My grandma used to soak the yarn then wraps it taught around apiece of wood, lets it dry in that position and lets it rest for a couple of weeks before plying. I tried a few things, not letting it rest, letting rest for a few weeks/months and soaking before letting it rest. I find that the soak and rest method cuts down on how long you need to let. It rest for. My doesn’t grandma doesn’t spin or sew anymore because of arthritis, and we live pretty far from each other so I didn’t get the chance to learn from her, so having people in the internet passionate about putting information out there is incredibly heartwarming and it’s honestly an honor to start where she stopped and keep her machinery alive.
Oh, dear girl, I can give you a one-word answer about why I let my bobbins "rest"... *!!!SQUIRREL!!!* My "short attention span theater" Inner-Evil-Twin sends me diving into my fibre trunk as soon as I have finished spinning the current singles (and sometimes even before the singles are done) looking for the next pretty to play with. It often takes running out of bobbins to get me to ply. Of course there are days when I'm too cold or lazy to get up and dig into the fibre trunk; on those days, I will jump in and ply right away. Whilst thinking about "full bobbins necessitating plying," I harkened back to my studies of historic 'needlework' (which included an emphasis on spinning and weaving.) It occurs to me that so many of the choices I make ~especially as related to spinning methods & practices~ are influenced and informed by what our foremothers/great-grandmothers did. CPW's were placed in the hands of home-spinners because there was little-to-no yarn or cloth available for home use, all of the available resources - factories and finished materiel - were reserved for military uniforms and gear. So the CPW became the saving grace for countless families, and women began spinning in record numbers. I guess some things never change: When life seems unbearably hard or tragic, put your hands to work ~ preferably "work" involving yarn! In those days, extra bobbins were a luxury (where was Akerworks when they needed him?😉) So spinners didn't have the option of letting their bobbins rest. It was spin, spin, spin, ply... on hard wooden chairs with bad lighting and the pressured knowledge that if they succumbed to the aching exhaustion they lived with, their family would go cold &/or nekid. My long winded point is that wherever the practice of letting singles rest came from, it was not our forebearers. Those spinners of auld did not have the time to rest - or let their bobbins rest - given everything else they *had* to do. So to rest or not to rest? I can say unequivocally, as my education and experience have taught me, that there *is* one correct method: *Find joy and peace in your spinning and do whatever works for you!"
Try putting a shower ring on the non tension kate it helps to keep the yarn barf way down just thread your yarns to be plied through the ring and allow the ring to remain close to the bobbins, you might get a slight barf but it's a controlled barf. Lol now that we're done barfing Great video.
I don't INTENTIONALLY do anything with my bobbins regarding "resting". However, life is life and when I get to it, I get to it. Some I do within a day or two and others I have "marinated a few, ummm, years and they were just fine. Everyone - "You do you!" :)
I found this such an informative video. I’m new to spinning, therefore, stumbling my way through the various processes. I hadn’t realised that after having plyed yarn, it should be washed, so I now know and understand why, and how to proceed. Thank you.
For me it depends on how in a hurry I am. Sometimes it takes me a month to spin 3 singles and I ply them as soon as the third one is ready. Sometimes I spin them all in a few days and ply them immediately. Sometimes I spin them and then ply them later because I am not in a hurry for the yarn and want to spin something different. I can't really tell much of a difference. I do tend to spin and ply most of my yarns on the same settings, so I think that makes a difference in my not worrying about it one way or the other.
This really works! I've always let my bobbins rest by default (more things in life than spinning time, lol!) and I always found my plied yarn to be really "meh" after meticulously making sure that I had a neutral yarn in the plyback tests while plying. I really didn't understand why my finished yarn was always so disappointing. This time, however, I plied the yarn so that it looked like what it wanted to be when fresh spun - but it was plying back into a really tight 4 ply during the plying process! I thought for sure that it would end up a super overtwisted mess. But after taking a bath and being hung up to dry I found a perfectly balanced skein this morning! The yarn was bouncy and lovely and I can't wait to cast on a project with it. Thanks so much for doing these kinds of experiments - it really helps a lot!! Now I'm actually looking forward to plying up all of the bobbins I have stashed around the house :)
This was interesting! I always let my bobbins rest but it's not exactly intentional. The way my brain works, once I've made significant progress on a project (like finishing a bobbin) I need to either take a long break or switch to a totally different project. I can never really focus on one thing with small breaks here and there. That being said, I do usually give my yarn a soak once it's all plied, so I think that kinda makes up for how long it takes to get my life together 😂
I often leave my singles to rest when I have some more lovely fibre I can't wait to spin! I will leave them to rest as a matter of course now. Your video is very interesting and explains why some of my plyed yarn looks underplyed. Thanks 😀
Brand new spinner haven't played yet. I am sold. Just now got to see how long I should be waiting. I am an experienced knitter. I decided this year for Christmas me and my two littles will be starting a fiber arts journey. Its our Christmas theme. It was inspired by our homesteading dreams but realizing it will be a few years before we can have land. I realized we could have a rabbit. And since we can really only do one we went fiber not meat weather you call it turning your waiting room into a class room or making lemonade out of lemons. It feels really good to be pursuing these with my kids. They are exited and a lot of it will be to hard but I want them to see it and want to learn and push themselves. My almost five year old was given a fidget and he enjoyed it a very long time and I tried out my Christmas present spindle early today I am really liking spinning I called it my fidget. And I thought how so many children were taught handy crafts so early on. People had "fidgets" hundreds of years ago. But they were functional. It just reaffirms my desire to teach him handy crafts he wanted to spin but his spindle and wool gift kit haven't arrived yet. I was a Turkish spindle is here and I was not going to give him mine to work on I am just not that chill really I think we should wait until its actually Christmas maybe. I got 3 dirty fleaces back in august got them washed and bagged up in gallon baggies they are Jacob sheep I got one gallon carded. Maybe I should focus on getting it all carded by chistmas. I have 7 1/2 very full gallon bag view of white wool and 3 and quart of dark or non white wool. Though its probably better if the are less packed I know wool is measured by weight not gallons but I don't have a little sale right now.
You are having an adventure! I used to have angora rabbits and I miss them so much! Teaching kids to spin is lots of fun. Don't worry too much about doing it "right" just let them explore the fibers and experiment. Happy spinning!
I do find that waiting to ply has many benefits. I hate twisted yarn barf. I really avoid that by using two lazy Kate’s. One on either side of my wheel to help me with my plying issues.
A spinner friend suggested I let the singles rest on the bobbin for at least 2 days. NOW I KNOW WHY!! Thank you for your informative videos presented in such a positive way. 🙂
I have to say I haven’t given it much thought. When I am ready to ply, I ply. Maybe because I am a newer spinner-I am happy if the yarn looks balanced. I wonder want qualifies as “rested.”
I wish I could send you a pic of my own cure for tensioning my Kate, but imagine this: I made a brake band for each bobbin. I used a bit of linen sport weight. All I did was tie the right length to make a loop that just sits in the grooves on the bobbins. No more free wheeling!
I do wish you had a control, but this was really cool! I let mine rest. I was told that it also let's the twist even out throughout (if spots have more or less twist) which is great for a spindle spinner like me.
