PLY article index

This article introduces the idea of spinning a singles yarn. Covering wheel set-up, fiber choice, draft choice, and experimentation, this article will get your started spinning your singles yarns.

Beth Smith knows fiber and when you’re spinning singles, fiber choice matters. This article explores how and why it matters by experimenting with Merino (short staple length), Romney (medium staple length), and Wensleydale (long staple length).

Take care of your body so you can keep making yarn! This article helps spindle spinners keep their bodies in tip top shape!

Using hand-dyed fiber, this article covers all the considerations of spinning a color-changing singles yarn including fiber choice, planning, spinning, and finishing.

Learn all about Johanna Carter in this spinner profile.

Is spinning singles yarn actually more efficient or economical? Jillian experiments and shares her results!

Everyone is afraid of singles yarn biasing. Is it warranted? This article explores and tests just how likely biasing is, how much or little twist is needed to create a bias, and what can be done to avoid it.

A comic by Franklin Habit

Socks and singles yarns? Is it possible?  This experimental article uses a 2-ply sock and a singles yarn sock, spun from Gotland, records the wear and tear on both through several weeks, and reports the answer!

An article on using singles yarns for tatting.

Creating low-twist singles yarn is a dance between you, your wheel, and the fiber. Some simple tools and accommodations can help you along the way.

Knitting pattern for a lace scarf inspired by its handspun singles yarn.

Knitting pattern for a textured hat and cowl set inspired by fluffy patches of fog, made up in handspun singles yarn.

When spinning singles, the yarn will never technically be balanced due to the lack of counteracting ply. Learn about using just enough twist to hold the fiber together while still allowing the yarn to be soft and airy.

Knitting pattern for a zigzag-textured scarf in soft, gradiented singles yarn.

So much of what we strive for as handspinners is uniformity, but this project goes in a different direction: so much twist the thread tries to escape the plane, a grist that increases as you spin, a sleazy gauge, and bias gone wild.

Knitting pattern for an intentionally biased eyelet-pattern scarf in overtwisted singles yarn.

Singles yarns can be an excellent choice for tapestry weaving: they require less spinning time, can be used on their own or in bundles, and don’t catch in the weaving comb as plied yarns sometimes do. This article covers the basics of preparing both weft and warp yarns for tapestry weaving.

In many cultures, a new weaver’s first project is a bag to hold their tools. Use these instructions for a simple homemade cardboard loom to create your own stunning project!

It’s common knowledge among weavers that warp yarns should be plied strong enough to withstand loom tension, but is it a universal rule? This article tests five differen handspun singles as warp in a rigid heddle loom.

Oops! You overspun your singles yarn. No worries: simply weave it on a peg loom, an easy and portable project that lets the beauty of handspun yarn shine through.

Do you tension-set your yarns? These three spinners discuss when and why it might be appropriate—or not.

Why do we spin so many singles and use so few? Learn how to set the twist in a singles yarn without resorting to plying.

Maggie Casey, author of Start Spinning, teaches us how to open locks with a flicker, how to comb with flicker, how to spin each of the preps, and how the yarns compare.