Plying Thread Into Yarn - is there a simple technique or tool?

[Hello Again]

Long story short, I am in possession of a large quantity of thread originally intended for a knitting machine. It's either fingering or laceweight and I'm too lazy to make lace I was thinking maybe I could ply several together to make a heavier weight yarn more suitable to crochet projects, but I'm not exactly sure how you do that.

 

I poked around on I Can Spin but everything seemed oriented to spinning from roving. I just need to ply the thread into yarn. I'm not really interested in a whole bunch of expensive new equipment though. Any ideas for me?

[MullersLaneFarm]

Do you have a spindle or spinning wheel? If so, you can ply the laceweight yarn together for a thicker yarn.

 

Check to see which direction the laceweight was spun. If the original spinning was clockwise, then you you have to ply spinning counterclockwise.

 

After you've plied 2 or 3 laceweight singles together, if the yarn still isn't thick enough for you, you can take the plied yarn, and ply it with another plied yarn to make a cabled yarn.

 

For plying with a wheel, try Abby Franquemont's video

 

and for plying with a drop spindle:

 

Or you can chain ply (getting a 3-ply yarn from a single ply) The video calls it a Navajo ply, but it's actually called a chain ply (yes, it's like making a crochet chain and spinning it!)

 

[RoseRed]

I have a gorgeous cake of yarn that was spun from 3 separate strands. IT seems to roll in on itself. It was made with a regular old yarn winder.

[Hello Again]

I don't have a spindle, a wheel, or even a yarn winder. I'd be willing to invest in a spindle since it isn't expensive, but after watching a few videos I'm a bit intimidated. It looks like its more of an art that you do from feel than something where you just follow the directions and get a result. I don't really have anyone to show me how or correct me.

 

Well I appreciate your input! I can always just work multiple threads at a time I suppose.

[RoseRed]

That's usually what I do. I'll put the skeins in a big plastic bowl and just work from them all at one time.

 

If you do get a chance to get a yarn winder - you'll LOVE it! Mine lives on my coffee table.

[MullersLaneFarm]

A yarn winder, are you talking about a swift that holds skeins of yarn? If the 3 singles seemed to ply themselves then the singles were grossly overspun and had a huge amount of energy.

 

Unless one is working with an over twisted single, a yarn winder will not put twist into the yarn.

[RoseRed]

I didn't make that cake of yarn. An old friend of mine did. She told me that had the skeins on the floor and that was just how it wound for her.

 

Now I'm going to have to check it out for myself.

[sunnywolfgar]

Rose Red, Just crochet all the yarn together as one. If they are different colors, then some places you will have more have of one color then the others. Guess I would say spotty.. Then other times it will have a tweeded effect, and other times a stripped effect. It all depends on the yarn on how it is crocheted up. Are you using even or odd number of Stitches?

[Stephaniemakesall]

I make a hand plied yarn from 2 strands of 16/2 cotton yarn and one strand of 1/18 nylon-call it "zebra"

 

I use my drop spindle, it's not that hard for plying only.

 

it does have a tiny bit of twist, but I can hold a 1 1/2 yard section with my hands a foot and a half apart, and it doesn't twist in on itself. that's my gauge to see if I put in enough or too much twist.

 

you have some good advice above.