I have finished spinning 4 ounces of Southdown wool using a Turkish style spindle to make single spun yarn.

Southdown sheep are a dual purpose breed from England. When I bought this wool, the sheep were on the Conservation Priority list. In 2024, they came off the list and are no longer considered a threatened heritage breed. Which demonstrates the power of attention and purchase.

Before I ply these singles, I think I will experiment with making swatches with the singles. The ways the yarn twist and fabric method bias interact have peaked my curiosity and I was to do some experiments.

Here is my fourth yarn turtle spun on my 3D printed Turkish style spindle using Southdown wool.

I was hoping to make a three ply yarn from the Southdown wool, but I think I have enough roving for one more turtle, which will give me 5 turtles, which is not easily divisible by 3. I could chain ply, but I find that difficult with turtles, especially toward the end. I could two-ply, then cable ply by plying the two-ply together to make a four ply, which gives an interesting texture and results in very little waste. I could weigh the yarn and rewind it all into three even amounts. So many choices.

I think, when the spinning is done, I shall do some small lengths of each type of plying, to help me decide what to do over all.

The cop of yarn built up on a Turkish style spindle is called a turtle. In the photo below, you can see why. The balls of yarn look like turtle shells. I now have three single spun Southdown wool turtles from spinning as I walk. The next step is to ply the three together, but for that I will use a treadle spinning wheel and a secure way to hold the turtles.

Turtles of yarn are center pull balls of yarn, and it is possible to ply the inside end and the outside end to make a two-ply yarn. It is even possible to walk and ply, but since I want a three ply, and don’t want to chain ply, my best option is to sit at a spinning wheel so I can closely monitor the turtles. I may see if my yarn bowl will be helpful.