Hey you! I'm definitely a 'both' type of person when I ply. My general thoughts go as thus: When I'm spinning a large project (multiple bobbins/multiple skeins), I always let the yarn rest. If I'm spinning a thin yarn that will be plied (center-pull ball/traditional ply), I always let it rest. Now, to contrast this, if I'm making a thick (sport weight and thicker) yarn/small project ('one' skein), I often ply right away. I don't have a tensioned lazy kate either, but I find the pigtail action is less annoying/pronounced in thicker yarns. This is partly to do with the amount of twist for the gauge, which tends to be lower for a thicker yarn anyway. Art yarns are a totally different matter--sometimes that active twist is very important for the process. Your insights about resting prior to plying are exactly the reason why I always let my thin singles sit for a while before I even consider plying them, regardless of the method. This is especially important if I'm Navajo-plying (chain ply)--those pigtails can easily get caught in the loop of the chain and snap if you tug just a little too hard. One quick thing I read ages ago (probably in Spin-Off) regarding balanced ply: always keep a sample of your intended ply yarn while you're spinning initially. Take about 1 yard plied, wash and dry it, then keep it with the bobbin/project. Reconstituting the active twist via the washing method is a good way to double check the ply twist (in case you lost your sample or never made one at first!) and you can compare this test with the one you created the day you originally spun the yarn. One thing to bear in mind has to do with the natural twist (which you showed in the wetted sample) and the inserted twist during the plying phase (which you showed in the finished skein). Wool has plastic properties and can accept more ply twist than might be considered 'balanced' at first. There's room for adjustment in case you want a slightly rounder 2-ply, for instance, than you made in your original test sample, and both can be understood as 'balanced'. Hopefully that makes sense? Last point (for now! :D): concerning your comment about the origin of letting the yarn rest prior to plying is indeed a rabbit hole. This may be pertinent to keep the yarn tame when warping for weaving, which was primarily made of high twist singles for much of the (pre)history of weaving (in the Western world at least). Letting the ply sit may have been an important insight given to novice spinners if they struggled with twist and tangling. There are probably many sources of sage advice where this principle has been given to us modern spinners as received wisdom (i.e., a universal). When we question it, we find that we don't have a single reason for the origin of the wisdom. It's complicated. The more we ask and think and experiment, the more we understand why it is complicated. In sum, my answer to your question is: It depends. :)
Haha, it always depends doesn't it? I wonder about spindles with a removable whorl. You could easily have a pile of spindle sticks full of spun yarn resting in a pile until they get to the weaver. That starts to get into the historically possible territory of experimentation. I have several spindle sticks of wool that are waiting for the rest to get finished so they are naturally just sitting there resting. I wonder so many things...
@@JillianEve It is good to wonder a lot of things. Experimentation is also very good. Keep doing those things. There are graves of females from Tiwanaku who have been buried with their cases of spindle whorls and sticks. It suggests that they spun yarn on one stick, then moved the whorl to the next stick and began again. I have seen modern Andean weavers using yarn wrapped around sticks to weave their traditional fabrics (with the backstrap loom) so it seems reasonable to suggest that there is a long history of spinning and storing in this way.
Argh! You just fixed a huge sock yarn spinning problem for me. They always end up underspun after I wash 'n' set and I never could figure out why! Now I know. My plying trick of "dangling the yarn" combined with sock singles taking forever, therefore becoming ufos. Hahaha Thank you for doing this video 💜
The colors in that yarn are lovely. I do a lot of my hand spinning on a Turkish spindle. So I can just pull a ball off of it and often how fast I ply depends on how excited I am about the project. As I’ve been getting into supported spinning, it’s harder to get the yarn off the spindles. I have to actually rewind it onto a bobbin or something so I tend to want to ply quickly so that I can have my spindle back.
Thank you Evie, I make larger projects so I let the rest, it makes playing a lot easier and I can humble the bobbins to get a more even result in a jumper, I think end project talks too as I tend to ply for socks straight away,
I always let my singles rest for up to a week (I have left them longer also) then ply them, and give them a soak and dry them (it depends on how dirty the fiber is also, if dirty I will wash with a wool soap).
When plying, I always check for balance by seeing if the fibers look vertical, regardless of what the ply-back looks like. I spin at different rates for different projects, so just as a practical matter sometimes my singles rest and sometimes they don't. Or sometimes some bobbins rest and some don't. But looking at the direction of the actual fibers generally tells me what I need. For my own use, the way I knit tends to un-twist the yarn (I knit backwards... I can do it the "right" way when needed, but I am faster my way) so ideally I like my yarn to be just a little bit over-plied - or at least, better over than under.
I let mine rest. I tried plying right away and got lots of pigtails like you and it wasn’t enjoyable. I love that you showed the twist coming back in the rested bobbins.
It depends for me. A super high twist single is easier to me for plying if it rests, also if I am chain plying. So sometimes I let it rest, and sometimes I ply right away. I also sometimes tape a piece of yarn that was plied back in itself while fresh to a card so I can see the ideal twist angle.
I often spin a bobbin at different times. After watching this, I think I’ll rest the next bobbin and compare it with others I’ve spun. Great food for thought! Thank you.
I Navajo ply mine right away. I really like that way of plying because you end up with a 3 ply and you don't have to worry about twist differences between your singles
Hi, Evie! First, let me congratulate you on your beautiful new home! I wish you many happy years in it! On resting before plying, I always do, at least a couple of days. Seems to make it easier to ply.
I always let mine rest before plying, but you've solved for me why my finished yarn doesn't always look as I want it to. I need more twist in my ply! Thank you!!
Thanks for doing this experiment! I am working towards thinner, higher twist yarns and this video was invaluable. I’ve already experienced some messy twisty knots when plying. I wonder how one could use this principle when spinning lopi or other low-twist yarns? I guess ply right away! No rest!
I will be paying extra attention to my next bulky spins. I think the resting will be different when the yarn is thicker, but I've been surprised before so we'll see...
SO VERY INTERESTING! As a novice spinner, I have much to learn, such as the properties of yarn. Thank you. Your yarn is absolutely gorgeous, by the way!
I've only been spinning for a couple of months and since I haven't been able to travel back home to see the friend who agreed to teach me, I'm self-taught off watching videos like yours. I had never heard of resting bobbins before, and have been plying ASAP after finishing. I am preparing to ply off a bobbin that has been resting for about a week and a half out of necessity (no empties!) so I'll be interested to see the difference in my own yarn compared to the last one(s)! Thank you for this!
So much to love about this video! That yarn is GORGEOUS and your experiment makes a good case for letting bobbins rest after spinning. Personally I make an effort to complete projects in one go or they end up languishing for years. After seeing your limp yarn sample I now understand why some of my yarn that I plied right away ended up so being so "blah". It feels like a lot of wasted effort when the yarn is not fabulous so I will make an effort to let some of my bobbins rest but not forget about them. One of the advantages of 3D printed bobbins is they are cheap enough to have several on hand. Also THANK YOU for the little easter egg of those adorable goats grazing so happily! Made my day.
