Spinning

Explore the craft of spinning and how it has developed over time. Practice spinning using the drop spindle technique and use poetry to show the process that spinning goes through.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To learn how the craft of spinning has been important to people through the centuries and how it has changed and developed over the past 1000 years.
• To investigate how fibres can be twisted into yarn through the process of spinning and to learn the craft of hand spinning using a drop spindle.

Children will:

• Learn how the craft of spinning has been important to people through the centuries and how it has changed and developed over the past 1000 years.
• Spin a ball of yarn from sheep’s wool (fleece) using a drop spindle.
• Learn about the whole process from sheep to yarn in the form of a poem that is an adaptation of The House that Jack Built.
• Make a zigzag book and use it to write and illustrate the poem.

• Making a back to front Zigzag book
• Instructions for teachers on making drop spindles and jumbled up text for zigzag books
• How spinning has changed over the years
• A poem about yarn

• A set of magnifying lenses
• A selection of different fabrics (or items of clothing) that are both knitted and woven
• A selection of lengths (30cm approx.) of different threads and yarns
• Sheep fleece
• 2 pieces of A4 white card per child
• Template strips of stiff card 14cm x 1.5cm enough for one per child

How to spin yarn using a drop spindle - YouTube clip