The Fractal Stripe | Article

Fractal yarns offer beautiful stripes and rich colors, and they are something you can even plan for. Janel Laidman shares one method for controlling the striping of your painted roving and braids.

Often, spinners are mystified about predicting what the colors of their fiber will do when spun. If you take the time to analyze how to prepare and spin the fiber, you can control the resulting yarn.

A painted roving is a delicious proposition—lovely fiber, sensuous color, the promise of a unique and delightful yarn. We usually want to jump right in and start spinning, but we often end up with surprising results. Often, spinners are mystified about predicting what the colors of their fiber will do when spun.

In this article, Janel discusses the three major factors to consider when predicting the outcome of your striped yarn:

• Scale, including how to look at the dye job itself
• Direction and your color sequence (and why that matters)
• Color and a few simple rules

Once you have analyzed your braid, you are ready to start spinning. Learn the simplest fractal stripe sequence, and then how to play and experiment from there.

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