I've recently had a few questions about thread plying, spinning Racing Stripes and Auto Wrapping. Here's a quick spin through these fun spinning-with-thread yarns.

Using thread is one of my favorite ways to give a yarn, especially a yarn spun from a textured batt a little sparkle and a little stability.

I have this fab bag of Mega Batts from Gritty Knits that I got at the Dallas Fort Worth Fiber Fest. Each tiny batt is different and has a big variety of fibers and colors.

I'm paring these batts with a silver sparkly sewing thread. I use every one of my JoAnn's coupons for buying extra shiny and sparkly threads at a discount.

I'll spin a thread plied yarn, a Racing Stripe singles and an Auto Wrap singles. Racing Stripe and Auto Wrap I learned from Jacey Faulkner's fab book, Spin Art.

Thread plying is just like it sounds. I make a 2-ply using a batt spun single and my sparkly thread. I use a cracked Jennie the Potter mug to hold my thread so it doesn't fly around the room, and ply like a regular 2-ply. Putting a little extra tension on the thread will squeeze the singles for extra texture.

Spinning a Racing Stripe, takes a bit of letting go of control. I put my thread cup between my feet, so the thread and fiber come from the same direction.

I let the thread rest in my palm as I go about my drafting business; I don't worry about it.

What happens is the thread wraps as the fiber drafts into yarn. It makes a singles that look marled with thread.

Auto wrapping is the most fun ands give the most random look. I set my thread cup to the fiber side of my wheel.

As I draft my fiber I let the thread wrap on the singles however it wants. I don't hold it or tension it in any way. Sometimes it wraps on cleanly, sometimes it snarls around itself. It looks good as a singles, but I may like it even better plied on itself.

How do you spin with thread?

Left to right: Thread ply, Racing Stripe, Auto Wrap and Auto Wrap plied on itself.