A skein of yarn begins with loose fibers – and a little twist.
Twist winds those fibers around one another, helping hold them together as a continuous strand. An unplied strand is called a singles yarn. It can be used on its own or combined with others.
Plying twists two or more singles together, usually in the opposite direction from their original spinning. Two singles makes a 2-ply yarn; three makes a 3-ply.
The amount of twist and the way a yarn is plied help shape its character, from the way its colors mingle to how it feels and behaves in your stitches.
Curator’s Note: Ply describes a yarn’s construction, not a universal thickness. A 2-ply yarn can be thin or bulky depending on the singles used to make it.
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