2 Ply Yarn Test

Well, the sample of the 2 ply 50% silk and 50% camel has been washed and dried and strength tested. It was not able to be pulled apart from 4 inches away. It was, however, able to be pulled about from 20 inches away. This "scientific" test performed by my 16 yr. old son and I, was specifically to see if I would have a strong enough yarn to use as a warp for my next project. It was not a complete success because I would like it to be strong enough to resist pulling apart at any length. However, I was glad to see that it had to be so far apart and with extra effort on my son's part.

What this means to me, and you may have a different opinion, is that I need to add twist to my plyed yarn to make it stronger. If you would like to give me your experience on such matters, I would very much like to hear from you.

Strong enough or not, I was very pleased with how consistently even my yarn was and how smooth. It was 25 wraps per inch which is the very thinnest I have ever spun. It has an incredibly soft hand but is reasonably strong. I love both the shine and the softness.

I will try it again to see if adding more twist to the plying process might strengthen the yarn. If it doesn't improve, I will use it as weft and use 100% silk as the warp. I do have 100% Tussah Silk to spin and it would be very fine without the camel and less apt to break. I have included some pix in this blog. Hope you like what you see.