Thanks so much for bringing this idea to my attention. I am really impatient, but seeing the difference in the yarns has given me something to think about, thanks
Thank you so much for doing this! I was thinking of doing this same experiment, so I really appreciate another voice in the conversation. I spun some Rambouillet last month and I just skeined it today on my swift. What amazed me is that even if the whole skein gently twisted as I took it off the swift, the single itself didn't have hardly any of those curly-cues. I was amazed! Looks like I'll be investing in some storage yarns!
Please do the experiment too! There are so many variables and so much to learn! Does it matter in a 3 ply? Thicker yarn? Low twist?.... Do different breeds of wool relax the same way? So much to learn and explore! 💗💗💗
I used to wait 24 hours after spinning the final bobbin of singles before plying. But then I read several spinners I respect saying that it didn't matter and they never waited. Since I'm always eager to see the final product, I began to ply almost immediately. My finished ply often looks more loosely plied tha I expected --even with checking the twist all along the way. But once I soak it, squeeze it in a towel, snap it, and hang it, the yarn seems to bloon and the ply looks much better than I'd thought it would. Given your observations I may return to letting the bobbins rest. But....is 24 hours long enough to make a difference? Especially when the first bobbin may have been spun weeks earlier?
I try and let my bobbins rest, but LOVED your experiment about plying the rested singles to the angle that the rewetted singles looked good. I have plied yarn that looked ok but then relaxed so much once I wet finished them-they were so underplied. I don’t know if those singles in that underplyed yarn had rested a long time or not. I need to keep better records! Thanks for a great video. ❤
I have that lazy kate and have added a system to tension the bobbins. I used it for the first time today, chain plying a wollen spun Faroe wool with lanolin and both coats hand carded together ❤️🐑 I am a new spinner and eager to see progress, therefore I ply the next day... 😊
Lots of info and plenty more to think about. Nice job breaking down these variables. I'll be paying more attention now to this part of the process. Thank you for taking this experiment on.
I skein my singles off onto a niddy-noddy, as the rest allows any over-spin to even out. From there, I load the skein onto a swift to return it onto the bobbin through the wheel with the brake tension off. There are two other reasons, firstly I can dye it if I forgot, secondly to even out the length on each bobbin.
Herding goats IS a pain! I have 22, and they make me crazy! Could you do a video with an explaination of how to measure twist angle? I don't quite understand that process. Also, can you wash it with cold water if you're unsure of dye bleed?
I have it on my Patreon, and I think there is a clip of the twist angle in one of my older videos, "Plying the Same from Skein to Skein" I think. But yes, I'll do more angle things in the future!
I am very impatient, so I ply as soon as I can 😂Although I will say that after learning how to chain ply, and spinning thinner yarns in general I most definitely started rethinking the process. I struggle a lot with chainplying because of how twisted the single gets coming off of the bobbin so I will be letting the bobbin rest for sure now! Thank you for another wonderful and pleasant video!
I discovered your channel in the middle of last week and have been binging your vids. I always let my bobbins rest as that's how I was taught, but when I began spinning I only had one Turkish spindle so had to ply directly after spinning withe a bracelet plying method. I actually forgot that my first yarns had a lot of pigtails when I plied but at that stage I put it down to bring a new spinner. Now however I'm wondering if it might have been that the yarn wasn't relaxed.
Great video! I've been spinning on and off since I learned in 2008, and believe it or not I've yet to learn how to ply, everything I've ever spun was singles on hand spindles. When I first learned, my yarn looked like dreadlocks, but not long after till this very day, all I spin is lace weight- cobweb yarn, and my brain won't let me do anything else!! 🙄😄🤗💖🌹🧶
For me it depends on why I'm spinning and what I'm spinning whether I let the singles rest or not. Some projects, the spinning is the really fun part for me, especially if I'm learning a new technique. I don't always look forward to the plying for most projects, so I'll let those rest while I work on other projects. During Tour de Fleece, I always ply immediately or within a day of spinning because I want to have some actual skeins of yarn to show for it instead of just a bunch of singles. Other projects, I'm so excited about the yarn I'm making instead of just the singles, I want to ply it up immediately so I can see what it looks like or use it in a project. This is especially true if I'm combining very different singles together and I want to see what they look like and how they blend. I don't tend to get a lot of yarn barf when plying, but I haven't used a lazy kate until recently. Maybe I've just been lucky so far when plying from a lazy kate?
Oh dear! Now that you said it, you will get all the yarn barf!!! Oh no! 😂 Ultimately, if you have methods that work for you, then I think what you do is perfect! 😊🧶💜
Thank you so much! This video was a lifesaver. My singles sit on drop spindles for a while before I ply them, and they do crazy things when I am done plying and wash them 😭 Excited to at some twist to my 2-ply when I get home this evening!
I had a lovely merino single resting quite a while. I just plied it a few days ago and what I found is that the twist had set in so much that it didn’t twist back on itself. So, when I plied it in the opposite direction, it ended up with very twisty bits every couple inches. I was worried, but decided to wind the plied yarn into a ball (after washing and drying) and it rested nicely.
Hi Evie, an old lady who was a weaver told me to leave the spun singles to set for at least 48 hours before plying . When I asked why and said that I had learned to set it with some sort of heat source , just very warm eg hot water cupboard over night , or hairdryer low heat , she just said " oh you'll see " Still I think it works sort of like setting your hair . Maybe the idea is just to develop patience !!!! I do think I get a better finished product though , by heat setting . I tried doing it in a paper bag in a very low oven , but must admit I was a bit concerned about warping the wooden bobbins . I say have a go xPat nz
Love the Saanens are they yours? Miss my herd. Rest of bobbins depends on weather...nice weather it rests while do stuff, really horrible weather /event sin from cloud.when sure of how many plies,colors, good video to watch and not too tired... Then I ply.
Thank you so much for doing these kinds of videos! I’m new to spinning and am still using a drop spindle. But it’s nice to know if I’m spending so much time on a project how I can make it look it’s best. I also love you history videos! Can’t wait to see you spin, weave, and sew the apron dress that you have been talking about!
I ply right away...I've tried the resting technique but honestly there's no noticeable difference, I feel it's complicating something that doesnt need to be complicated...do it however you want to do it, there are no spinning police after all!
Thank you for this informative video. That was so interesting. I always leave the bobbins but only for a day or two…and then I guess one bobbin has more energy than the first one I spun….🤔 Hmmm as always, you have given me food for thought🙏😊
thank you so much for this episode. I usually can't wait to get to the next project, thus I usually start plying pretty soon after I finish the last bobbin. I will wait now given what you learned and shared with us! I love your new craft room.
I have learned a lot from watching your videos. I will be mindful & let my bobbin rest..As I spin I’m usually focused on technical aspects because I’m still very new.
I'm new to spinning... so just theory here... If I wanted a fat single ply for nalbinding I may let it rest to be easier to work with, knowing the spring will return when blocking. Or the weft and warp experiments of z twist one way and s twist the other. Easier to work, knowing your balance will be there when finished. Just thoughts 🤔 kinda deliberately taming the singles for ease of next step work, then blocking for the "wow!" When it wakes up again.
