monday night waiting to leave for a business trip.

Made a video last weekend to demonstrate my method for flick carding a soft shetland wool fleece:

I need to find a pattern for my millspun yarn ends.  Would like to have a demo of something knit up with my millspun yarns and then feature the pattern.  Something small like a cowl or hat or fingerless mitts.  Any ideas?

What I am working on

That blue grey light of an overcast winter day

I am working on finishing carding Cersei's wool to make a gradient yarn.  Maybe a couple skeins as it looks like I am getting a lot of flicked locks from this fleece.

I finished plying a solid skein from Georgianna's Shaela fleece.  Was surprised to find that she has many shades of grey in her fleece so I will be spinning a very subtle gradient skein from her gun metal grey beautiful wool.

I washed Soraya's white fleece last weekend, so will begin carding and spinning her wool which will go into the sheep heid hat kits, a couple skeins of self striping yarns, a couple batts for my spinner friends and a skein of yarn.  Its a lamb fleece so I am being a little ambitious with my expectations, but she has wonderful length so I am hopeful I'll get some decent yardage from her.

She looks bumpy because we had already coated her, then removed the coat to take her photo.  You can see the outline of the coat where the wool isn't covered.

On the needles still is Hazel's fiber from a skein of yarn that didn't sell at this year's fiber festival junket.  Want to have an example of her knit up for next year's booth display.  I am trying to knit continental when I can, but if watching tv I will go back to my method I was taught by Grandma Frey to throw over the needle.  Wasteful, but I can do it without paying attention.  I have to travel for work this week and will be a passenger for some long parts of the trip, so will have plenty of practice time to get more automatic with a continental knit method.

These are the needles I got at a flea market last summer I think they're really pretty

Will be washing Fanny's fleece next for a custom request for batts.

I watched a great doc this week on PBS POV, about a family dairy farm, sharing trailer here.  Lots of pretty farm scenes and kids doing chores.

Also watching "Press" on PBS, its really good.