I have a delimma! A very well known and respected National (maybe International) spinner and teacher saw some of my mini-mill spun alpaca yarn and told me it was Spun up wrong. The yarn was spun with an S Twist and Plyed Z Twist. Right in front of my customer who was showing off her beautiful Pie Shawl out of my alpaca yarn, she said that the knitting did not look as nice as it could have because it was processed wrong.
She did not explain how the Z or S final twist in a yarn changes the look or a fabric or the why; she just said it was wrong; that the mill should be informed and owes me a huge refund or credit on my processing. After much online research and research in my Spinning books, I see that industry standard is a S Ply in the final product on plyed yarns, but again no explanation why this is or how it makes the knit product different or not as nice. The mini-mill in question tells me that the Mini Mills company sets up their equipment this way and told her that is how it is to be run on a mini mill. She has since gone onto her Mini Mill message board and has confirmed that many Mini Mills continue to do so for this same reason. So my question is that other than the Knitty.com article of 2005, does anyone have other data as to why commercial yarns are plyed S twist and that this is the industry standard? Does a fabric look different or inferior if knit with a yarn Plyed Z twist? Should I be looking for a refund or credit on my orders processed with a Z Twist Ply? Why would Mini Mills Thanks so much! Debbie Emery Brookfarm Alpacas www.brookfarmalpaca.com Glen Ellen, CA
