5 Tips for Choosing Combo Spinning Fiber

I have a confession to make—I’d never done a combo spin before last year! That all changed when we had an inspiring article about combo spinning come in for our Spring issue, which is just around the corner. In the coming weeks, we’ll share a few more sneak peeks at the Spring 2026 issue, but for now, here’s a little spark to get you started. Combo spinning is all about color play, and how colors interact in exciting ways when they’re spun together. Not sure how to start a combo spin? Here are five tips to get you started.

What is Combo Spinning?

Combo spinning is a method that combines multiple braids of fiber for large spinning projects, such as sweaters. Those braids can have coordinating colors or all different colors—more on that in a bit—but the result is fun, unique, and a reminder of why many of us chose to start spinning in the first place.

The magic of combo spinning happens in how the braids are divided and ordered for spinning. After you divide each braid into 8–16 sections, you’ll mix and match sections of all your braids into a random order for spinning. I quickly discovered that I liked bundling groups of my mixed-and-matched fiber into giant nests, but every spinner seems to take a different approach. Once the yarn is spun and plied, you’ll have your own one-of-a-kind combo-spun yarn.

An assortment of combed top ready to divide up for combo spinning. Photo by Matt Graves

How to Choose Combo Spinning Fiber

Last fall, I stopped by the Greenwood Fiberworks booth at SOAR and asked Carolyn Greenwood for some help choosing braids for a combo spin. She graciously obliged, and even let me film her while she walked me through her process.

I was blown away by Carolyn’s tips and excellent color sense, and walked away with a new appreciation for the possibilities of a combo spin—and a few braids, of course. See for yourself!

1. How Much Fiber Do I Need?

Most spinners choose to knit sweaters with their combo-spun yarn, so that’s a great place to start when selecting your braids. How many braids did your last sweater spin take? Start there, and consider adding at least one extra braid for insurance. Remember, that since each combo spin is unique, it will be difficult if not impossible to recreate your yarn—it’s better to have some extra yarn just in case.

2. Two Ways to Select Braids

Carolyn Greenwood suggests that there’s no wrong way to choose your braids for a combo spin! That thought is freeing, but also a little bit intimidating. Where to start?

The first option is to start with a braid you like, and find braids that have pops of a similar color. For example, if you really like blue, pick your favorite blue braid, then build your combo spinning palette around it. Find other braids that have elements of that blue but add in more colors.

The second option is to choose all different braids! You might think this approach sounds chaotic, but it can also lead to interesting color discoveries.

3. Tip for Predicting Your Yarn

Even if you’re diving into your stash to select your combo spinning braids, a combo spin is a significant investment of time and money, and you simply don’t know how your yarn will turn out until it’s all over. This was honestly one of my biggest fears and why I avoided combo spins for so long. But Carolyn blew my mind when she showed me this simple trick for getting an idea of how all those different colors will blend together! Simply twist the braids together and see how the colors blend. Don’t like how one plays with the others? Swap it out for something else!

You’ll probably still find some interesting color surprises as the braids mix, match, and blend in your combo spin, but this one tip was what finally motivated me to start my very first combo spin.

Carolyn Greenwood demonstrates how she twists braids to predict colors in a combo spin.

4. Can I Mix and Match Dyers?

One of the most common pieces of advice I’ve heard for the color-averse is to always stick to the same dyer when choosing fiber for a combo spin. The idea is that each dyer has their own custom palette and color sense, so if you stick to that one dyer, you’re more likely to end up with a harmonious result.

When I asked Carolyn about this, she laughed. You’d think a professional dyer would want to stick to her own fiber, but she actually loves what happens when you mix and match fibers from multiple dyers. And with her other tips about choosing fibers, this makes perfect sense, so I felt empowered to mix and match with abandon!

5. Choosing Fibers

At this point, you might think there are no hard-and-fast rules for combo spins. And while that’s mostly true, Carolyn had one last bit of advice—do choose similar fibers so that the structure of your yarn is consistent throughout your spin.

Don’t Miss Out!

So, is combo spinning for you? You won’t know until you’ve tried it! Find step-by-step instructions and even more tips for starting your first combo spin in Deborah Held’s “Coordinating Handpaints.”

Then, check out Spin Off Spring 2026 for Deborah Held’s article to revisit the combo spin with new tips for a successful spin.

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Originally published January 28, 2026, updated April 6, 2026.