I wind the freshly spun wool on a wool winder with 1 meter per turn, after I wound up the whole spool, I spray the wool with warm water until nicely moistened. Let it dry over night or for 24 hours, than I wind it on the ball winder and knit or weave with it.
I always let my yarn rest because I like doing big batches of plying in 8oz or more skeins. I've also found a way to make good money spinning yarn for sale & I sometimes spin for hourly rate for those not skilled at spinning that want to weave, knit or crochet with their fleeces
The lovely little old lady that taught me both to spin and weave (RIP Rosemary) taught me to do at least a 2 day rest. Longer is better. Now that said life doesn't always work out. Sometimes you just need that finished yarn right now, and in that case I have been known to set it aside overnight then ply. Realistically by choice I am a spindle spinner. I can and do use a wheel but it isn't where my heart is. As a result I often just wait until I have multiple spindles done then ply. The only exception is when I am Navajo plying. Then I do it pretty much at once. (Yes I do have a lazy kate for drop spindles that someone made for me decades ago.)
This is almost as good as your center-pull ball changing the twist video. I love your myth-busting videos... My question would be how long is the optimum time to allow the bobs to rest and what do I do if I have waited a long time between bobbins? Prolly just best not to do that. I wonder if there's a way to set the twist in with heat, so we don't have to wait. I would love to hear your deep thoughts on optimized finishing and fulling, especially thwacking or not thwacking. As a mostly long-draw spinner, I think about the felted aspect of my singles frequently and I wonder how much that does play a role in the final product, especially in terms of loft, durability and pill resistance.
I always let my bobbin rest, it seems. Just a habit for me. I use my CPW more than my Louët or my EEW, which means I spin fast. Fortunately, I had extra bobbins made years ago by a wonderful wheel maker Robin from Vermont I met through Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. My CPW has a ration of 26:1, and I am like a Speed Racer on it. Hence the name Mach5.
I often rest my singles at least overnight, especially for chain ply. I've started leaving a short ply back sample at the end of my bobbin (so I don't lose my end or the sample).
I have a question for spinning wheel users. I have a ashford kiwi 3 and my wheel struggles to ply (the reverse way to the singles) e.g singles are s spun and I ply using z spun. If I spin straight after finishing the singles, the flyer struggles to turn consistently. Should I buy a espinner so I could ply better?
Newish spinner here. Love your videos. They are helpful and fun. Regarding bobbin rest - everyone says 'a while' but no one I've seen says how long 'a while' actually is. A few hours, a few days, a few weeks, months, years lol? I'm sure there are many opinions and I'd be interested to hear what works for others. Thanks.
I have never intentionally let my bobbins "rest". Never even heard of that before and have never know anyone that did. I currently have a bobbin of cotton "resting" right now simply because I haven't finished it yet( 3 months). It's just not that concerning to me,but then again I don't sell my yarns so they are for my use only or gifted to friends and family.
Do you want to hear something crazy? Hair can do the same identical thing with regard to this "re-energizing" through the wetting process. I'm biracial and have naturally "curly" hair. In between washings / shampooing - every two to three days - my hair relaxes and the energy that makes my hair curly dissipates. I have shoulder-length hair (Covid hair) and when I brush it, it's thick and somewhat relaxed. As soon as I wash it and then towel-dry it, I have a head full of corkscrew curls. When it's completely air-dried, usually within a couple of hours, those tight corkscrew curls remain. Then, the process repeats. I guess what I'm trying to say is my hair does exactly the same thing as rested spun wool that is "re-energized" with water. Humidity in the air will also cause my dry and relaxed hair to curl somewhat, too, like during our hot and humid summer days (I live in the central Midwest).
I never thought about it too much but sometimes I let my lasy bobbin rest for a bit so theres not too much energy difference if I spun others a while back (and knowledgeable women told me to)
Hi Evie, I hope you're OK xx 👋😘 Thankyou for sharing your thoughts and expertise, on whether to ply or not to ply straight away. I haven't plied any of the yarn that i spun on my Drop Spindles but have plied on my recently purchased Nano 1.1. I got ut fir my birthday last month. Love the yarns that I've spun and plied on it. Now your experiment tells me I should ply some of the yarn that I have stored on my Spindles to see whether they will have some "live" twist in them. Will keep you posted on that one, need to make a Lazy Kate for them first ( well OH needs ti)!!!!🤣🤣 Happy Spinning. Take care and stay safe. Lots of love Jen xxxx 💖❤🎆🐏🐏💘
Congratulations on your new Nano, and happy belated birthday! You just reminded me that I have some yarn on my spindles that I need to ply too, lol! It will be interesting to look at it after doing this experiment! Happy spinning! 🧶😊💜
@@JillianEve Hi Evie, yeah will be an interesting experience after all this time of being on our Spindles. We'll have to keep each other updated on them. Thanks for the Belated Birthday wishes and on the Nano. I absolutely love it. Happy Spinning dear friend. Take care and stay safe Lots of love Jen 💘xx 💕🎆🐏
I'm a spindle spinner. I don't haven't strong feelings either way. I've done both ans haven't noticed a big enough diffence to care. It's like people saying that hands carders should have a specific hand. How does it really make a difference?
I'm not a spinner (yet) but my thoughts go to biology: wool is hair, so keratin, right? It would make sense to me to let it rest in its new twisted shape before expecting it to keep that shape. A little like how you wouldn't take curlers out right away and expect your hair to maintain the curl.
My grandma used to soak the yarn then wraps it taught around apiece of wood, lets it dry in that position and lets it rest for a couple of weeks before plying.
I tried a few things, not letting it rest, letting rest for a few weeks/months and soaking before letting it rest. I find that the soak and rest method cuts down on how long you need to let. It rest for.
My doesn’t grandma doesn’t spin or sew anymore because of arthritis, and we live pretty far from each other so I didn’t get the chance to learn from her, so having people in the internet passionate about putting information out there is incredibly heartwarming and it’s honestly an honor to start where she stopped and keep her machinery alive.
I was told by experienced spinners to let my spins rest so I do. I didn’t question it and now you tell me why. Thank you for this.
Oh, dear girl,
I can give you a one-word answer about why I let my bobbins "rest"...
*!!!SQUIRREL!!!*
My "short attention span theater" Inner-Evil-Twin sends me diving into my fibre trunk as soon as I have finished spinning the current singles (and sometimes even before the singles are done) looking for the next pretty to play with.
It often takes running out of bobbins to get me to ply. Of course there are days when I'm too cold or lazy to get up and dig into the fibre trunk; on those days, I will jump in and ply right away.
Whilst thinking about "full bobbins necessitating plying," I harkened back to my studies of historic 'needlework' (which included an emphasis on spinning and weaving.)
It occurs to me that so many of the choices I make ~especially as related to spinning methods & practices~ are influenced and informed by what our foremothers/great-grandmothers did.
CPW's were placed in the hands of home-spinners because there was little-to-no yarn or cloth available for home use, all of the available resources - factories and finished materiel - were reserved for military uniforms and gear.
So the CPW became the saving grace for countless families, and women began spinning in record numbers. I guess some things never change: When life seems unbearably hard or tragic, put your hands to work ~ preferably "work" involving yarn!
