Facing my fear

I've been spinning for a few years now and although I still feel like a novice, I feel confident enough to spin and see where it takes me. But I have been avoiding one very basic spinning skill - single ply yarn. Obviously I've spun a lot of singles, but I always ply them. Plying usually corrects any problems with the singles and a two-ply yarn, or more, is just way more stable.

But I was always drawn to singles other people made - probably because I thought it was an impossible spinning feat for me. And, really, it is pretty miraculous that you can put twist in animal fibre and it stays there! So, I finally forced myself to spin a single knowing I'm not going to ply it. I picked a blueish superwash merino because it's a pretty easy to spin fibre that holds together well.

Once I filled the bobbin, I dunked the skein into hot, soapy water, rinsed it out and then gave it a few good thwaps (my newly invented word for snapping a skein between two arms). Then I hung it up to dry and prayed.

Voila! A lovely, nearly balanced yarn that stayed together!


I am still amazed.