Tag: Tencel

Spinning Tencel

On By CarynIn Craft

It is shiny, sleek, and has a little sparkle, but I had a rough time spinning the Tencel fiber sample. I think I dropped my spindle more than with any other fiber. The fibers like to clump, but did not like to evenly draft, and my single spun yarn came out uneven with thin and thick randomly spaced.

Photo description: single spun Tencel fiber on a wood drop spindle in the sunlight, asphalt in the background
Photo description: notepinne style wound ball held in my hand in the sunlight to show the luminosity
Photo description: the side of the ball of single spun yarn held in the sunlight to show the shine

I chain plied the single from the center of the ball and added twist using my Ashford Traveller spinning wheel.

Photo description: chain plied Tencel yarn on a wood bobbin
Photo description: three ply Tencel yarn on a PVC niddy noddy, which really shows the unevenness of the spin

As much as I love the idea of using fiber made from waste tree products, I would not choose to spin Tencel again, the frustration wasn’t worth it. I was glad it was a 25 gram sample.

Spinning Tencel

On By CarynIn Craft

I started on a new fiber sample from my stash: Tencel. Tencel is derived from wood pulp, and the manufacture is reported as an “environmentally friendly closed loop process”. To save you some googling, I looked up what closed loop manufacturing means, and it is essentially that an item can be recycled over and over again. The Tencel sample I have from Hearthside Fibers has a long staple length and a high luster.

Photo description: unspun Tencel fiber held fanned out in my hand in the sun showing a high shine

The fibers are almost slippery, and I’m having trouble spinning consistently. I’m dropping the spindle even more than usual.

Photo description: the beginning of a cop of Tencel single spun yarn on a drop spindle held in the sun to show off the sheen

This sample is going to take me awhile to spin. Not only is it tricky, it is horribly hot outside still, with highs over 100 all week and lows over 80. Yuck.

Oh and yeah, the hook came off my spindle again. Next step is to epoxy the thing in.