Navajo (Chain) Plying

Chain (Navajo) Plied Yarn 

This is my first try, so it looks a little rough -- but certainly better than the layers underneath when I first started!  It's definitely something I'll get better at with practice. 

I wanted to give this a try.  Previously when I saw it demonstrated, I was just too confused to figure it out.  But it is essentially sort of hand-crocheting.  You can ply a single strand of yarn into a 3-ply with this method.

With this method, you can chain ply an art bat and match the colors without creating a barber pole effect. And you work with what you have, so there's no running out of one bobbin. 

 

 

Here is the single strand of yarn I started with.  This was one of the bobbins that came with the Matchless Spinning Wheel.  Because it wasn't mine (ie I wasn't attached to it), I felt I could use it to practice chain plying.   It looks similar to the yarn from the art batt I spun up last week.  Hopefully, I will get better at it so that my own yarn will look good enough to be used for a future project.  

A few notes:

• Turn up the tension on your wheel, and use a larger whorl.  You want the yarn to pull onto the bobbin.
• Spin counter-clockwise for plying. 
• You may want to treadle a little slower than usual for plying.
  
• Start with a slip knot as the first loop.
  
• Think of chain plying as making giant hand crochet loops.
• Use right hand to make the loops.
• Left hand holds the top and will slide up and down, and push the plied yarn onto the bobbin.
• Watch the tension as you ply: All 3 strands should be under even tension as you ply.
  

 

For reference:

Classy Squid Fiber Co's excellent video on chain plying.

Spinning Art Yarns

This is what I was looking for (in blues) at this year's Sheep and Wool Festival, but I wasn't seeing it this year.  Maybe it's already out of fashion?  I am often behind-the-times with things like this.  It takes me a while to figure out what to do with things I might see at a show --- and by the time I get the idea, I'm already home.




I found this helpful video that explains how to make my own thick and thin art yarn with sequins.  Yahoo!   So that's what I'm gonna do!  [Not to mention that the speaker looks like a younger me! ;-)]

Natasha Leher Lewis from Esther's Place makes it sound simple and straight forward.  I'm pretty sure I can do it after all these years of spinning.

Ingredients:

• Crazy Art Batt (I bought art batts from Wild Thyme and Big Sky Fibers  See below ...)
• Merino Top dyed in coordinating colors
• Sparkle Sequin Thread (Maybe this one?)
• And of course, your spinning wheel.

In the video (which is from 2016), she says she sells those art batts and the coordinating merino top through Ester's Place Fiber Arts.  But in 2019, I am not seeing anything available now. It looks like she has moved on to a fiber arts career.  Good for her!

I don't want to take the time to mix my own art batt (because that would also require dying all the fibers individually and buying a bit more sparkle), so I think I might buy one.
I think I have a good pound of top that I can dye in the coordinating colors.
I just hope I can still get the sequin thread locally.  If not, I'll buy that, too.

 Blue and Silver Art Batt from Wild Thyme (4 oz)

Purple Art Batt from Wild Thyme (2 oz)

 Bag of Brilliance - Rain Forest from Big Sky Fiber Arts in Montana

They also had another one in blues and silver called Dusk.  Though when it came, there was a bit more purple in it.  I'm fine with that!

These were not in a bat form, but I can make my own with my handy drum carder.
Stay tuned for another post on this series!

I also ordered some of this Ocean roving from Big Sky.  Not enough for the whole project, but if the colors are a good match, I think I can dye more of my own.  I certainly have the fiber siting around!

I think Big Sky Fiber Arts might have been at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. I remember seeing these bags of fiber, but not having an idea of what to do with it until the next day!

Like I needed another project!
But then, this is the season for spinning and fiber!

I used to be able to get a Yarn Bee yarn that had sequins and sparkle in it.  That has not been available for quite a while now.  But with the guidance in the video above, I'll be able to make my own with the simple addition of plying with a purchased thread that has the sequins on it.   Let's hope I can still get that!