Navajo Ply



Navajo Plied spun single

I have a confession - I love to spin but I hate to ply. Well, hate is such a strong word. It would be more accurate to say traditional plying is a source of frustration for me - the coordination required for a beautifully balanced handspun plied yarn is beyond me. I've tried (not often I admit) but I usually end up with one bobbin spinning a little too freely and what follows is a cloud of expletives while yet another "art yarn" gets wrapped into a skein.

Terribly frustrating until I found Sarah Anderson's video on Youtube. (I just love Youtube - you can find anything on there)

I tried the Navajo ply technique (also known as chain plying)and I am a convert. The process is far less frustrating and the finished yarn looks and feels great. I like the method so much that I have taken some of my commercial yarns and combined them into some great looking combinations.

Have you been to the Knittyspin site yet? If not, make your first visit by reading Lee Juvan's article "Navajo Plying: Spinner's Glossary" (Knittyspin.com, Issue 32, First Fall 2010)

The Navajo ply method is an excellent choice for your multi-colored hand painted rovings if you want to keep your colorways nice and even. For me it is a way to finally finish my spinning in a frustratioon free environment.

Happy Crafting!
~Evelyn