Before I start, let me warn you that this post is very heavy in photographs. It seemed necessary though to explain exactly what I did to create this yarn, but I won't be offended if you scroll down to the end instead of reading every painstaking step!
During week 2 of the TdF, our team (DIY and Dye) proposed a side challenge of making a multi-ply yarn which I just couldn't resist! So, I started by spinning two singles (z-spun - clockwise). I picked out a large bag of World of Wool Botany Lap Waste and selected this for the first ply :-
I spun it fairly finely because I'm aiming to get as many plies as I can without it getting too fat.
The second bobbin was made up of various yellows and whites with a bit of shocking pink for emphasis.
The two singles ready for plying :-
These two were "s" (anti-clockwise) plied together to make a 2-ply yarn.
Next up, I chose some red merino top which was spun in the "s" direction.
This single was then z-plied with the first bobbin, giving three plies. I made this into a centre-pull ball :-
and plied it back on itself ("s" ply) to give 6 plies in total.
Then a chunk of grey Botany Lap Waste became a thick and thin, "s" spun single.
Then it was ply time again! The ever-thickening main yarn was plied with the grey ("z" plied) with the thick bits of the grey yarn being "granny stacked" over the main yarn. This means it was spun in a disorganised "clump" on top of the yarn giving a sort of "nub". By now we had 7 plies.
Again, I made a centre-pull ball and plied it back on itself in the "s" direction. I now had 14 plies.
The last addition to this never-ending project (or it felt like it anyway!) was a leftover ball of blue singles from a previous spin. I have no idea what this is, but it was probably a bit of single left on a bobbin after plying with another bobbin.
This was plied with the main yarn again in the "z" direction. The blue single had also been spun "z" so it got a bit tighter as it was plied. Now up to 15 plies and my Aura was visibly struggling to take the yarn in. I'd tightened the tension on the black band as much as it would go and it still wasn't enough. I think that's when I realised just how much this band had relaxed since I first got the wheel. Initially, even on the loosest tension possible, it was grabbing the yarn out of my hands as I spun. It was very difficult to spin normally for a while. Anyway, I moved the mother of all to a higher position, which had the effect of tightening the black band again and all was well.
Finally, I re-plied with the same blue single ("s" direction) and called it done. My total was 16 plies.
After its bath today, it weighs 130g, measures 20 yards/19 metres, and is 4 wraps per inch!
During week 2 of the TdF, our team (DIY and Dye) proposed a side challenge of making a multi-ply yarn which I just couldn't resist! So, I started by spinning two singles (z-spun - clockwise). I picked out a large bag of World of Wool Botany Lap Waste and selected this for the first ply :-
I spun it fairly finely because I'm aiming to get as many plies as I can without it getting too fat.
The second bobbin was made up of various yellows and whites with a bit of shocking pink for emphasis.
The two singles ready for plying :-
These two were "s" (anti-clockwise) plied together to make a 2-ply yarn.
Next up, I chose some red merino top which was spun in the "s" direction.
This single was then z-plied with the first bobbin, giving three plies. I made this into a centre-pull ball :-
and plied it back on itself ("s" ply) to give 6 plies in total.
Then a chunk of grey Botany Lap Waste became a thick and thin, "s" spun single.
Then it was ply time again! The ever-thickening main yarn was plied with the grey ("z" plied) with the thick bits of the grey yarn being "granny stacked" over the main yarn. This means it was spun in a disorganised "clump" on top of the yarn giving a sort of "nub". By now we had 7 plies.
Again, I made a centre-pull ball and plied it back on itself in the "s" direction. I now had 14 plies.
The last addition to this never-ending project (or it felt like it anyway!) was a leftover ball of blue singles from a previous spin. I have no idea what this is, but it was probably a bit of single left on a bobbin after plying with another bobbin.
This was plied with the main yarn again in the "z" direction. The blue single had also been spun "z" so it got a bit tighter as it was plied. Now up to 15 plies and my Aura was visibly struggling to take the yarn in. I'd tightened the tension on the black band as much as it would go and it still wasn't enough. I think that's when I realised just how much this band had relaxed since I first got the wheel. Initially, even on the loosest tension possible, it was grabbing the yarn out of my hands as I spun. It was very difficult to spin normally for a while. Anyway, I moved the mother of all to a higher position, which had the effect of tightening the black band again and all was well.
Finally, I re-plied with the same blue single ("s" direction) and called it done. My total was 16 plies.
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