Spinning Tuesdays: Double Marl

For someone who doesn’t care for the look of marled yarns, I spend a lot of time playing with them. I think I like the idea that it’s an easy way to blend color.

During my class with Amy King she showed us what I like to call a double marl. It’s fun, it’s easy and the results are gorgeous.

I chose 2 variegated BFL/silk Abstract Fibers tops. One that I liked and one, not so much.

Abstract Fibers BFL/Silk

I stripped the fiber into pinky width strips

Pinky-sized strips

I held the two strips together as a spun my singles, creating a marled single. Then plied the singles together in a 2-ply. The effect is densely mixed up colors. My favorite kind of marl so far.

A little bit of gorgeous

Look at the difference between a regular marl and double marl.

Double marl on the left, regular marl on the right

I like this way of marling so much I spun 8 ounces. I think next time I’ll choose colorways that have fewer colors in common, just to see what happens.

 

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Jillian is the​ author of the best-selling spinning book Yarnitecture. She is the editor​ of Knittyspin and Developmental Editor for PLY and PLY Books. She kinda loves this spinning thing and wants everyone who spins to love it too, so she teaches and writes a lot. She knits, weaves, and stitches and tries to do as much of it as she can with handspun yarn. She's always cooking up all kinds of exciting and creative things combining fiber arts. She likes her mysteries British, her walks woodsy, and to spend as much time as she can laughing. Spy on her on her website jillianmoreno.com

28 thoughts on “Spinning Tuesdays: Double Marl”

  5. Joanne

    Fabulous – I hadn’t heard of this and I am definitely going to try it. Thank you for sharing it with us!

  20. MimiD

    Thanks for explaining this idea as well as showing the results – they’re gorgeous. Like Jess I’m excited and need to go straight to my stash to see if I can apply it and perhaps spin enough for a larger project.

  21. Lotsofhermies on Rav

    WOW! who knew a combination like that would be so pretty or muted. Once again totally inspired. Thanks for spinning Tuesdays my favorite day of the week.

  24. Emily

    Gorgeous! Nice comparison with the single marl. The double is more interesting. Love seeing your ongoing experimentation!

  25. Theressa

    Interesting! I’ve just started spinning and haven’t been that adventurous yet. I’ve been reading your Tuesday blogs and am learning something new with each one. Thank you! I love the photos of your experimentations.

  26. Tia

    I forgot I meant to try this out. Holy heck does it look amazing, too! Real good blending of colors that you wouldn’t expect unless you tried it. (Or have done it long enough to know.)

  27. Brandi

    I’ve been trying to hold two rovings together and spin them. I’ve tried not predrafting and predrafting to finger width and predrafting even smaller. I’ve tried tons of different ways to hold the yarn trying to keep both rovings at an even tension. I have even been watching my Intentional spinner video so much Judith MacKenzie McCuin might think I’m stalking her. Still isn’t coming out right any more ideas?

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