So at my LYS how can I tell from the label on the yarn? December 2016 The best ways to get in touch with me are by messaging me on Ravelry or by sending an email to abeeinthebonnet (at) gmail (dot) com. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Worsted yarns are spun from fibers that have been combed; they are lightweight; these yarns are used for knitting. Your book will be one of the few in my library, as I want those that provide me the knowledge to choose and knit wisely. Combed worsted yarn is superior to carded woolen yarn in strength. With your information I can now choose wisely, thus ensuring my yarn/pattern will be completed. A beautifully written, lucid and illuminating lesson, and several fascinating aspects to the distinctions. The parallel alignment and uniform length of fibers prepared in a worsted-style also means that less fiber ends stick out in the yarn, making the bloom much less pronounced in these yarns when compared to woolen-spun yarns. Ill explain what these things are, first, and then talk about why theyre so important. The packing-in of the fiber as worsted yarn is made allows the fibers to protect each other for longer wear and less pilling. The fibers in stitches knit from woolen-spun yarn seem to literally bloom into the space theyre given. They are both delightful, yet different. Now I can shop for yarn with a little more knowledge. November 2020 You are the Rachel Maddow of yarn, delving in at a granular level, exploring every detail, and explaining it all with an engaging writing style drenched in clarity. The main differences between woolen and worsted spinning are the direction that the fibers are running in the yarn and the compactness of the resulting yarn. While the definitions of woollen and worsted yarns can be debated, each style of yarn has a very distinct physical appearance when knitted, crocheted, or woven into cloth. Now I know. Really, it's totally personal preference. It does however produce a lot of waste fibres (though those can still be carded for a more textured yarn). A woolen yarns loose, lofty structure traps and holds air, making it warm and light, but the air between the fibers allows them to abrade quicker. I hope you enjoy your next project. WPI is a way to measure the thickness of yarn. I actually own a mini mill that creates semi-worsted yarns. It also explores the differences between woollen and worsted processing systems and products. December 2013 Thank you so much Katie. December 2017 Jo, You have a real gift. Snippets is the Saturday newsletter full of MDK news, specials, and first look at new offerings. They are: Woolen and Worsted. This was a great post. The yarn isn't smoothed, it's simply stretched out like a piece of chewing gum, that traps lots of air in the yarn, and makes it very bouncey and elastic. Thats especially true if youre knitting a small, close-fitting garment like a sock or mitt. https://garmentmerchendising.com/category/fiber/. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Sometimes, even after all that, you still might not be sure whether the yarn you want to substitute will work for your project, check out other peoples projects. Worsted-spun yarns, on the other hand, are smoother and knit up into fabrics with greater drape and stitch definition. I sort of knew all of this but your explanation and illustrations pulled my knowledge all together. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Different fibers behave in different ways. Try to get your WPI to match as closely as possible to avoid that problem. There is a great site called yarnsub which compares most if not all of these elements and suggests alternatives. Safe home and already knitting a scarf . If the ratios are close, youre more likely to have a good match for substitution. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Most people whove knit the hat have substituted yarns, but if they didnt use one with a halo like the silk-mohair, they sometimes found that the resulting fabric was too loose. Another essential characteristic of woolen-spun yarns, according to Respect the Spindle by Abby Franquemont, is that twist is allowed to play an active role in drafting the fiber drafting refers to when the fiber is pulled slightly to open up and lengthen the fiber structure before being twisted. Thanks. February 2018 Taking the spinning seminar from Cecilia Quinn I learned the difference between worsted and woolen is in the way the fibers were treated and spun. Annie. You can see the difference when its wound into a ball, and in the strand. Copyright 2014-2023. Trust me, they r super different in thickness. And you explained the difference between woolen vs worsted very well!! Because woolen-spun yarns retain lots of air pockets during the production process, they knit up into very insulating and warm garments. The carder opens up the fiber and blends it evenly, resulting in a thin cloud- or web-like sheet commonly known as abatt. Worsted Spun requires a very different fibre preparation, and spinning technique. Many commercial yarns are spun with the worsted style. