Now, I've never spun before, but I am curious . . .

[SparroWinter]

How much practice does it take before the finished yarn comes out evenly? I've seen some handspun yarns that are thick in some places, thin in others, and I can just imagine how horrendous that would be when trying to keep the tension right when knitting it. I'm just curious as to how much practice it takes before the yarn ends up as all one thickness when it's done. Is it difficult to try and keep it that way, or does it just sorta come naturally?

[Thenutmeg2000]

Uh, we spin it thick and thin on purpose. We also spin it evenly. It depends on what kind of yarn we want the outcome to be. The biggest problem when starting is overtwisting the yarn...And how much times depends on how well you pick it up, etc etc

[hello.mango]

I actually like the bumps and thick and thin bits.  It makes a really interesting texture in your knitting or crochet.  For me, if you want an even yarn you can buy all sorts from a shop.  Handspun is something different and one of a kind.  The differences and irregularity is what makes handspun so special to me.

Like thenutmeg2000 said, a main problem for concern is overtwisting but even that can produce interesting results when knitted/crocheted.

[SparroWinter]

So what you're saying is that it's fairly simple to get an even thickness?

Like I said, pardon my ignorance, but I've never spun before, even though I am quite interested in it. The only thing stopping me from trying is a lack of money right now, but I want to know as much as I can before I give it a whirl.

[hello.mango]

To be honest, you won't know how even you will get your yarn until you try it.  You might get an even yarn really quickly or it could take you years to get to a stage you are happy with.  It is all down to personal experience I think.  To get a totally even yarn will just take practice and if that is what you are wanting to achieve then you will.  My yarns are getting more and more even even though I don't always want them to be.

[misshawklet]

I don't think its simple, and I also think it depends on the fiber and how it is processed.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I've worked with commerically produced roving as well as stuff done "at the farm".  Right now I card my own wool with a drum carder, and I use wool from a farm that has just been washed.  It is much easier, in my opinion, to spin a very even yarn with something that has been commercially processed to perfect.

That being said, I LIKE the way my yarn looks.  And I've noticed working with different fibers which ones spin more evenly and which ones kind of naturally come out more thick and thin when I spin.  The other day I spun a very even yarn, and I was surprised how even it was!  I carded it myself and such, but the wool fibers were long and silky and it made it come out that way.  So I felt like I had improved a lot in spinning, but it also depends on other factors.

And I love how some of my yarns are thick and thin and some are even.  I think it also depends on my mood...I swear when I'm angry or stressed they come out more thick and thin! 

I don't mind though, b/c I honestly love the beauty and difference in handspun yarns.  I in no way am looking to win awards on even-ness...that is what makes handspun "handspun" if you ask me!

hope that helps!

[Thenutmeg2000]

Also, if money is an issue, make yourself a drop spindle to try it out. Or check ebay from some starter kits that come with a book and some fiber. I just started yet another yarn craft, Tunisian crochet (afghan crochet) and I didn't have the proper hook. I went to Walmart (cause it was 1 am an no craft store open and I HAD to try it out) I bought a dowel rod from the craft dept. I cost 48 cents. I carved my own (with a little help from my tool o distruction Drimmel). I am going to make myself another drop spindle out of the rest. Yeah 20 cent projects!

[theresat]

It seems to me that spinning evenly breaks down to two things.  Personal preference (whether you want to spin evenly) and practice.  I prefer evenly spun fibers (when I am spinning my own, however I love to look at some of the thick and thin on here), so that's my focus when I'm making yarn.  When I'm really trying to make a very even yarn, I tend to spin slower, focusing very closely on the thickness.  I haven't been spinning very long, but between my anal-retentive perfectionism and dedication of my spare time, I'm spinning fairly even fibers and I learned about a month and a half ago.

[NoelleNoodle]

I'm a pretty new spinner (learned about two months ago) and one thing I keep hearing and reading from the experienced spinners online and at the local spinning guild is to enjoy the randomness of the thick and thin yarn while you can. 

That as you keep working and get more experience it gets harder to keep making the charm and fun of the randomly slubbed yarns - after a while it starts to become a patterned kind of slub (which is neat too!) but not the same as the crazy stuff produced in the beginning.  That's really something to keep in mind I think.  As far as the slubby yarns, I think that's a personal preference thing because I LOVE them.  I keep telling myself how much Colinette charges for their point 5 yarn but I got to make mine on my own!

If you want a thinner less bumpy yarn it seems like you could just really prepare the roving to be thinner and predraft it really well before you start.

As far as starter kits - I'd totally snag one from helloyarn.com. That babe spindle is nice and heavy and is adaptable for a top or bottom whorl and I'm a huge fan of Adrian's color choices.  And that finn roving is soft as buttah.

[hello.mango]

I agree with you NoelleNoodle, to try and hold on to that crazy thick and thin style that youget when first starting, as it is harder to achieve the more you spin as you naturally become very even with practice.  I try very hard to make bumpy and lumpy most of the time as that is what I like!