This weekend during my internship with Olympic Yarn and Fiber, we shifted a bit away from animal husbandry and I got to begin to learn how to use some of the mill equipment. For my first step into the never-ending world of textile machinery, I learned how to use the skeiner machine and how to steam the skeins in order to allow the fibers to relax for the final steps of the process.
I was unable to take pictures of the fiber/machinery I was working with because the yarn on it was a private project that the customer does not want published. Because of that, I am simply using a photo of the same model of skeiner that I was able to work with. It was really interesting to be able to see firsthand how much quicker the production process is when you have machinery to cover each step.
The steps that I learned go as follows:
- Attach end of yarn to the hooks on the inside of the skeiner, set spin dial back to zero.
- Press start – keep an eye out for breaks in the yarn/the bobbin running out.
- When the machine stops, pull wheel down to bring wheel hooks closest to you.
- Cut yarn off and secure bobbin end, then pull forward 1 length and cut off, set aside for second figure 8 knot.
- Pull yarn end from the hook and tie figure 8 knots on both ends.
- Release tension knob, slide off yarn.
- Put tension knob back.
- Load yarn onto steaming rack.
- Weight bottom rack to straighten out pieces.
- Steam on all sides to relax fibers, let dry.
- Twist into final skeins.