HAND WEAVING

How to Use a McMorran Balance

If you aren’t sure about the weight or yardage of your yarn, a handy tool to use is 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
    How Long does it take to knit
    How to Make an Alum Mordant
    How to Mordant Cotton and Linen Yarns
    How to Sew Handwoven Fabric
    How to Spin a Cabled Yarn
    How to Make a Tin Mordant
    How to Make a Twisted Fringe
    How to Use a Corker
    How to Wash Fleece
    How to Felt
    How to Use a McMorran Balance

    Visit PAIVATAR YARNS Web Shop
    Sámi Band Weaving
    Handspun yarns
    Natural Plant Dyes
    Nalbinding
    Crewel Wool
    Sashiko Threads

    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

    AMAZON AFFILIATE ADS: KNITTING

    EBAY SHOPPING – USED WEAVING LOOMS
    USED FLOOR LOOMS - US
    USED FLOOR LOOMS - UK

    Paivatar on YouTube
    Visit my YouTube channel for how-to craft videos.

    Or Please visit my Channel on Rumble for more how-to videos. https://rumble.com/Paivatar

    Visit PAIVATAR YARNS Web Shop
    Sámi Band Weaving
    Handspun yarns
    Natural Plant Dyes
    Nalbinding
    Crewel Wool
    Sashiko Threads