In those days, extra bobbins were a luxury (where was Akerworks when they needed him?😉) So spinners didn't have the option of letting their bobbins rest. It was spin, spin, spin, ply... on hard wooden chairs with bad lighting and the pressured knowledge that if they succumbed to the aching exhaustion they lived with, their family would go cold &/or nekid.
My long winded point is that wherever the practice of letting singles rest came from, it was not our forebearers. Those spinners of auld did not have the time to rest - or let their bobbins rest - given everything else they *had* to do.
So to rest or not to rest? I can say unequivocally, as my education and experience have taught me, that there *is* one correct method:
*Find joy and peace in your spinning and do whatever works for you!"
What a lovely comment ❤
I let mine rest overnight, and I dream about how wonderful the yarn is going to be when I plyit in the morning and then I wake up so excited to plyit
Try putting a shower ring on the non tension kate it helps to keep the yarn barf way down just thread your yarns to be plied through the ring and allow the ring to remain close to the bobbins, you might get a slight barf but it's a controlled barf. Lol now that we're done barfing Great video.
I don't INTENTIONALLY do anything with my bobbins regarding "resting". However, life is life and when I get to it, I get to it. Some I do within a day or two and others I have "marinated a few, ummm, years and they were just fine. Everyone - "You do you!" :)
I found this such an informative video. I’m new to spinning, therefore, stumbling my way through the various processes. I hadn’t realised that after having plyed yarn, it should be washed, so I now know and understand why, and how to proceed. Thank you.
For me it depends on how in a hurry I am. Sometimes it takes me a month to spin 3 singles and I ply them as soon as the third one is ready. Sometimes I spin them all in a few days and ply them immediately. Sometimes I spin them and then ply them later because I am not in a hurry for the yarn and want to spin something different. I can't really tell much of a difference. I do tend to spin and ply most of my yarns on the same settings, so I think that makes a difference in my not worrying about it one way or the other.
I love your comment because this is a perfect example of do what works for you! 😊🧶💜
This really works! I've always let my bobbins rest by default (more things in life than spinning time, lol!) and I always found my plied yarn to be really "meh" after meticulously making sure that I had a neutral yarn in the plyback tests while plying. I really didn't understand why my finished yarn was always so disappointing. This time, however, I plied the yarn so that it looked like what it wanted to be when fresh spun - but it was plying back into a really tight 4 ply during the plying process! I thought for sure that it would end up a super overtwisted mess. But after taking a bath and being hung up to dry I found a perfectly balanced skein this morning! The yarn was bouncy and lovely and I can't wait to cast on a project with it. Thanks so much for doing these kinds of experiments - it really helps a lot!! Now I'm actually looking forward to plying up all of the bobbins I have stashed around the house :)
This was interesting! I always let my bobbins rest but it's not exactly intentional. The way my brain works, once I've made significant progress on a project (like finishing a bobbin) I need to either take a long break or switch to a totally different project. I can never really focus on one thing with small breaks here and there. That being said, I do usually give my yarn a soak once it's all plied, so I think that kinda makes up for how long it takes to get my life together 😂
Ok, that made me laugh! I frequently need to get my life together also! 😂💜
I often leave my singles to rest when I have some more lovely fibre I can't wait to spin! I will leave them to rest as a matter of course now. Your video is very interesting and explains why some of my plyed yarn looks underplyed. Thanks 😀
When I use a spindle I ply immediately. If on the wheel I ply whenever I feel I have enough ready. Great video
Brand new spinner haven't played yet. I am sold. Just now got to see how long I should be waiting. I am an experienced knitter. I decided this year for Christmas me and my two littles will be starting a fiber arts journey. Its our Christmas theme. It was inspired by our homesteading dreams but realizing it will be a few years before we can have land. I realized we could have a rabbit. And since we can really only do one we went fiber not meat weather you call it turning your waiting room into a class room or making lemonade out of lemons. It feels really good to be pursuing these with my kids. They are exited and a lot of it will be to hard but I want them to see it and want to learn and push themselves. My almost five year old was given a fidget and he enjoyed it a very long time and I tried out my Christmas present spindle early today I am really liking spinning I called it my fidget. And I thought how so many children were taught handy crafts so early on. People had "fidgets" hundreds of years ago. But they were functional. It just reaffirms my desire to teach him handy crafts he wanted to spin but his spindle and wool gift kit haven't arrived yet. I was a Turkish spindle is here and I was not going to give him mine to work on I am just not that chill really I think we should wait until its actually Christmas maybe. I got 3 dirty fleaces back in august got them washed and bagged up in gallon baggies they are Jacob sheep I got one gallon carded. Maybe I should focus on getting it all carded by chistmas. I have 7 1/2 very full gallon bag view of white wool and 3 and quart of dark or non white wool. Though its probably better if the are less packed I know wool is measured by weight not gallons but I don't have a little sale right now.
You are having an adventure! I used to have angora rabbits and I miss them so much! Teaching kids to spin is lots of fun. Don't worry too much about doing it "right" just let them explore the fibers and experiment. Happy spinning!
I do find that waiting to ply has many benefits. I hate twisted yarn barf. I really avoid that by using two lazy Kate’s. One on either side of my wheel to help me with my plying issues.
A spinner friend suggested I let the singles rest on the bobbin for at least 2 days. NOW I KNOW WHY!! Thank you for your informative videos presented in such a positive way. 🙂
I have to say I haven’t given it much thought. When I am ready to ply, I ply. Maybe because I am a newer spinner-I am happy if the yarn looks balanced.
I wonder want qualifies as “rested.”
I think this is one of the loveliest yarns I've ever seen!
I wish I could send you a pic of my own cure for tensioning my Kate, but imagine this: I made a brake band for each bobbin. I used a bit of linen sport weight. All I did was tie the right length to make a loop that just sits in the grooves on the bobbins. No more free wheeling!
Yay! Evie posted! So happy to hit play!❤❤
Yay! Thank you for watching! 😊🧶💜
@@JillianEve your uploads are "instant watches"!❤
@@shadowlandsfarmandcreamery5400Hi, I tend to do the same. Xxx🥰💕
I do wish you had a control, but this was really cool! I let mine rest. I was told that it also let's the twist even out throughout (if spots have more or less twist) which is great for a spindle spinner like me.
Hey you! I'm definitely a 'both' type of person when I ply. My general thoughts go as thus: When I'm spinning a large project (multiple bobbins/multiple skeins), I always let the yarn rest. If I'm spinning a thin yarn that will be plied (center-pull ball/traditional ply), I always let it rest. Now, to contrast this, if I'm making a thick (sport weight and thicker) yarn/small project ('one' skein), I often ply right away. I don't have a tensioned lazy kate either, but I find the pigtail action is less annoying/pronounced in thicker yarns. This is partly to do with the amount of twist for the gauge, which tends to be lower for a thicker yarn anyway. Art yarns are a totally different matter--sometimes that active twist is very important for the process.
Your insights about resting prior to plying are exactly the reason why I always let my thin singles sit for a while before I even consider plying them, regardless of the method. This is especially important if I'm Navajo-plying (chain ply)--those pigtails can easily get caught in the loop of the chain and snap if you tug just a little too hard.
