Exploring Three-Ply Fractal Yarns

Many spinners are familiar with spinning fractal yarns from hand-dyed top. In her Spring 2025 Spin Off article, “Fractal Stripes from Blended Tops,” Becks explored the effects of color mixing using blended tops—multicolored fiber that was dyed before it was blended into to top. Becks mentioned she had experimented with a third ply, and we asked her to tell us more.

Cheers!

—Spin Off editors

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What's the Difference Between a Two- and Three-Ply Fractal?

Whether you’re working with hand-dyed fiber or blended tops, a fractal spin is a wonderful way to let the colors shine through—or maybe hide a shade you’re less fond of! As Janel Laidman revealed in her article “The Fractal Stripe,” (see Resources) by plying together long repeats of a color sequence with shorter repeats of the same, you can create unique yarns in which stripes are formed as the two plies each transition from one shade to another.

Above: the two-ply fractal Becks explored in her Summer 2025 article, “Fractal Stripes from Blended Tops.” Below: Becks continued the experiment with a three-ply fractal.

By adding a third ply with even shorter repeats, your yarn becomes more complex, with softer stripes, an incredible depth of color and an overall effect reminiscent of a pointillist painting.