How to Use a McMorran Balance

A McMorran balance is used to determine the yardage of an unknown yarn. The McMorran balance consists of a rectangular box and a balancing arm.

Difficulty Level:
Easy
Time Required:
5 minutes
Here’s How:

 
1. Place the McMorran balance on a level surface, such as on the edge of a table.
2. Set the pins of the small balancing arm into the small notches on the top of the box.
3. Lay a length of yarn in the notch of the balance, allowing the yarn to hang down towards the floor.
4. Using scissors start to trim the length of yarn, cutting x-about 1/2 inch at a time, until the balancing arm is level.
5. When the arm is level, remove the length of yarn from the balance.
6. Measure the length of yarn against a ruler.
7. Multiply the measurement x 100.
8. This measurement gives you the number of yards per lb. of yarn (ypp)
9. e.g. 6 inches x 100 = 600 ypp

Tips:

McMorran balances are also available in metric measurements.

If you are measuring bumpy, slub or a handspun yarn, the measurement may not be accurate due to inconsistencies in the yarn. 

How To
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How to Use a McMorran Balance

Hand Weaving Books
Weaving on a Little Loom (Everything you need to know to get started with weaving, includes 5 simple projects

The Key to Weaving: A Textbook of Hand Weaving for the Beginning Weaver
The Weaver’s Companion (The Companion Series)
Learning to Weave
The Big Book of Weaving: Handweaving in the Swedish Tradition: Techniques, Patterns, Designs and Materials
The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory
A Weaver’s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns: From the Friends of Handwoven
Krokbragd: How to Design & Weave
Doubleweave: On Four to Eight Shafts
Double Weave: Theory and Practice
Magic of Doubleweave: The Best of Weaver’s (Best of Weaver’s series)
Weaving In the Arts: Widening the Learning Circle

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Last Updated on April 1, 2020 by Paivi Suomi