Yarn or wool? What do you call it?

Yarn - Don't You Just Love It!

What could possibly be better than discovering a new yarn? Using it? Ok - you got me there! If you're anything like me I just love the myriad of colors, textures and weights you can find these days.

Whether you love the fine, smooth, glossy silks or the knobbliest, chunky slubs there's something for everyone.

Each has very different characteristics, depending on what fibers it's made from, the way it was dyed, how it was spun and whether it is blended with another fiber.

All of these things can affect...

the price you pay
the way a yarn behaves
the way you should care for it
and the way it should be used.

Yarns or fibers are divided into different groups.

Natural Fibers

Vegetable Fibers

Cotton
Linen

Animal Fibers

Silk
Wool
Alpaca
Llama
Camel
Vicuna
Mohair
Cashmere
Angora

Man-made Fibers

Cellulosic Fibers (made from cotton or pine wood)

Acetate
Rayon

Synthetic Fibers

Nylon
Acrylic
Polyester
Spandex, etc.

Wool, for example, is a natural fiber and comes from a sheep. The sheep has its coat clipped or sheared off, then the wool is separated, baled up and shipped to a mill. It is sorted, cleaned (scoured), dried, oiled, dyed, blended, carded, combed, drawn then spun. I won't go into describing the whole process here, but that's the quick version of what happens. Wool is a fairly strong fiber, but is very weak when wet.

Acrylic on the other hand is a man-made fiber. It is basically made from chemicals and then 'extruded' or stretched until it is mega-fine, then spun together with other tiny strands forming yarn. This is a VERY basic description. Acrylic is a very strong fiber whether dry or wet.

You can see by the brief descriptions of how these yarns are made why wool is more expensive. The wool process is so much more involved and labor-intensive.

So - before you start a project you really must think carefully about the item you want to make and how you will use it. Also check the yarn care instructions. You don't want to make a pot holder from acrylics as they melt. Wool on the other hand would work.

My Mom used to knit shopping bags from nylon strips - they were really strong. Those bags lasted for ever. Well - one might have made it a bit longer if my brother and I hadn't dragged it back from the library full of books. There's only so much abuse nylon can take!

Look out for more information on different yarns, how to care for them and suggestions for their use.

Learn how to take care of a wool garment. Instructions for caring for your precious, expensive wool clothing.

How do you wash wool? Tips for washing wool items.

How can you use recycled wool? Tips, ideas and information.

Did you shrink a wool sweater? What you need to know about shrunken wool.

What is Worsted Wool? Interested? Then read on.

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