It is possible to change or revamp a 2-ply yarn by re-spinning it into a 3-ply Crepe Yarn.
Here’s How I do it.
This summer, I completed this 2-ply yarn, but I was not “wowed” by it. There was nothing inherently wrong with it; it was kind of cool looking colorwise, but structurally, it was lacking for me. It hadn’t been wet set, and I usually reserve my final judgments on a handspun yarn until then, but spinning for 12+ years, I know when I won’t be satisfied with the final result.
My first instinct was to run the yarn back through my wheel and add more twist, but I knew it would still be relatively thin and uninteresting. So I thought, if I’m going to add extra twist, I might as well add A LOT of extra twist and make this a crepe yarn. I would have to spin a third singles that this 2-ply would be plied back to, but I’m pretty enthusiastic to have any reason to play and spin. 😀
Throwing caution to the wind, I thought, “Let’s go for it, and I’ll film the process as I go in case I decide to use it for a blog post.”
And here we are…
What is a Crepe Yarn?
Traditionally, a crepe yarn is two singles spun with an S-Twist (the the left), plied Z (to the right), and then wrapping around a third singles spun with Z twist.
I said traditionally.
You know that means I’m going to do the opposite, right? Several years ago, when I was learning about crepe-constructed yarns, I realized that I could use this technique to revamp some of my 2-ply yarns that I was…meh about or bored with.
Normally, I spin my singles Z (to the right); thus, my yarns are plied S (to the left). That means I’d have to do the opposite of the official instructions.
It’s a matter of personal preference. I know some knitters can be particular about which way their stitches lean in stockinette stitch, so I assume that’s why crepe is directed to be spun in that order. But I’ve revamped several of my 2-ply S-plied yarns, and it makes no difference to me whatsoever, nor did it matter to others who have purchased these yarns from me over the years.
I even used this method of revamping on handspun that I had already set because I am a “what if” kind of gal who wants to know just what is possible—pushing the limits, shall we say. It turns out it is very possible, and with a good soak and thwacking you can’t tell the difference that it was essentially set twice.
However, it is favorable to make the decision to revamp your handspun before setting. There will be fewer surprises that way.
Since this yarn has much opposing twist, it’s important to add a lot of extra twist to everything to compensate.
Yarn Revamp: Spinning a Crepe Yarn
In this video, I explain how a crepe yarn is constructed (with bad props and a special guest 😉 ), give step-by-step descriptions while reimagining this yarn in real time, adjust my plying of the final product, show how I soak the final yarn for setting, and give a show ‘n tell of the finished yarn as well as two of my all-time favorite crepe yarns.
My hope is that this video will inspire you to try revamping a yarn that you’ve spun that is structurally okay but not really doing it for you.
If you’d like to see me do a how-to video on spinning a crepe yarn, I’d be happy to put it on my to-do list. 🙂
Bubble Crepes
These are probably the most popular style of crepe yarn. They are constructed of two thin singles, usually the same color, and one fat singles. By using this spinning technique, the fat singles gets “trapped” inside the zig-zag pattern of the thinner singles.
You can use a consistent fat singles (good practice; I still find these hard to keep consistent even after all these years of spinning) or a thick-and-thin singles, as shown below. This particular yarn was the first crepe yarn I attempted to spin, and as I explained in the video, it has problems. That said, it’s still a unique and fun yarn that I display in my studio.
The yarn below is my absolute favorite bubble crepe yarn. I spun a more consistent fat singles with this, but as you can see, it’s still not 100% consistent. I don’t think that deters from the yarn in any way, and it’s still a very well-done bubble crepe.
Letting go of the Compulsion of Being a Perfect Technical Spinner
In my humble opinion, as a self-taught spinner, it’s essential to step away from the obsession to get things technically correct all the time. Like most of us, I dove into spinning by reading books and studying videos, reading forums and blog posts. I was determined to do everything as technically proper as possible.
The problem with that is I grew to resent spinning. Not only that, but the opposite was happening. My spinning was getting worse and worse! So, in the case of all three of these yarns showcased, I was just going to go for it and see what happens with zero expectations.
I can’t say the yarn I spun for this video was my favorite. But it certainly is a nice weight, a good drape, super soft and possesses that perfect round yarn structure you get with these types of yarn.
We don’t learn or grow our crafty skills skills operating in the confines of “properness.” Being a rebel is how new techniques and styles are born. We create for fun, right?
The best advice I could give myself is to relax and enjoy the journey and ask myself at every stage, “What could be done to make this better next time?”
Above all, to hell with what anyone else thinks! I hope I’ve inspired you to try a new, possibly intimidating spinning technique.
Don’t forget, if you’d like to see a step-by-step how-to video on how I make a crepe yarn, be sure to leave me a comment here or over on YouTube. 🙂
Until next time,
Instagram (I’m hoping to post more in the future, time permitting)