A woman’s work was never done: spinning in medieval art

by Judy Kavanagh If you were a woman in medieval Europe (between the 5th and 15th centuries CE), you would have had many chores to perform every day such as cooking, cleaning, looking after children – and spinning. You would have needed to produce large quantities of thread from both wool and flax to weave […]

Travelling with spindles

Words by Sissel Ellevseth “The travelling itself is part of the journey,” my dad always said when my siblings and I started complaining about being bored in the back seat. The 1000-km drive to visit my grandparents in Vesterålen almost took the joy out of the summer vacation for us. Today, I don’t think much […]

Call for Tips

We’d love to get your tips for our Winter issue on Warmth. If you want to spin the warmest yarn, what fiber/fiber blend would you use? (If you’d like to include what draft and plying you would combine in that fiber, please do!) Head over to the Tip Jar submission page and send us your […]

Reader Feature: Chantily Lovelace

Chantily posted on the PLYAway board on Ravelry about the “classes” she was taking at home since PLYAway was canceled, so she’s here to share a little bit about that with you as well as a little more about herself. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started spinning. I’ve been […]

PLY Autumn 2021 Consistency Mood Board

Consistency is something most spinners strive for in their yarn, but how do you find that spinning sweet spot over short and long spins? Share your secrets to spinning a consistent yarn. Is it in the fiber, in the preparation, in the draft or ply? Can you be consistent in a woolen prep and draft? […]

Just Give It a Whirl

Words and Photos by Michele Marshall “What if…?” might be the most exciting phrase in a maker’s world. I have dabbled in various forms of fiber, paper, and mixed media arts for most of my adult life. In each creative endeavor, I’ve discovered “what if” often precedes an exciting and fun phase of exploration that […]

Winter 2020 ads on sale

Ads are officially on sale for the next issue on Warmth (Winter 2020). We are dedicated to keeping this magazine content heavy and ad light (ads are only 12–15% of our content). Hopefully you’ve noticed this, and hopefully you’ve noticed the ads. We love our advertisers – without them, we couldn’t bring you this magazine. […]

Introducing PLY’s new graphic designer

Elizabeth Fitzpatrick is the new graphic designer/layout artist for PLY, and we asked her a few questions so we could all get to know her a little better. Her first issue is the Summer 2020 issue on Supported Spindles. Tell us a little bit about yourself, what fiber craft(s) you do, and how you got […]

A Study of the Effects of Canis Lupus Familiaris (Dog) Fiber on Achieving Nirvana

words and photos by Brittany Trask As I walked my 17-year-old Chow Chow Bear, otherwise known as “Chookie,” for what was to be our final time in September 2018, I stood proud and transfixed. I was mesmerized by a piece of fur that had shaken itself loose from Chookie’s cuddly frame, drifting through the twilight […]