Singles or Plied?

Happy Saturday!

I hope you’re keeping well. It’s flipping cold here in Conwy still – there is ice on the paths, and we’re all wearing our woolies here in the shop still. I’ve even resorted to putting my heated throw on my chair and round my legs whilst I’m sat at the desk. I’m hoping that you’re all managing to keep warm!

We’ve had a leak through the ceiling in the new room as well, so if you’re in the shop and see a missing tile above the window – that’s why! I can now say that soggy ceiling tiles are not nice things and disintegrate EVERYWHERE! But don’t panic! No fibre was harmed in the flopping of the ceiling!

Singles Vs Plied Yarns

Today I wanted to talk about the difference between singles and plied yarns and what impact they make for your projects.

You may have heard the terms singles and plied, or know the term 4ply as a weight of yarn, but not know what they mean – so I thought I’d explain!

Going back to basics, when you have spun fibre once, it is then called ‘singles’. You then combine these singles and spin them together a second time to make plied yarns – two together would be 2 ply, three would be 3 ply, four would be 4ply and so on.

Originally when we first began using machines to spin yarn, all singles were spun to the same thickness. This was so that there could be consistency for the different uses of them – mostly for machine weaving at that time.

Over time, those names for the amount of strands in the yarn changed to mean the thickness of the yarn. 2ply is also known as laceweight, 4ply as fingering weight, 8ply as double-knitting and 12ply as chunky. Some countries, such as Australia, have maintained using the ply numbers as the yarn weight. In the UK, we tend to use 2ply, 3ply and 4ply but then change up to double knitting, aran etc.

Modern yarns do not have the same number of plies in them for their weight as their names might suggest. Most of your chunkier yarns are ‘pencil rovings’ or singles, so they have only one strand of yarn in them, often not very twisted. It is also possible to have 5 strands in a 4ply/fingering weight. If you are hand spinning, most of your yarns will only be two or at most 3ply.

So what difference does it make to your knitting and crochet?

The short answer is strength.

The more plies there are in a yarn, the stronger it is. It also impacts on the drape of the fabric the yarn creates. A singles spun yarn, such as a merino/silk 4ply, will have a lot of glorious drape making it perfect for shawls, however it wouldn’t be very hardwearing. Sock yarns sometimes have extra twist in them to give greater strength, they also typically have more than 2 strands together. West Yorkshire Spinners Signature, for example, has 4 strands, making it a traditional 4ply. This means that it has greater strength to prevent wear and bobbling, making it perfect for socks.

If you are a weaver, you need to choose stronger, plied yarns as your warp threads so that they can be put under tension. Singles, such as the Noro Silk Garden Sock won’t hold up to the pressure (ask me how I know! hehe!) but make wonderful yarns to use for your weft, adding softness and drape.

So when you’re thinking about your next project and choosing which yarn to use, think about what properties you want from your yarn. Does it need more strength, or does it need more drape? Feel the difference in the yarns you have in your stash too – it might inspire you what to use them for!

Shop News

Although we haven’t had much in the way of deliveries this week, we’ve been working on something new to help you keep track of your stitches. Stitch Counter Marking Sets!

We’ve all been there – you’ve counted the same stitches 3 times and got 3 different numbers.Or you’re casting on a long foundation chain and someone talks to you or the phone rings.. This new set is here to help!

We’ve designed and created these numbered stitch marker sets in house to help you keep an eye on your stitches (and stop them from wandering off and getting lost!).

Numbers included are: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500. So you can count in 10s up to each 100 stitches, keeping your cast-ons correct and your wips well behaved!

What have I been up to?

Well, not only have I chosen my yarns, but I have cast on my Emotional Support Chicken!

The yarns I’ve chosen are both by Noro and work really well together. The multicoloured one is Noro Ito in colour 20 and the plain is Noro Malvinas in colour 17.

The Ito is a 200g, 400m ball, so I am hoping to get 2 chickens from it. The Malvinas is 150g, 300m ball so again, I’m hoping to use it for a 2nd chicken as I plan to complete the crochet version as well as the knitted version.

The knitting pattern is really enjoyable and feels like you aren’t quite sure where it’s going at times – like how can this turn into a chicken?

I have absolutely trusted in the process, and it is a very clear and well written pattern which makes it very easy to do that.

I’m enjoying the change of the colours with the Ito, it makes it extra fun as you’re never sure what the final effect will be.

This is where I’m up to at the moment. I’ve finished the main body and beak, but I still have to do the wattle, comb and underneath.

I’ve also got to remember to put in the order for 15mm safety eyes to stock in the shop otherwise I’ll have blind chickens too!

I’m really pleased with how she’s looking so far.

Do you have any suggestions for her name?

Alongside that, I’ve also been knitting the last of the sample squares for Clue 9 of the Coast and Castles Blanket. As you can see, they need a block, but I’m really pleased with how they’ve turned out. Only 8 more to go and the blanket will be ready to join together!

In pattern news – Clue 9 and the Celtic Capedigan should be back from the tech editor next week and so (hopefully!) ready for release this time next week!

Phew! I think that’s probably enough for this week. As always, if there’s a topic you’d like me to cover then please let me know!

Have a great week!