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2016 Plying Cover
Guest Blogger

What’s inside the Plying issue?

/in /by

The Winter 2016 “Plying” issue is busy making its way to various destinations around the world. Whether you’re a subscriber waiting for your copy to arrive, or you’ve been thinking of subscribing and you’d like a preview before you buy, today’s post is here to give you a sneak peek inside the issue!

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2016 Plying CoverIn Jacey’s introduction to this issue, she talks about the idea that as a spinning community, we’re like plies of yarn: we’re stronger together. Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that we end the year with an issue all about Plying. What combinations will you come up with in the new year? Here’s a look at the rest of this issue:

Great Articles!

We’ve rounded up the a talented group of spinners and asked them to share their insights and experiments with us, and as always we’ve got a tip jar full of helpful hints from our readers, new information on the spinning SCENE, and how to keep your spinning body happy by Carson Demers! Take a look at what you’ll get:

  • Plying Primer, by Beth Smith  – Everything you ever needed to know about plying!
  • Plying by Numbers, by Michelle Boyd – Michelle’s controlled experiment on the numbers involved in plying, from ratios to bobbin size.
  • The Law of Diminishing Returns, by Sylvia Becker – Sylvia explains the variables in plying that matter most to the finished yarn you’re trying to create.
  • Plying my Longest Thread, by Kaye Cooper – One spinner’s perspective on the Longest Thread Competition of 2017.
  • Spin It! The “Miss America,” by Patsy Zawistoski – Patsy explains her alternative to Andean plying.
  • Flock to Fashion, by Katrina Walker – Katrina tells the story behind the Shepherdess Cardi, a project featured in this issue. It all began on Katrina’s farm with a sheep named Luke.
  • Spin It! Shepherdess Cardi, by Jason Mullet-Bowlsby – A how-to on spinning for the gorgeous crocheted cardigan featured in this issue.
  • Spin It! Plying through Rings, by Kim McKenna – Kim’s contraption for spinning a multi-plied yarn, inspired by her mother-in-law’s love of Aran sweater knitting. It involves the use of a ring, several bobbins, and a curtain rod – you’ll be amazed at the results!
  • Plying for Stretch, by Kara Perpelitz – Does adding plies to a yarn increase or decrease the elasticity? Find out with Kara in this experimental article.
  • Spin It! Illegal Plying, by Patsy Zawistoski – Do you just love to throw the rule book out the window? If so, you’re one of Patsy’s tribe. Read along with her and ignore the Spinning Police when they knock on your door! You’re too busy plying YOUR way!
  • The Mystery of the Elastic Cotton, by Stephenie Gaustad – Cotton fiber isn’t, by nature, elastic. So how can you spin a stretchy cotton yarn?
  • Match Making: Testing Different Singles with Ply Structures, by Esther Rodgers – An experiment using the same singles with three different plying techniques. What a difference a ply makes!
  • The Skirt Project, by Beth Smith – Beth set out to spin, weave, and sew herself a skirt: here’s how she did it.
  • Spin It! Plying for Color, by Jillian Moreno – We tend to think of plying as something that adds size, durability, or texture to our yarns. But what if we thought about what it does to the color of the knitted fabric?
  • Use Your Yarn, by Beth Smith – Don’t just let your handspun sit on a shelf – use it! Beth shows you some great pattern choices in this mini feature.
  • Spin It! Chain Plying, by Gwen Powell – Some debate on the validity of this yarn (is it even plied?), but if you’d like to give it a try, Gwen shows you how! It can be a fun and easy way to ply from a single bobbin and to maintain color striping, so we recommend giving it a go!
  • Spin It! Mendenhall Muff, by Carol G. McFadden – The how-to article on spinning for this issue’s muff project.
  • Spin It! Spin, Ply, Cable, by Mary Berry – How to cable ply your yarns, from start to finish.
  • What Went Wrong? by Maggie Casey – Plying should be the finishing touch on a fabulous yarn, but what if instead it’s more like a nightmare? Maggie walks us through some common problems and how to prevent them.

shib3-webFantastic Projects

In every issue of PLY, you’ll find a handful of projects for knitting, weaving, crocheting and more – along with instructions for how to best spin the yarns you’ll use in those projects. Here are the projects from the Winter issue:

  • Shepherdess Cardi, by Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby – A cozy yet lacy crocheted cardigan that’s sure to be a show-stopper.
  • Mendenhall Muff, by Carol G. McFadden – You’ll feel like a March sister in this cozy layered muff.

Everything Else!

Sometimes it’s hard to get plying just right, so in Tip Jar we’re rounding up the best tips from our readers to help you ply a little bit better. In Ergo Neo, Carson explains how to manipulate your setup and stance to make plying a pleasure. Scene is full of things on the spinning scene that you’ll want to know about including an animated film from HansenCrafts and a new spinning device (of questionable origin) from Abby Franquemont. In our Hot Button feature this issue, three different spinners tackle the topic of Lazy Kates. And don’t forget to check out our Independent Spinner page to find all the details on the products featured in this issue!

If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that right here on our website! And be sure to pick up a copy of this issue if you don’t already have one (or it isn’t on its way to you)!