One quick thing I read ages ago (probably in Spin-Off) regarding balanced ply: always keep a sample of your intended ply yarn while you're spinning initially. Take about 1 yard plied, wash and dry it, then keep it with the bobbin/project. Reconstituting the active twist via the washing method is a good way to double check the ply twist (in case you lost your sample or never made one at first!) and you can compare this test with the one you created the day you originally spun the yarn.
One thing to bear in mind has to do with the natural twist (which you showed in the wetted sample) and the inserted twist during the plying phase (which you showed in the finished skein). Wool has plastic properties and can accept more ply twist than might be considered 'balanced' at first. There's room for adjustment in case you want a slightly rounder 2-ply, for instance, than you made in your original test sample, and both can be understood as 'balanced'. Hopefully that makes sense?
Last point (for now! :D): concerning your comment about the origin of letting the yarn rest prior to plying is indeed a rabbit hole. This may be pertinent to keep the yarn tame when warping for weaving, which was primarily made of high twist singles for much of the (pre)history of weaving (in the Western world at least). Letting the ply sit may have been an important insight given to novice spinners if they struggled with twist and tangling. There are probably many sources of sage advice where this principle has been given to us modern spinners as received wisdom (i.e., a universal). When we question it, we find that we don't have a single reason for the origin of the wisdom. It's complicated. The more we ask and think and experiment, the more we understand why it is complicated. In sum, my answer to your question is: It depends. :)
Haha, it always depends doesn't it? I wonder about spindles with a removable whorl. You could easily have a pile of spindle sticks full of spun yarn resting in a pile until they get to the weaver. That starts to get into the historically possible territory of experimentation. I have several spindle sticks of wool that are waiting for the rest to get finished so they are naturally just sitting there resting. I wonder so many things...
@@JillianEve It is good to wonder a lot of things. Experimentation is also very good. Keep doing those things. There are graves of females from Tiwanaku who have been buried with their cases of spindle whorls and sticks. It suggests that they spun yarn on one stick, then moved the whorl to the next stick and began again. I have seen modern Andean weavers using yarn wrapped around sticks to weave their traditional fabrics (with the backstrap loom) so it seems reasonable to suggest that there is a long history of spinning and storing in this way.
Argh! You just fixed a huge sock yarn spinning problem for me. They always end up underspun after I wash 'n' set and I never could figure out why! Now I know. My plying trick of "dangling the yarn" combined with sock singles taking forever, therefore becoming ufos. Hahaha
Thank you for doing this video 💜
The colors in that yarn are lovely.
I do a lot of my hand spinning on a Turkish spindle. So I can just pull a ball off of it and often how fast I ply depends on how excited I am about the project. As I’ve been getting into supported spinning, it’s harder to get the yarn off the spindles. I have to actually rewind it onto a bobbin or something so I tend to want to ply quickly so that I can have my spindle back.
Thank you Evie, I make larger projects so I let the rest, it makes playing a lot easier and I can humble the bobbins to get a more even result in a jumper, I think end project talks too as I tend to ply for socks straight away,
I always let my singles rest for up to a week (I have left them longer also) then ply them, and give them a soak and dry them (it depends on how dirty the fiber is also, if dirty I will wash with a wool soap).
When plying, I always check for balance by seeing if the fibers look vertical, regardless of what the ply-back looks like. I spin at different rates for different projects, so just as a practical matter sometimes my singles rest and sometimes they don't. Or sometimes some bobbins rest and some don't. But looking at the direction of the actual fibers generally tells me what I need. For my own use, the way I knit tends to un-twist the yarn (I knit backwards... I can do it the "right" way when needed, but I am faster my way) so ideally I like my yarn to be just a little bit over-plied - or at least, better over than under.
I let mine rest. I tried plying right away and got lots of pigtails like you and it wasn’t enjoyable. I love that you showed the twist coming back in the rested bobbins.
It depends for me. A super high twist single is easier to me for plying if it rests, also if I am chain plying. So sometimes I let it rest, and sometimes I ply right away. I also sometimes tape a piece of yarn that was plied back in itself while fresh to a card so I can see the ideal twist angle.
I often spin a bobbin at different times. After watching this, I think I’ll rest the next bobbin and compare it with others I’ve spun. Great food for thought! Thank you.
Off to ply right away! Plying is fun :)
I would just hang that yarn on the wall, so gorgeous it is!
I Navajo ply mine right away. I really like that way of plying because you end up with a 3 ply and you don't have to worry about twist differences between your singles
Hi, Evie! First, let me congratulate you on your beautiful new home! I wish you many happy years in it!
On resting before plying, I always do, at least a couple of days. Seems to make it easier to ply.
That yarn color is stunning. Thanks for the experiment. I will keep that in mind when I start plying.
I always let mine rest before plying, but you've solved for me why my finished yarn doesn't always look as I want it to. I need more twist in my ply! Thank you!!
Thanks for doing this experiment! I am working towards thinner, higher twist yarns and this video was invaluable. I’ve already experienced some messy twisty knots when plying.
I wonder how one could use this principle when spinning lopi or other low-twist yarns? I guess ply right away! No rest!
I will be paying extra attention to my next bulky spins. I think the resting will be different when the yarn is thicker, but I've been surprised before so we'll see...
SO VERY INTERESTING! As a novice spinner, I have much to learn, such as the properties of yarn. Thank you. Your yarn is absolutely gorgeous, by the way!
I've only been spinning for a couple of months and since I haven't been able to travel back home to see the friend who agreed to teach me, I'm self-taught off watching videos like yours. I had never heard of resting bobbins before, and have been plying ASAP after finishing. I am preparing to ply off a bobbin that has been resting for about a week and a half out of necessity (no empties!) so I'll be interested to see the difference in my own yarn compared to the last one(s)! Thank you for this!
I do both bobbins and the plying within a few days. Haven't had any problems this way. Thanks for this video!!!
So much to love about this video! That yarn is GORGEOUS and your experiment makes a good case for letting bobbins rest after spinning. Personally I make an effort to complete projects in one go or they end up languishing for years. After seeing your limp yarn sample I now understand why some of my yarn that I plied right away ended up so being so "blah". It feels like a lot of wasted effort when the yarn is not fabulous so I will make an effort to let some of my bobbins rest but not forget about them. One of the advantages of 3D printed bobbins is they are cheap enough to have several on hand. Also THANK YOU for the little easter egg of those adorable goats grazing so happily! Made my day.
Thanks so much for bringing this idea to my attention. I am really impatient, but seeing the difference in the yarns has given me something to think about, thanks
Unless it’s just a sample I always let my yarn rest sometimes only over night,I do find it helps.
Thank you so much for doing this! I was thinking of doing this same experiment, so I really appreciate another voice in the conversation. I spun some Rambouillet last month and I just skeined it today on my swift. What amazed me is that even if the whole skein gently twisted as I took it off the swift, the single itself didn't have hardly any of those curly-cues. I was amazed! Looks like I'll be investing in some storage yarns!
