Once you have had your yarn spun, there are a variety of ways it can be finished off before being returned to you. Below is an overview of those options and their common uses and suitability. You can choose to have your yarn finished in more than one way, thus spilt the batch between options, and the prices for the various options detailed below are always available to view on our ‘Processing Prices’ page in the menu.
IN THE OIL OR REWASHED?
The first decision is whether to have the yarn returned ‘as spun’ known as ‘in the oil’ or to have it rewashed. Your fibre was scoured before the processing started but when the plied yarn is rewashed after processing it allow it to relax and ‘bloom up’ making a softer nicer feel to the resulting skein which in turn makes it more desirable to the end user. The photo above shows two skeins from the same batch of yarn but the skein on the left is as plied or ‘in the oil’, and the skein on the right has been rewashed allowing it to ‘bloom up’ which as you can see the size difference is clearly noticeable. The other major advantage of having your yarn rewashed is that during the rewashing process the yarn will slightly change shape, which means that when you knit your item, it then should not change shape the first time it gets wet, and thus remain the size you were expecting it to be!
OILED ON CONE
Oiled on cone is where we take the plied yarn and wind it straight onto a cardboard cone directly from the spinning bobbin, each cone will usually have around 400 – 500g of yarn on it. It is referred to as ‘in the oil’ because it still has the organic spinning oil we use within the yarn as it has not been rewashed. While this is the standard finishing option that is included in the spinning costs, it is is not a hugely popular choice for hand knitters as the yarn has not been rewashed and thus it has not had a chance to ‘relax and boom up’ when it is rewashed making it softer and thus more desirable. If you knit or make an item with yarn that hasn’t been rewashed, then it most probably will change shape and size when you rewash or block your item for the first time, meaning it might not end up as you had expected or hoped. As a result we only recommend this option for experienced hand knitters, weavers and machine knitters.
WASHED ON CONE
Washed on cone is a very popular option for customers who want to knit using their own yarn, because we will rewash the yarn after processing to rinse out the organic spinning oils and let it relax and bloom up naturally. This gives the yarn a much softer feel and because the yarn has already changed shape slightly when we rewash it, it means it shouldn’t change shape when you then go on to make your items! Once the rewashed yarn is air dried we will wind the yarn onto the cardboard cones, with each cone holding around 400 – 500g. We will also put a label inside the cone with the yarn details and specifications on it. Because the yarn is wound on a cone you can just find the end and knit away, without having to wind hanks into balls first, or make a join every 100g. If ever you did want to measure a bit of yarn off the cone to give or sell to others, simply put the cone on a set of kitchen scales, zero or tare the scales then just wind off the yarn until the scales read the negative weight you require for example -50g or -100g.
WASHED & TWISTED SKEINS
Twisted Skeins are the most popular options for customers who want to sell, dye or gift some of their yarn. We will measure off your yarn into hanks which weigh 100g, (but could be 50g if required). These measured hanks will then be rewashed as it relaxes and blooms up the yarn becoming softer and thus more desirable to potential purchasers. Once the measured yarn is air dried we will twist up the skeins to become ‘twisted skeins’ in that classic style that high end yarns are often sold. You will receive all the relevant information about your yarn, to enable you to market it professionally to your potential customers, or for those who want to give some of their yarn away to friends or family, then these make ideal ready made presents. For customers who wish to go on and dye their fibre then this is an ideal choice of finished product, as the organic spinning oils have already been washed out it means the yarn is ready to accept your dye straight away, and because it is on 100g amounts which we tie in three places it shouldn’t get in a tangle for you.
Twisted skeins can be returned as ‘in the oil’ if required on request.
UNWEIGHED HANKS OR MEASURED HANKS (rewashed or left in the oil)
Unweighed or Measured hanks are where we unwind the finished yarn from the spinning bobbins into continuous ‘loops’ of fibre often known as hanks on our 1930’s hank winder, we tie each hank in three places to help keep them together, but do not twist them into skeins. While measured hanks (typically 100g) can be alright to handle, unweighed hanks are usually round 400-500g in weight and thus can quickly get in a serious tangle when handled even though they are tied in three places, so we generally don’t advise people to choose this option. If you think you require unweighed or measured hanks, it is best to contact us directly and we can talk through the options with you.
LABELLING AND MARKETING OF THE FINISHED PRODUCTS
We do not offer a labelling or marketing service for customers, but we supply all the relevant yarn information for each batch we spin you included in the bag of your finished yarn, to enable you to make your own labels etc. and we will happily answer any questions you might have about your yarn.
If you would like more detailed information on the finishing options, or to discuss your individual needs based on your fibre type please do not hesitate to contact us.