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Should I twist to the right or to the left?
In the Change the Shed episode on 2/11/26 which I showed in the video above, I had a moment where my brain couldn't remember which way to twist the two different yarns I was using. One yarn was a bundle of 2-ply yarns from weaversbazaar, the other was a bundle of Harrisville Koehler singles I had dyed. If you're going to twist your weft bundle, these two yarns need a different twist direction. I explain that in the video here including what S and Z twist means.
The cheat sheet for that is:
If you're using a singles yarn (1-ply), you'll twist your weft bundle to the right or in the S direction.
If you're using a 2-ply yarn, you'll twist your weft bundle to the left or in the Z direction.
There are exceptions to these, but I haven't run into a commercial tapestry yarn that was made in a different way, so you're pretty safe following these rules.
Should I twist my weft bundle at all?
The next question you're going to ask me is why would I need to twist my weft bundle?
Reasons to twist your weft bundle:
to blend the colors in a more uniform way
to create a smoother fabric where the individual strands lay together evenly
to manage the selvedges or relays in a way that creates a crisper edge
Reasons not to twist your weft bundle:
visual effect of non-blended colors is what you're looking for
it is much faster not to mess with twisting your bundle!
the difference between a twisted or untwisted bundle* can be very slight
you can hurt yourself if you do a lot of this fine motor activity with your fingers. Watch for tendonitis especially pain near your elbows if you do this a lot!
Using two strands of yarn in a weft bundle without a bobbin or other device to hold it. In this situation I often twist the yarn a little bit as I put it into the shed.
*We could call a twisted bundle a plied bundle, but unless you're using a spinning wheel to ply your yarn before you weave with it, the twist is pretty uneven. You'll never know the difference in the tapestry. I love plying my singles yarns on my spinning wheel but have had much less success plying a 2-ply yarn this way. In the case of those yarns, a gentle twist when laying the yarn into the shed is usually all you need.
Note about the banner image at the top: This is handspun I did on my Iceland residency. Spinners know a lot about twist, but if you’re not a spinner, it can be a confusing concept. I recommend playing a bit with how yarns are made so you have a better understanding of how your yarns act in your tapestries.
I referenced the Change the Shed episode from February 11th, 2026. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube HERE.