# To ply or not to ply?



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

That is the question!
ok, is it a must? Do I have to? If I get one big lumpy bumpy strand is that ok? (now you know what I have is one big thick lumpy bumpy strand of yarn! lol!)

next question -
is there any way to ply without a lazy kate? Or should I just bite the bullet and find one???

and another one -
what am I going to do with my thick lumpy bumpy yarn? It is all wool, so I guess a dish cloth is out of the question?? Maybe I should make something to felt??? :bored:

ok, off to ponder things in the night....


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I am pretty sure the spinning ladies are going to need to see your yarn. You know, so they can advise you...

Pictures of your first yarn EVER? come on, that would be awesome!You know it is true.
Plus, it sets a good example for other new about-to-get-their-wheel-finally spinners.

I am following along here and dreaming of the day that I can ask these questions too.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

You don't have to ply (no spinning police here!), but depending on how twisted your singles are you might get a bias in your knitting with them. Plying makes the yarn stronger, and it can even out some of those lumps, bumps, and overtwisted parts. You don't need a Lazy Kate, but it's a lot easier if the singles are on bobbins. If not, you can put each bobbin, or ball if you unwind it into a ball) in a bowl or under a flower pot with the yarn coming through the hole to keep the two strands from getting tangled. Set them a good way from the wheel so they can even out a bit before they hit the orifice.
HTH.


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## KatieTx (Apr 20, 2007)

Mamajohnson, here are some pics of my yarn, first time, with a drop spindle. One strand was thick, lumpy, bumpy, and then my second try was pretty thin, so I plied them together, and it turned out pretty good, for a first timer, i think! I am prob going to make a scarf out of mine,


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

MJ, when my first lumpy yarn was spun, I never plyed it. Used it to make a felted bag, a headband, also a drawstring purse that the bias was great in! Have just started plying my yarn. (not all of it) Check out these shoebox lazy kates. http://freshwaterfibers.blogspot.com/2009/05/shoebox-lazy-kate.html
http://www.keyboardbiologist.net/knitblog/2006/08/building-a-home.html


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Katie that looks WAY better than mine!
I will try to get pics today and post them


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The shoebox lazy kates are a great way to get started!!

I agree with InHisName ... Use it for a catch-all bag for your wheel. It doesn't have to be big, mine holds my oil bottle, allen wrenches (to tighten my wheels), yarn guage card, extra orifice hooks, measuring tape and maybe some extra buttons.


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## KatieTx (Apr 20, 2007)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> KatieTx, your yarn is gorgeous!


Thank you WIHH, So is your daughter, and her scarf!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nope you don't need to ply your yarns. You also do not need a lazy kate, I never use one. For my two plys I usually ply from the inside and outside of a ball.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Marchwind said:


> Nope you don't need to ply your yarns. You also do not need a lazy kate, I never use one. For my two plys I usually ply from the inside and outside of a ball.


how do you do that????? I have this big spool of yarn and was thinking about how to ply it to itself (does that make sense??) I keep drawing blanks when I try to figure it out!


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## bigfoot2you (Oct 3, 2007)

I would use it for a scarf, slipper socks or even mittens..........


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Marchwind, thanks for that info!!!!!! When you make a center pull ball, mj, you have 2 ends- will be easiest when using spools made with ballwinder, I think. Beautiful girl and scarf WIHH.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MamaJ it's just as Inhisname says. Typically I spin a single, wind that from the bobbin onto the ball winder. I take the ball off and put the inside (center pull yarn and the outside yarn and put them together and ply them on the wheel. What I found infuriating and very wasteful was that if I plied from two spindles I would end up with a lot of small amounts of singles that I had no use for. This way I have no wasted yarn. Some people have a hard time plying this way, it can be messy if you don't control your yarns. I wish I had a way to make a little movie to show you how I deal with the singles so they don't tangle. It's just too complicated to try to explain here.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Then again, you can use ALL the short singles you have and 2-ply them together.

I did that and knit one of the gnome hats (picture in another thread) with awesome results!!


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

wind in her hair has a thing for Farm House Yarns i see  I love her stuff, im the only store in the area to carry it!!!!! Mostly american milled, and all american handdyed.

mamma johnson....no such thing as bad yarn.....plying can help even up like stated, if its over twisted, plying can even that, if its lumpy bumpy it can as well. 

I like to ply my lumpy bumpy ( on purpose ) with silk or cotton thread...looks a bit more like the farm house yarns mill spun


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

oh yeah early yarn makes nice felted items too..


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

ok pictures of my maybe homespun yarn (or hopefully a reasonable facsimile!)
The very first one




















and then this one


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Mercy! Those are really huge pictures! Forgive me ya'll!


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

VERY NICE....great job


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Woo Hoo mamaj!!! 

you made yarn! :nanner:

That is so cool.

Good job on the first yarn.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well done MamaJ!!! 

Saturday was our guild meeting we taught 2 people to spin. After awhile they were spinning fairly even singles. You are well on your way MamaJ :sing:


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

It kinda does a lot of kinky curly stuff, so I guess I need to get it on that - what is it called? - thingy that you make a skien out of???
and then wash it?? 
Oh mercy! so so very much to learn! :hammer:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

niddy-noddy ... tie off in at least 4 places

Beautiful yarns!!!

Yippee!!!


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