Abstract: There is disclosed a method of making a material comprising an assembly of at least one spun yarn, comprising: synthetic inorganic fibers, such as carbon, metal, oxides, carbides or alloys or combinations thereof, wherein a majority of the fibers: (a) are longer than 300 (b) have a diameter ranging from 0.25 nm and 700 nm, and (c) are substantially crystalline, wherein the yarn has substantial flexibility and uniformity in diameter. In one embodiment, the method comprises spinning yarn by pulling fibers from a bulk material with at least one spinner that has real time feedback controls.