Plying
Yarn - Splitting Multi-ply Yarn
Ever since I first met Sue H.,
and watched her fiddling with yarn with a raised eyebrow, I've known
that she
did this for her mari wrap - I think it's the mark of the true purist,
since it does give you the perfect fine heft of yarn for mari wrapping
(immediately under the thread layer and especially on smaller mari) -
Sue and a few others share their techniques and tips for doing this,
for the rest of you purists out there.....
From Sue H:
It is often difficult and/or expensive to find 1-2 ply yarn. Using a
thinner yarn will give a smoother surface so you will not have to fight
big lumps and bumps with the thread layer. Also, many of us have a lot
of left-over yarn from other projects. Often this spare yarn is
4-ply sport weight - which is usually a bit too thick to use directly
under the thread layer. With all this scrap yarn about, it makes sense
to just separate the plys and use it to make temari! I will be the
first to admit, it is a very boring task. ( I like Martine's suggestion
of using a twister in reverse to un-twist the yarn. An ingenious
suggestion!!! Many thanks, Martine!!)
I frequently untwist the thick 4-ply stuff to get the finer single ply
that is needed to create a nice smooth base for the thread layer. I
usually work with 5 balls - putting the original skein into a ball,
with the 3-4 smaller baby-balls off that; using long pins (T-pins are
good for this) to hold the tails in place. Depending on the yarn, I
sometimes do an initial divide of 2+2 then re-divide them into 4 baby
balls. I have found that you will get fewer lumps and a much smoother
surface for the thread layer - subsequently using less thread to combat
the lumps and bumps caused by thicker yarn. Thick yarn, however, is
very good for getting the inner core going. Thick yarn - to thin yarn -
to thread.
2x2 method: Begin by having the initial skein in a ball; unwind about
2-3 feet and use a pin to hold that "tail" in place on the big ball;
holding two plys in one hand and two in the other, stretch your arms
out and allow the tail to untwist. Roll the two tails into two smaller
balls and pin the tails so they won't unroll. Unwind another 2-3 feet
from the big ball and pin THAT tail, hold the two smaller balls in each
hand, stretch out your arms and allow that section of tail to untwist.
wind this new part onto the two smaller balls. repeat all of the above
until you have completed the skein. TIP: do this while watching your
favorite TV show - makes it less tedious!
Just a note on plying yarn...
It is easier if you deal with just 2 baby-balls at a time. 4 can
indeed get a bit snarly. With a T pin, or any kind of pin, weave it in,
out, in, out (like a basting stitch) on the surface of the ball.
y
y
y
y
pppp ppppp ppppp
y
y
y
y
p = pin
y = yarn tail
From Martine:
I would think that the easiest method of unplying yarn in great
quantities would be use a drop spindle only turn it in reverse of the
ply. It would be the total reverse of spinning yarn as a beginner. Fan
out your plies and with thumb, pinch right after it begins to fan. Give
the spindle a few twirls in the opposite direction of the ply and stop
the spindle; park it between your knees (the spindle) and now slowly
move the pinched thumb down separating out the plys with the other
hand. Repeat repeat... t-you might be able to get the kinks out of the
unplied thread by winding it up in a small skein and gently holding it
over the steam from a tea kettle. Drop spindles are NOT all that
expensive-can even make one from a dowel, a hook and an old CD (another
use for those free CDs) check online-there may be directions out there
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Last updated 1/06 © 1998
G.Thompson etal