singles yarn (Baby Alpaca Top) and two-ply yarn (Blue Face Leicester & Alpaca)¹

This past weekend I learned the Andean plying method – you wind the singles yarn onto your hand and then respin them together on the drop spindle in the opposite direction. The goal is to respin the yarn so it is balanced (the Z-twist and S-twist energies neutralize one another).

I washed the handspun in warm water and then let them dry – which took longer than expected. But after a few days, the two-ply really bloomed!

Rx Reading: Spin It by Lee Raven, Interweave Press. A great little book that gives step-by-step instructions on how to spin and includes a few patterns.

1 Fiber Source: The Yarn Tree
Thanks to Linda and Caroline at the Yarn Tree for the excellent instruction, fiber talk and all around fun. (Hi Barley!)