Please do the experiment too! There are so many variables and so much to learn! Does it matter in a 3 ply? Thicker yarn? Low twist?.... Do different breeds of wool relax the same way? So much to learn and explore! 💗💗💗
I always let my bobbins rest. That yarn is gorgeous
I think I'm in the let it rest camp now too! 😊🧶💜
I used to wait 24 hours after spinning the final bobbin of singles before plying. But then I read several spinners I respect saying that it didn't matter and they never waited. Since I'm always eager to see the final product, I began to ply almost immediately. My finished ply often looks more loosely plied tha I expected --even with checking the twist all along the way. But once I soak it, squeeze it in a towel, snap it, and hang it, the yarn seems to bloon and the ply looks much better than I'd thought it would. Given your observations I may return to letting the bobbins rest. But....is 24 hours long enough to make a difference? Especially when the first bobbin may have been spun weeks earlier?
That is a question that sprang to my mind as well.
I try and let my bobbins rest, but LOVED your experiment about plying the rested singles to the angle that the rewetted singles looked good. I have plied yarn that looked ok but then relaxed so much once I wet finished them-they were so underplied. I don’t know if those singles in that underplyed yarn had rested a long time or not. I need to keep better records! Thanks for a great video. ❤
That yarn looks so pretty😍 Whatever you weave it into will be beautiful!
Thank you! 😊
I have that lazy kate and have added a system to tension the bobbins. I used it for the first time today, chain plying a wollen spun Faroe wool with lanolin and both coats hand carded together ❤️🐑
I am a new spinner and eager to see progress, therefore I ply the next day... 😊
Great demo and very informative! I use a drop spindle for my spin and I think I will start letting the yarn rest to see how it turns out.
Lots of info and plenty more to think about. Nice job breaking down these variables. I'll be paying more attention now to this part of the process. Thank you for taking this experiment on.
I skein my singles off onto a niddy-noddy, as the rest allows any over-spin to even out. From there, I load the skein onto a swift to return it onto the bobbin through the wheel with the brake tension off. There are two other reasons, firstly I can dye it if I forgot, secondly to even out the length on each bobbin.
Herding goats IS a pain! I have 22, and they make me crazy! Could you do a video with an explaination of how to measure twist angle? I don't quite understand that process. Also, can you wash it with cold water if you're unsure of dye bleed?
Shadowlands, thanks for asking this question! I just can't tell, and have been wondering if I need new glasses!
I have it on my Patreon, and I think there is a clip of the twist angle in one of my older videos, "Plying the Same from Skein to Skein" I think. But yes, I'll do more angle things in the future!
Y'knkow, I might start letting it rest more frequently after watching this! Thank you!
I am very impatient, so I ply as soon as I can 😂Although I will say that after learning how to chain ply, and spinning thinner yarns in general I most definitely started rethinking the process. I struggle a lot with chainplying because of how twisted the single gets coming off of the bobbin so I will be letting the bobbin rest for sure now! Thank you for another wonderful and pleasant video!
I discovered your channel in the middle of last week and have been binging your vids. I always let my bobbins rest as that's how I was taught, but when I began spinning I only had one Turkish spindle so had to ply directly after spinning withe a bracelet plying method.
I actually forgot that my first yarns had a lot of pigtails when I plied but at that stage I put it down to bring a new spinner. Now however I'm wondering if it might have been that the yarn wasn't relaxed.
I almost always let them rest. More for lack of time lol.Thanks for doing g this video. And love the saanen goat video, !raised them for many years
Great video! I've been spinning on and off since I learned in 2008, and believe it or not I've yet to learn how to ply, everything I've ever spun was singles on hand spindles. When I first learned, my yarn looked like dreadlocks, but not long after till this very day, all I spin is lace weight- cobweb yarn, and my brain won't let me do anything else!! 🙄😄🤗💖🌹🧶
I'm a total newbie on yarn spining and this is really useful information, as your entire channel. Thank you for this content!
Oh so beautiful, your yarn is lovely!
For me it depends on why I'm spinning and what I'm spinning whether I let the singles rest or not. Some projects, the spinning is the really fun part for me, especially if I'm learning a new technique. I don't always look forward to the plying for most projects, so I'll let those rest while I work on other projects. During Tour de Fleece, I always ply immediately or within a day of spinning because I want to have some actual skeins of yarn to show for it instead of just a bunch of singles.
Other projects, I'm so excited about the yarn I'm making instead of just the singles, I want to ply it up immediately so I can see what it looks like or use it in a project. This is especially true if I'm combining very different singles together and I want to see what they look like and how they blend.
I don't tend to get a lot of yarn barf when plying, but I haven't used a lazy kate until recently. Maybe I've just been lucky so far when plying from a lazy kate?
Oh dear! Now that you said it, you will get all the yarn barf!!! Oh no! 😂 Ultimately, if you have methods that work for you, then I think what you do is perfect! 😊🧶💜
Thank you so much! This video was a lifesaver. My singles sit on drop spindles for a while before I ply them, and they do crazy things when I am done plying and wash them 😭 Excited to at some twist to my 2-ply when I get home this evening!
Very interesting. I done both depends on my mood.
I had a lovely merino single resting quite a while. I just plied it a few days ago and what I found is that the twist had set in so much that it didn’t twist back on itself. So, when I plied it in the opposite direction, it ended up with very twisty bits every couple inches. I was worried, but decided to wind the plied yarn into a ball (after washing and drying) and it rested nicely.
Hi Evie, an old lady who was a weaver told me to leave the spun singles to set for at least 48 hours before plying . When I asked why and said that I had learned to set it with some sort of heat source , just very warm eg hot water cupboard over night , or hairdryer low heat , she just said " oh you'll see "
Still I think it works sort of like setting your hair . Maybe the idea is just to develop patience !!!! I do think I get a better finished product though , by heat setting . I tried doing it in a paper bag in a very low oven , but must admit I was a bit concerned about warping the wooden bobbins . I say have a go xPat nz
Oh, this sounds interesting!!!!
Love the Saanens are they yours? Miss my herd. Rest of bobbins depends on weather...nice weather it rests while do stuff, really horrible weather /event sin from cloud.when sure of how many plies,colors, good video to watch and not too tired... Then I ply.
I do both, but I prefer to let it rest. I also find that my ply comes out better after the rest.
I do both. Depends on how I'm feeling. Sometimes I'll ply straight away most times i don't .
Thank you so much for doing these kinds of videos! I’m new to spinning and am still using a drop spindle. But it’s nice to know if I’m spending so much time on a project how I can make it look it’s best. I also love you history videos! Can’t wait to see you spin, weave, and sew the apron dress that you have been talking about!
Im usually too excited to wait and let them rest!
Beautiful yarn and very interesting results
I ply right away...I've tried the resting technique but honestly there's no noticeable difference, I feel it's complicating something that doesnt need to be complicated...do it however you want to do it, there are no spinning police after all!
Exactly! If you love your yarn, you did it right! Happy spinning! 😊🧶💜
You always answer all my questions! Thank you
Thank you for this informative video. That was so interesting. I always leave the bobbins but only for a day or two…and then I guess one bobbin has more energy than the first one I spun….🤔 Hmmm as always, you have given me food for thought🙏😊
thank you so much for this episode. I usually can't wait to get to the next project, thus I usually start plying pretty soon after I finish the last bobbin. I will wait now given what you learned and shared with us! I love your new craft room.
