PLY article index

There are always “trade-offs” when choosing a fiber to spin. This article discusses how and why to evaluate potential fibers’ properties before making a decision.

Twist is a basic element of every yarn – does it matter which direction you spin? This article explores the effects of both twist direction and plying style on knitted, crocheted, and woven projects.

This convenient chart lays out the basic attributes of woolen, semi-woolen, semi-worsted, and worsted yarns, including typical prep, draft, fibers, and pros and cons of each style.

Consistency is a complicated topic, but measurements are a powerful tool. This article focuses on measuring yarn thickness through wraps per inch (WPI) and using that measurement in planning a project.

This article introduces the basic elements of constructing a worsted yarn. It includes choosing fiber, preparing it, drafting, creating different yarn structures, and finishing.

This article showcases the Cheviot breed of sheep, from its medieval origins to its modern form, with a description of the typical wool produced by this breed.

The process of spinning Cheviot wool into consistent DK- and fingering-weight yarn for knitting socks.

A pattern for a pair of top-down socks with stitch pattern, reinforced flap heel, and no-graft toe.

This article walks through creating a smooth, invisible, and strong join between fibers in both worsted and woolen spinning.

Through a technical experiment, this article investigates the effects of fiber content and yarn construction on temperature control.

The treadle is the spinner’s direct connection to the function of their wheel. This article explores the structure of treadles and the mechanics of treadling.

There has been an explosion of learning resources for spinners online in recent decades. This article investigates the pros and cons of various platforms and learning/teaching models.

An experiment on the effects of dyeing a prepared fiber before or after spinning.

What is a “balanced” yarn, and why do we want to spin one? This article investigates the pros and cons of plying to balance singles twist vs. plying to balance combined singles twist against ply twist.

Broken singles are a universal experience. In this article, the author explores how to identify the reason for a break and how to rejoin it during traditional plying, cable plying, or chain plying.

This article gives a crash course in color, defining basic terms (hue, primary/secondary colors, complementary colors, optical blending, and value) and outlining experimental adventures that spinners can undertake to explore their own understandings of color in fiber.

This article explores drafting methods of the woolen “family,” resulting in light and lofty woolen-style yarns even without a “true” woolen prep.

This article discusses spinning for hats. It explores three yarn weights in multiple fibers to create a perfectly bouncy, elastic yarn for a comfortable wearing experience.

Knitting pattern for a beanie-style hat in three yarn weights: DK, worsted, and chunky. It features a spiraling decrease design.

Antique wheels are often a budget choice, but they can be complex to maintain. This article follows the author’s experience with acquiring, learning, repairing, and loving an antique wheel.

We all want to spin better, PLY readers give you their best tips for growing your spinning skills.

A sample card is a simple but effective tool for keeping spinning consistent across sessions. This article describes both why and how to create a sample card for every project.

Three answers to the question: “How do you get back to that beginner bulk once you’ve become a fine spinner?

What is a breed study? This article explains the what, why, and how of researching fibers through preparation and spinning to discover their unique traits.