Combo Spin vs. Combo Draft

Combo Draft with Frabjous Fibers’ BFL

I’ve had a bunch of emails lately asking about Combo Draft and Comb Spin.

The word Combo has become like the word Worsted, one word many meanings and applications, and it can be confusing!

A Combo Spin is a way to select, divide and ply enough braids to make a sweater.

It typically uses braids that are in the same color family, divides them into smallish sections (16 per braid). The sections are spun randomly, and then plied.

The first time I heard about it was through this episode of the PassioKnit Spinner’s podcast. It really caught on with spinners and there have been several  Combo SAL/ KALs using this method. I have yet to try it (sad trombone), but I’m hoping to this winter.

Combo Draft is a way to combine braids while drafting. It is one of my favorite method of spinning color. I first heard about it from Felicia Lo, who is a color magician. To Combo Draft, hold two (or more) thin vertical strips of two different braids together and drat them as one fiber. It creates a marl in the single, and when plied together those singles create a fantastically speckled yarn.

Both are great ways to stretch braids that aren’t the exact same colorway into enough yarn for a big project.

Have you done a Combo Spin? What did you think? Do you Combo Draft? What do you use the yarn for?

 

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