I have a confession to make. I haven’t spun in several weeks. And here’s the thing – I want to spin. So what’s the problem, you ask? All my bobbins are full.
That’s only 4 but there are 3 others that are full that didn’t make it into the photo shoot.
I also have 3 center pull balls that I wound off of bobbins before SPA.
This means that I have to ply before I can spin. And I don’t want to ply. Plying is boring. Plying is tedious. Plying is not fun.
But if I ply then I will have finished yarn and then I can spin again. So I will ply.
I won’t be happy about it, though.
Laurie Said,
i feel the same way about plying. all that potential, lost. otoh, the bobbins are a finite resource.
DebbieB Said,
Pack ‘em up and send ‘em to me. I love to ply.
Kim Said,
I’m with Debbie….I love plying to get the finished yarn.
That is a beautiful quilt!
maryse Said,
you need more bobbins. duh.
Manise Said,
Order more Schacht bobbins my dear. OR….. order storage bobbins to transfer the singles to. But if you just ply them it’ll be way faster and done.
Don’t you love our sage advice? ;~D
gale (she shoots sheep shots) Said,
well, as a non-spinner/non-plyer I can’t comment on relative boringness but those singles look beautiful.
margene Said,
You should celebrate! It means new, beautiful yarn! And it’s part of the process. Be excited and make it fun (have a martini or two).
Dave Daniels Said,
Yup, been there. In an “emergency”, I’ve been known to wind them on the ball winder and then slide them onto empty toilet tissue tubes. Freed those expen$ive bobbins pretty quickly.
Beth Said,
Just chant “I can knit another Baktus, I can knit another Baktus” to yourself while you ply.
Kate Said,
Is this the spinning equivalent of weaving in ends and sewing on buttons? If so, I’m right there with you.
jill Said,
“If you don’t eat yer meat, you can’t have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat yer meat?!” ~Pink Floyd
A while ago I remember there was this really clever idea to spin in increments of ten minutes daily, thus accomplishing much in the small moments. I don’t spin, but I loved the idea and have applied it to many other things. Hmmm…. now whose idea was that??
Dinah Said,
Carole, Carole, Carole….just buy more bobbins. We work to earn money to support our hobbies! Simply consider bobbins tools and realize that with each new project we need new tools. Don’t our husbands and life partners run to the hardware store at the drop of a hat? Why should we be different!
Norma Said,
Hahahahaha! When I was spinning (which admittedly wasn’t for long), plying was my favorite thing! But, I do like others’ advice to just buy more bobbins. Life’s too short to do something you don’t want to do.
Jo-Ann Said,
So many solutions to your ‘problem!’ I had to google ‘plying yarn’ to be able to make an edu-ma-cated comment … I go with the whole “Buy more bobbins!” solution
Won’t you have a grand sense of accomplishment when it’s finished?! I love the green yarn (fiber?) on the bobbin, looks springy and yummy!!
Donna Said,
Just think of how accomplished you will feel when all of that is plied? That’s the only thing that makes me want to ply. I don’t consider the job “done” until the yarn is plyed, washed, and hangs to dry.
elizabeth Said,
I like to ply! Why don’t you shake it up a bit and ply different colors together – a bright bobbin with a more subdued color? I’ve had good luck with that, especially when the colors were similar in hue but not tone (I hope I’m remember that correctly – color terminology confuses me).
Kitten Said,
I love plying! That’s when it looks like real yarn and I can see how even or not it’s going to be. Pretty quilt, too.
shizzknits Said,
You are so funny; I LOVE plying! I really like to see how the different singles come together into color combos I would have never thought of. But I have to admit: plying solid colored yarns is b-o-r-i-n-g LOL Like someone else mentioned, have you tried just throwing together two completely different bobbins to see what you’ll get?
Sara Said,
That’s how I feel about dressing my loom! But, if I want to weave – I have to dress the loom!!!
Nora Said,
Hmmm. Maybe one more reason I shouldn’t start spinning – I’ll have a whole new set of issues to deal with!
Your singles are very pretty, though!
Sylvia Said,
I love plying! But, then, I have an electric, so I crank up the speed, crank up the stereo, and zoom through it. I love finishing projects and for some reason I feel as good about a finished skein of yarn as I do about a finished sweater, even though the former is only half-way there.
Definitely second the recommendation for buying storage bobbins, at least a few! I have over a dozen cheap cardboard ones and a really nice bobbin winder (from Alden Amos). If you get seriously into technical spinning (I did back in the 80′s), they and a clock reel are essential.
Have you tried doing some of the more exotic plies? Boucle is tough, but there are other fun plying techniques that might make the process more interesting for you.
Stephanie Said,
Oh, I like to ply. I think it’s fun to see how those singles grow up to me yarn and while I’m plying I imagine what I’m going to knit with the finished yarn. Plus it’s like seaming a sweater – it’s that last step before you can move on to something new and exciting.
Cookie Said,
Those storage bobbin thingies are totally cool, but TP rolls work in a pinch.
Could you invite some friends over and have a plying party?
Or teach Dale to ply? ;^)
kmkat Said,
Maybe you should eat a few worms first
heather Said,
i LOVE plying! send me your singles, thirsting to be plied and i will revel in each slip of the fiber as it twists through my hands and onto each other!!!!
i recently taught myself how to Navajo ply on a spindle and i’m a little bit addicted to that now.
Beverly (db81971) Said,
Personally, I much prefer plying to spinning… call me weird; I know
Lucia Said,
I dunno, I sort of like plying. It’s soothing and repetitive, faster than spinning, and when you’re done, you’re done.
Maybe I’m doing it wrong?
Cathy R Said,
“Ply me a River” hee hee hee. Awesome!
I’m not a spinner, so I don’t really understand (except for the very basic concept).
Good Luck, though. Maybe some snappy tunes to help things move along??
blogless haron Said,
Bring them to spin night next week. we’ll all cheer you on. I ee beautiful yarn in your future
Sarah Said,
Rather than being happy for you, I will try to transfer some of my plying love to you.
Also, yay–almost new yarn!
Teyani Said,
you know, the price of more bobbins really isn’t that bad.. (heh heh heh.. sorry – couldn’t resist!)
That will be gorgeous yarn when you are finished