Textured Yarn Tutorial: Adding Locks as an Intermittent Third Ply

When I started planning a handspun version of the Equinox Cowl by Sivia Harding (see Spin Off Winter 2025), I knew I wanted a yarn that was bulky, soft, balanced, and textured. I also wanted to make a yarn with some variability so that I wouldn’t have to be too fastidious in its making. Incorporating locks of wool, mohair, alpaca, and more, as we would an extra ply, is an easy way to add texture that is nicely secured within the yarn structure without very much fuss.

I used Bluefaced Leicester wool for both the smooth singles and the locks. Even though Bluefaced Leicester is considered a longwool, I think it is soft enough to be quite neck-worthy, but the staple length is generous enough to make plying the locks easy.