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When a yarn is spun from a pile of fibers into a string, its turned a little bit as its stretched out to make a tubular shape. Chickens Brilliant exposition, Katie! *Membership cannot be purchased with Gift Cards. May 2018 January 2020 August 2018 Original Yarns Its an old method too and goes well with fiber that has been prepared for spinning by hand. Woolen-spun fibers, on the other hand, are not straightened; the individual fibers lie in all directions, creating a yarn with lots of air pockets. The name derives from Worstead, a village in the English county of . I have been knitting for awhile and have yet to use the yarn recommended by a designer for various reasons. Our most popular workhorse yarn is the Heritage two-ply, but if you want even more wear, the Tuffy is an 80/20 blend of wool and nylon. Heritage comes in forty-five colors of the rainbow, including plenty of neutrals and heathers. Well it's all a matter of different fibre preparations, and different spinning techniques. So much yarn, so many choices the Lust Factor will now have a bit more knowledge backing it up! Maybe you have moral or ethical concerns about the recommended yarn company, or maybe you just dont like the recommended yarn, or maybe youve got another yarn you really like that youd rather use instead. The fiber is compressed and smoothed, and air is squeezed out as the twist is applied to the fiber. April 2015 For many projects, it wont make much of a difference if youre switching yarn construction. AC Business Ventures LLC, DBA Nitro Knitters. They are also warmer because of the airiness. But not always. July 2015 Now, I finally understand what it really means and how it will impact my future knitting! Sometimes, those individual strings are then twisted together to form a stronger, denser yarn. Thank you! Copyright2023Golden Peak Media. Hairs are aligned to be parallel, instead of being rolled up to perpendicular to the direction of the yarn. August 2021 Can you spot the other difference? See, what I didnt understand at the time was the fine art of yarn substitution. If you cant, try searching the designs hashtag on Instagram. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Wuthering Heights Tom Hardy is the yarn that ran out when you were an inch from the finish. This is a more subtle detail, but depending on the type of project youre making, it can be significant. Your best bet is always to know how to make the substitution yourself. I said Thank You as soon as I read the title. Spinning In this installment of our Foundations series, we explain the differences between how our woolen-spun and worsted-spun yarn families are produced, as well as describe the different kinds of fabrics one can achieve with either kind of yarn. Yours has been my favorite series to date Im learning so much and feel like I can make better choices! I have been knitting for almost 50 years and have never understood what worsted yarn was all about. Worsted spun yarns are smoother and have better stitch definition to make your cables and textured stitches pop. The result of this worsted-style preparation and spinning is a yarn that is smooth and dense, due to the fibers being neatly combed in a parallel fashion. This has just lit a light bulb in my head. However, the cost of carded woolen yarn is lower. May 2022 Semi worsted will give you more fluff to . The Empire (on the right) is less consistent, and looks a little puffier. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Dye baths are created using a precise calibration of dye, temperature, and water flow to protect the lofty, softness of the wool and to ensure the colors are repeatable with every new dye lot. As a very new spinner (wheel) I found this article so informative and easy to understand. September 2021 Folks wait their turn to enter the booth and shop in a controlled way. The Clun Forest yarn is lofty and warm, hand-dyed in variegated and solid colorways, and also offered in undyed white. Then repeat the gauge swatching process. Your explanation of the 2 ends of the spectrum also makes it very easy to understand our process and resulting yarns. Whats more, the acrylic content made it much lighter and softer than many other 100% cotton yarns. I was moving too quickly on that one, clearly. Note: Notice how the individual plies of Arbor and Vale (shown above, top to bottom) appear more compacted and how the fibers in each single are oriented in the same direction. Using the ruler, measure how many times the yarn wraps around the item in the span of one inch. Semi-woolen yarn is spun woolen-style, using fibers prepared in a parallel arrangement. After picking, the fiber goes through acarder, a machine with several rolling cylinders covered in metal teeth. Worsted-style spinning, unlike woolen-style, does not allow twist to enter the fiber during drafting. There are all sorts of reasons you might want to use a yarn thats different from what the designer recommends. January 2014 September 2017 It does not store any personal data. Well, the differences between woolens and worsted begin at the carding stage. New spinning innovations have produced wind and waterproof wool fabrics. Color is usually lighter in a woolen drafted yarn. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The result of this woolen-style preparation and spinning is a yarn that retains the lofty, air-trapping qualities it had before spinning. The fibers in a worsted spun yarn are combed to be parallel and uniform before spinning whereas the fiber for woolen-spun yarns are more casually arranged. As a last resort, if the designer has published their contact information, consider reaching out to them if you have questions about yarn substitution. Worsted spun yarn includes individual fibers that are facing in many directions, whereas woolen spun has all of the fibers facing in the same direction before the yarn is spun and they remain much more parallel in the final spun singles. That turning gives the yarn some stability. I like to use a pencil. Woolen yarn is less durable as compared to worsted yarn which may last longer. eCommerce Website by Virtually Everything, Country / Region*Select a country / regionAfghanistanland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelauBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Saint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongo (Brazzaville)Congo (Kinshasa)Cook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraaoCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth KoreaNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinian TerritoryPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaRussiaRwandaSo Tom and PrncipeSaint BarthlemySaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Martin (Dutch part)Saint Martin (French part)Saint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia/Sandwich IslandsSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom (UK)United States (US)United States (US) Minor Outlying IslandsUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVaticanVenezuelaVietnamVirgin Islands (British)Virgin Islands (US)Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweUpdate country / region, State* January 2019 You have made it so clear to me. Now that you know about how woolen and worsted yarns behave in knitted fabric, youll be able to choose the perfect pattern to complement your new yarn love. Thanks. Brava! You can see her producing rolags, and then using a navajo spindle to do a form of long draw. For example, a yarn labeled 2/fine (often known as fingering or sock weight) can have a WPI of anywhere from 12-18. To help you do that, Ive written out this guide to things you should consider before choosing a new yarn for your project. Loved the first video, and your video was brilliant, thank you so much. This exciting variety can be attributed to similarly multiple factors such as individual spinning style and preference, fleece and fiber characteristics, or even environmental considerations like humidity levels. You can read more about the ranges of WPI for each yarn weight on the Craft Yarn Councils website. In the pictures, the woollen spun samples all seem bigger that the worsted spun. Woolen-spun yarns have a matte finish with a soft halo and lend themselves well to extra-warm projects that wont weigh you downperfect for camping trips! Usually with terms like Chances are, from the end of your batt the fibres are being fed in to the yarn along the direction of the yarn, and not at 90 degrees. Does this happen with all yarns? They may not be able to get to yours quickly, or even at all. 'Carding' is one of the processes which untangles the woo. The semi-woolen swatch weighed 4.5 g versus 4.3 g for the woolen-spun - not a huge difference in a swatch of this size. A great big AHA! Moment for me! Want to try out some wonderful wool yarns? On Instagram, just type #ProfiteroleHat into the search bar, and check out the other versions people have posted. This information is just wrong as to pilling. Thank for for such a coherent explanation (and the pretty swatches really help too)! Extremely helpful! www.solitudewool.com, Content: 100% wool Put-Up: 150 yd [137m]/4 oz [113 g] Construction: Singles Recommended Gauge: 12 sts and 16 rows = 4 (10 cm) on size 11 (8 mm) needles, The bulky single-ply Native Twist is a 100% wool, soft-spun singles and is Imperials most popular yarn. Note: Notice how the individual plies of Loft, Quarry, and Shelter (shown above, top to bottom) appear wispy and how the fibers in each single are oriented in every direction and nestled together in a disorderly manner. (Theres a method to this madness, we promise!). The type of yarns also depends on how they spun. It seems that I am and have produced a woollen yarn. Two different systems are followed in wool processing, the woolen system, and the worsted system. It will stay in my notebook in my knitting bag. Great article! The worsted spinning method creates yarns that are smooth and durable, with superior stitch definition. This video is a brief overview of some different spinning techniques I've learned to spin worsted or woolen yarn and how that affects the outcome of your yar. I feel I finally understand the difference. February 2015 October 2019 August 2019 The combing process removed all the shorter length hairs, leaving behind fibres of the same length, free from tangles. Worsted wool is smoother than woolen, takes shine more easily, does not sag, holds a crease well, is lighter and less bulky, and wears longer than woolen. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. It makes yarn that is lofty and irregular. Does it make that much difference to your gauge? March 2014 May 2014 Great article! Long draw is for making a woolen-spun yarn. 28 minutes. I knit swatches of all four yarns in stockinette, moss stitch, and a simple lace stitch, and took close-up comparison photos of the worsted and woolen yarns overlapping. I choose to support local and indie yarners and dont mind spending big $$ on yarn if I understand it will fit the intended project. This Targhee-Columbia wool blend comes from Wyoming sheep, and the fiber is fleece-dyed (dyed before spinning), which is made visible in Shelters thirty-two heathered colorways, especially the darker ones with lighter hues intermixed. April 2018 > >, Knitting on an Airplane and Other Travel Tips for Makers, Why You Shouldn't Buy a Knitter Yarn as a Gift, Reasons to Take Your WIP to a Sporting Event, A Free Bracelet Beading Pattern for Valentines Day. I learned about yarn substitution the hard way. If you are unsure or curious about the outcome of a particular stitch pattern, swatch it. April 2014 Thank you, youre a great explainer. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. That meant the hat could be knit at a much looser gauge than I would normally use for a fingering + lace combo. So well illustrated and explained. Wrap your yarn firmly, but not tightly, around the item for at least a few inches, and then set it down next to the ruler. Yarnsub is a great resource for substituting yarns from larger companies! Worsted spun is smooth, while woolen spun is a little more rustic. March 2015 Shelter is textured, and Arbor is smooth as silk. The way a yarn is spun - worsted vs. woolen - also determines how much fiber is used per yard. PHONE: Toll Free 1-800-483-8749 Its easier to just add more rows than to recalculate the width of a garment.