I have learned a lot from watching your videos. I will be mindful & let my bobbin rest..As I spin I’m usually focused on technical aspects because I’m still very new.
Enjoyed this video very much.
I'm new to spinning... so just theory here... If I wanted a fat single ply for nalbinding I may let it rest to be easier to work with, knowing the spring will return when blocking. Or the weft and warp experiments of z twist one way and s twist the other. Easier to work, knowing your balance will be there when finished. Just thoughts 🤔 kinda deliberately taming the singles for ease of next step work, then blocking for the "wow!" When it wakes up again.
Your FoxT is Cute AF!
I wind the freshly spun wool on a wool winder with 1 meter per turn, after I wound up the whole spool, I spray the wool with warm water until nicely moistened. Let it dry over night or for 24 hours, than I wind it on the ball winder and knit or weave with it.
Hi Jillian , wondering how to do a simple crepe ply ? Can’t seem to find much on internet . Love your posts . Cheers Pat nz xx .
I always let my yarn rest because I like doing big batches of plying in 8oz or more skeins. I've also found a way to make good money spinning yarn for sale & I sometimes spin for hourly rate for those not skilled at spinning that want to weave, knit or crochet with their fleeces
The lovely little old lady that taught me both to spin and weave (RIP Rosemary) taught me to do at least a 2 day rest. Longer is better. Now that said life doesn't always work out. Sometimes you just need that finished yarn right now, and in that case I have been known to set it aside overnight then ply.
Realistically by choice I am a spindle spinner. I can and do use a wheel but it isn't where my heart is. As a result I often just wait until I have multiple spindles done then ply. The only exception is when I am Navajo plying. Then I do it pretty much at once. (Yes I do have a lazy kate for drop spindles that someone made for me decades ago.)
Thank you for this info! I'm still trying to learn to spin, and this really helped.
This is almost as good as your center-pull ball changing the twist video. I love your myth-busting videos... My question would be how long is the optimum time to allow the bobs to rest and what do I do if I have waited a long time between bobbins? Prolly just best not to do that. I wonder if there's a way to set the twist in with heat, so we don't have to wait.
I would love to hear your deep thoughts on optimized finishing and fulling, especially thwacking or not thwacking. As a mostly long-draw spinner, I think about the felted aspect of my singles frequently and I wonder how much that does play a role in the final product, especially in terms of loft, durability and pill resistance.
I experimented and found that letting it rest for at least 3 days helps the end yarn be softer, bouncier and easier to ply!
I always let my bobbin rest, it seems. Just a habit for me. I use my CPW more than my Louët or my EEW, which means I spin fast. Fortunately, I had extra bobbins made years ago by a wonderful wheel maker Robin from Vermont I met through Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.
My CPW has a ration of 26:1, and I am like a Speed Racer on it. Hence the name Mach5.
I specifically used my CPW for this project. I'm wondering if I would have noticed as much difference in a lower twist yarn? 🤔😊🧶
So helpful. I just ordered all the items I need to do this for the first time. I'm so excited for the final pieces ro arrive!
I often rest my singles at least overnight, especially for chain ply. I've started leaving a short ply back sample at the end of my bobbin (so I don't lose my end or the sample).
from Gerry- I do whatever the spirit moves. I would think that because you wet finish the yarn, it should make no difference. God bless.
I have a question for spinning wheel users. I have a ashford kiwi 3 and my wheel struggles to ply (the reverse way to the singles) e.g singles are s spun and I ply using z spun. If I spin straight after finishing the singles, the flyer struggles to turn consistently. Should I buy a espinner so I could ply better?
Newish spinner here. Love your videos. They are helpful and fun. Regarding bobbin rest - everyone says 'a while' but no one I've seen says how long 'a while' actually is. A few hours, a few days, a few weeks, months, years lol? I'm sure there are many opinions and I'd be interested to hear what works for others. Thanks.
I have never intentionally let my bobbins "rest". Never even heard of that before and have never know anyone that did. I currently have a bobbin of cotton "resting" right now simply because I haven't finished it yet( 3 months). It's just not that concerning to me,but then again I don't sell my yarns so they are for my use only or gifted to friends and family.
I wonder if climate makes a difference to what spinners do.
Do you want to hear something crazy? Hair can do the same identical thing with regard to this "re-energizing" through the wetting process. I'm biracial and have naturally "curly" hair. In between washings / shampooing - every two to three days - my hair relaxes and the energy that makes my hair curly dissipates. I have shoulder-length hair (Covid hair) and when I brush it, it's thick and somewhat relaxed. As soon as I wash it and then towel-dry it, I have a head full of corkscrew curls. When it's completely air-dried, usually within a couple of hours, those tight corkscrew curls remain. Then, the process repeats. I guess what I'm trying to say is my hair does exactly the same thing as rested spun wool that is "re-energized" with water. Humidity in the air will also cause my dry and relaxed hair to curl somewhat, too, like during our hot and humid summer days (I live in the central Midwest).
I never thought about it too much but sometimes I let my lasy bobbin rest for a bit so theres not too much energy difference if I spun others a while back (and knowledgeable women told me to)
Hi Evie, I hope you're OK xx 👋😘
Thankyou for sharing your thoughts and expertise, on whether to ply or not to ply straight away.
I haven't plied any of the yarn that i spun on my Drop Spindles but have plied on my recently purchased Nano 1.1. I got ut fir my birthday last month. Love the yarns that I've spun and plied on it.
Now your experiment tells me I should ply some of the yarn that I have stored on my Spindles to see whether they will have some "live" twist in them.
Will keep you posted on that one, need to make a Lazy Kate for them first ( well OH needs ti)!!!!🤣🤣
Happy Spinning.
Take care and stay safe.
Lots of love Jen xxxx 💖❤🎆🐏🐏💘
Congratulations on your new Nano, and happy belated birthday! You just reminded me that I have some yarn on my spindles that I need to ply too, lol! It will be interesting to look at it after doing this experiment! Happy spinning! 🧶😊💜
@@JillianEve Hi Evie, yeah will be an interesting experience after all this time of being on our Spindles. We'll have to keep each other updated on them.
Thanks for the Belated Birthday wishes and on the Nano. I absolutely love it.
Happy Spinning dear friend.
Take care and stay safe
Lots of love Jen 💘xx 💕🎆🐏
It might be like pasta. It can be cooked fresh or after being dried or frozen. However, how rhe pasta acts will be different.
I just finished spinning my first fiber purchase in forever. A little over 4 oz. I'm going to let it rest for a bit.
I'm a spindle spinner. I don't haven't strong feelings either way. I've done both ans haven't noticed a big enough diffence to care. It's like people saying that hands carders should have a specific hand. How does it really make a difference?
I'm not a spinner (yet) but my thoughts go to biology: wool is hair, so keratin, right? It would make sense to me to let it rest in its new twisted shape before expecting it to keep that shape. A little like how you wouldn't take curlers out right away and expect your hair to maintain the curl.