Method and apparatus for making alternate twist plied yarn and product

An alternate twist plied yarn formed from a plurality of strands of singles yarn twisted in alternating directions in lengthwise intervals of first half-cycles of twist at a predetermined twist level followed by second half-cycles of twist at the same twist level with reversal nodes therebetween, the singles twisted yarns being ply-twisted together in alternating directions in lengthwise intervals of first half-cycles of ply-twist followed by second half-cycles of ply-twist, there being a bond formed adjacent each node wherein the first half-cycle of ply-twist is located within the bond and the second half-cycle of ply-twist originates at one end of the bond, the twist level in the singles twisted yarn is between 25% in the same direction and 60% in the opposite direction of the twist applied to the singles yarns before plying. The process for making an alternate twist plied yarn formed from a plurality of singles strands wherein the plied yarn has low residual singles twist is disclosed as well as an apparatus for forming bonded alternate twist plied yarn from a plurality of strands having a distance between twist reversal nodes defining sections of alternate twist in the yarn and having bonds in the plied yarn adjacent the reversals.