Plying Yarn Tips for Hand spinners

     

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Above samples are using a Yarn Twist degree gauge to look at samples. 
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At some point after you learn to hand spin yarn singles, you will decide it's time to ply those singles together. Plying singles together strengthens your yarn as well as increases the weight of our yarn. I know plying can seem a little intimidating as a beginner because you don't want to mess up that lovely single you worked so hard to spin. Don't be afraid! Plying is the end game and should be fun!

Here are a few tips I have taken from my students questions to help make plying a bit easier for you.

1. The one and only rule to plying is make sure you are spinning your wheel in the opposite direction from what you spun the yarn in. So if you were spinning to the right (clockwise), be sure you are plying to the left (counter clockwise).
2. Ideally have a Lazy Kate and move it lower than your wheel (on the ground) and a little bit away from you. This allows for a little extra room and tension between your hands and the bobbins giving you some extra room to work out an squiggles in your yarn before you ply them.
3. Count! As you get more comfortable plying you may not need to continue to count but to do this day, I still count while I am plying. This gives you a measurement point to easily adjust if you decide you want more or less twist in your yarn.
4. Do a check on the yarn after you have plied a bit. Allow a sample to feed all the way onto the bobbin. Then pull back a bit of is off the bobbin and see if you like it. If you are happy, keep plying as you were. If you want more or less twist, this is where the counting helps! If you want more twist and you were counting to 4, try counting to 5 or 6 and look at your sample again. 
5. Adjust the uptake on your wheel as you ply if you are on a Scotch or Irish tension wheel. As the bobbin fills it will start to cause a drag on your uptake so be sure to keep notching up the tension as it starts to feel like the yarn isn't being pulled on as well. (Note: the same goes for when you are spinning, but because plying fills the bobbin so much faster you'll need to adjust the tension more).

Just like with spinning your yarn, plying is totally subjective. We all spin and ply differently and that is the wonderful part of the craft. There are very few rules! As long as you like the yarn you are making, you are doing it right. Have fun!

Starting in March I will be adding live Q & A spinning sessions available to my Patreon members. This will be available at the $5 level. These sessions will be available via Zoom. You will be invited to come on in and ask questions that have you stumped with your spinning. I won't be teaching spinning on the Zoom (I have a course for that! - Let's Make Yarn!) My goal is to make myself available to troubleshoot hand spinning issues for those new to the craft or are just feeling frustrated. Join the Ewethful Patreon community now or be sure to get signed up for my newsletter to stay up to date! You can join the newsletter on my website ewethfulfiberfarm.com