How Do You Fix a Compacted Braid?

My very first braid was a beautiful Merino, dyed in sandy beige tones. Unaware that Merino will felt if you look at it wrong, I struggled to learn to spin on a drop spindle. I kept buying spindle after spindle, thinking the tool was the problem. Looking back, I realized my fiber was the problem—not my tools or technique.

Unless you always spin freshly prepared wool, you’ve probably encountered some that was compacted. This can happen for all kinds of reasons—the water might have gotten a little too hot in a dyepot, or the fiber might have been packed too tightly in your stash for too long.

In an ideal world, all our fibers would spin effortlessly, but sometimes a little bit of problem-solving adds to the adventure. Here’s what I wish I’d known when I encountered that first compacted braid.

Steam to Revive Lightly Compacted Braids

Steaming fibers is the least invasive way to revive a compacted braid. You’ll still have the color sequence in the exact order it was dyed.

In her Summer 2023 Spin Off article, Lauren McElroy writes, “Sometimes, after dyeing or an aggressive scour, the fiber can feel a little crunchy and could use a refresh; steaming is kind of like a spa treatment. Crimp is refreshed when exposed to heat and moisture, and as the fibers regain their natural shape, the combed top expands and regains elasticity.”

Steam helps fibers relax. Photo by Matt Graves

Open it Like a Book

Sometimes, even after steaming, a braid might feel a little difficult to spin. Many spinners complain of how thick combed top feels in their hands. This often leads to sweaty hands that grip a braid, as the spinner tries to stay in control. Ironically, this can make compaction worse!

Opening a braid horizontally turns the braid from a cylindrical tube into a thick, wide ribbon of fiber. Many spinners find that this step helps them manage the braid more easily, while still maintaining color sequences created by the dyer.

Is Predrafting Really So Bad?

Predrafting has gotten a bad rap from some spinners. Often, this comes from spinners who want to preserve sharp color transitions in a braid, or from spinners who want to spin a mostly worsted yarn that is smooth, with more drape than loft.

When you predraft, you’re adding air to your fiber. As you slide the fibers apart from each other, colors sequences may blur slightly. The benefit, though, is that the fibers will be easy to spin.

Renowned spinning teacher Maggie Casey found predrafting helpful as a beginning spinner, and still finds it helpful in some cases today. She describes predrafting as a lovely introduction to your fibers. It’s a chance to spend a little more time getting to know the fiber before you jump into spinning!

A braid of fiber before and after predrafting. Photo by Joe Coca

Let’s Split!

Like predrafting, splitting fiber sometimes gets a bad rap because it makes color sequences shorter. However, there are some delightful spinning techniques, like the fractal stripe, that intentionally split the braid lengthwise to manipulate the color sequences to fascinating effect.

Splitting or stripping the braid lengthwise has the added benefit of making it easier to hold in your hand while you spin. Just remember that you’ll still need to draft while you’re at your wheel or spindle, so never make the strips thinner than the yarn you plan to spin!

Need More Help? Get Out Some Tools!

If you’re interested in maintaining the parallel structure of your braid, you can comb and diz to open the fibers while preserving their parallel structure. Mini wool combs are great for this. If you work carefully in sections, you can also preserve the color sequence of your braid. Any combing generates some waste, so be sure you have enough fiber for your project if you choose this method.

Some people see carding as the last resort, but freshly carded fiber is one of my favorite preparations to spin! Card with handcards, a blending board, or drumcarder to tame the most stubbornly compacted fibers and create your own custom color sequences and blends.

rolag Freshly made rolags are light and fluffy—a joy to spin! Photo by Joe Coca

Mix and Match, then See it in Action

Whether you choose to try one or all of these methods, don’t give up on those compacted braids in your stash. With a little bit of help, they still have the potential to become gorgeous yarns!

If you’re still hung up on how any of these techniques work, I’ve made a short video illustrating each step.