Skein #13 Cotton Medium Smooth Yarn, Multiple Ply

Image 1: Fiber Sample Image 2: Yarn Skein Image 3: Yarn Detail

Fiber

Cotton

Type

Natural brown sliver

Reason for choice of this sample

This industrial surplus fiber is combed but still has a lot of short fibers. It must be spun very fine to get a somewhat consistent yarn. Many plies are needed to produce an even finished yarn.

Source

Natural color FoxFibre cotton sliver, industrial surplus. SCRAP — San Francisco, California.

Preparation for spinning

None required

Equipment used

Flyer spinning wheel, drop spindle

Type of spinning

Unsupported long draw

Direction of Twist

Z/S/Z

Number of plies

8

Finishing

Boiled in an alkaline solution, washed and dried under light tension.

Suggested uses

This yarn is designed for knitting, for sweaters or blankets. It can also be used as either warp or weft for a thinner fabric. The 2/4 ply structure produces a soft, durable yarn that greatly reduces the opportunity for damage to the fragile single. It is machine washable and the natural color has been set by boiling.

Notes

Maximum 54 points

Examiner 1: 50

Examiner 2: 45

Both like this yarn, but both noted that some sections are not as firmly plied as the rest. That is more the trouble with getting even singles from this fiber than anything else, because the thicker sections do end up with less twist and that affects the plying. Mostly it evened out but not completely, this was finished wet with a drop spindle so I know it's balanced. Examiner 2 thought there should be more twist in plying to hold the yarn together. I was trying to get a soft yarn and that means less twist. But at least this one was boiled, because that changes the color of the naturally brown cotton.