She wrote the book Yarnitecture: A Knitters Guide to Spinning: Building Exactly the Yarn You Want so she could use all of the fiber words. June 2013 April 2015 Want a refresher on the difference between worsted-spun and woolen spun yarns? The Merino and Corriedale wool is gathered from Midwestern farms right here in the United States. When dyed the same color, woolen and worsted drafted yarns wont look the same. May 2013, All Ive put off learning more about the structure and the why and have just let myself be lead around MLYS making choices that just add to the stash but may not be right for the intended project. July 2015 Then you compare that to the ratio of another yarn with a similar fiber content. At the roping stage, the fibers are of irregular lengths, jumbled and nestled together in every which way. Goodness, though, was it ever the wrong choice for this one. The photos were such a vivid illustration of the difference between these two types of drafting and their results for your knitting. Great article! Worsted is a high-quality type of wool yarn. Worsted-spun yarns are known for being more durable than their woolen-spun counterparts. Many people ask us about the process and the type of yarn we produce. Excellent article great swatch/photo examples too. But it made a noticeable difference to the feel of the swatch in my hand. While woolen spinning is all about trapping air, worsted does the exact opposite. Theres also Wuthering Heights Tom Hardy, just saying. Your best bet is always to know how to make the substitution yourself. And now for the tricky, but crucial, part of yarn substitution: making sure you hit gauge. July 2014 Thank you for this lucid explanation and the swatches to illustrate it. Safe home and already knitting a scarf . Its a great way to see how things might turn out before you start working on your own projects. Ill jump right in with the big one. Probably both because nothings ever simple ;). January 2023 They are also stronger, more durable, and less prone to pilling. June 2014 As a last resort, if the designer has published their contact information, consider reaching out to them if you have questions about yarn substitution. Absolutely excellent article and the illustrations are superb and helpful. This will save me a lot of headache as well as trial and error. Also receive daily new post notifications, Superfun Giveaway: Celebrate BIPOC Designers, https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/techniques/3930171/1-25, https://garmentmerchendising.com/category/fiber/, https://www.thenaturalfibre.co.uk/blog/woollen-and-worsted-spun-yarns-thoughts-wovember#:~:text=A%20woollen%20spun%20yarn%20will,high%20proportion%20of%20short%20fibre. Thank you for explaining what it actually means. Never discount the yarn lust factor with yarn. After picking, the fiber goes through acarder, a machine with several rolling cylinders covered in metal teeth. That pushes us in to the worsted end of the spectrum. Be sure to use the stitch indicated in the pattern when it tells you how gauge was measured. The Vs of stockinette are sharp, the bumps of moss are plump and clear and the holes in the lace are wide open. The worsted yarn spinner uses wool fibres which have been combed and are of a certain length, that is, about 2 inches or more. May 2020 Woolen and worsted are two different classifications of wool fabrics and yarn. Heres why: when the fibers in the yarn irregular in length and nestled together in every which way are soaked in water during the blocking process, they get the chance to relax, and then they readjust and mingle with each other even more as they dry, creating a solid and cohesive piece of fabric. September 2016 Other linen yarns are wet spun linen and dry spun linen. Lets use the Profiterole Hat for an example again. Worsted Yarn. One of the most basic attributes of a yarn is woolen or worsted spun. In stockinette its *really* obvious. Worsted style spinning got me 183 yds from 4 oz. That turning gives the yarn some stability. So far, all the colors have been created by dyeing the fiber in 16 vibrant solids, then blending them, two or . Shelter is textured, and Arbor is smooth as silk. On the other hand, the woolen fabrics hold creases and shape well and are more durable. Yarn tends to come in hanks, balls, skeins, cakes, and cones. Worsted wools are better at keeping out the wind and rain, but woolen wools are warmer, because they are full of air which acts as insulation. December 2015 What a great article. Twist is the magic that makes fiber into yarn, and drafting is how the twist gets into the fiber. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Yarn and fiber folks have an extensive vocabulary for many things, but we are really stuck on the word worsted. July 2013 $43.99 + $10 . Thank you so much for sharing. If you substitute with a yarn that is drastically thicker or thinner than the recommended yarn, you wont be able to achieve the right gauge. 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. Rhinebeck This is the fun part about being a knitter who knows their yarn; its all up to you. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Understand that some designers are buried in messages. October 2021 KitILove This blooming also has the effect of softening and blending the appearance of your stitches rather like moss growing on a forest floor, in the words of Clara Parkes. However, the cost of carded woolen yarn is lower. In the videos below, I'm using hand carded alpaca. Two different systems are followed in wool processing, the woolen system, and the worsted system. www.briggsandlittle.com, Content: 100% American wool Put-Up: 140yd [128 m]/134 oz [50 g] Construction: 2-ply Care: Handwash; dry flat Recommended Gauge: 1720 sts = 4 (10 cm) on sizes 79 (4.55.5 mm) needles, Shelter is a medium-weight yarn that varies in gauge, working differently and beautifully on small to large needles. Thanks. Generally speaking, plant-based materials will be heavier than animal fibers. It will stay in my notebook in my knitting bag. Last fall when I traveled to the Taos Wool Festival, I discovered a remarkable cormo yarn from Elsa Wool Company. As an example, aran weight worsted spun wool is going to be heavier than aran weight woolen spun wool, so there will be fewer yards per 100 grams of the worsted spun wool . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Worsted spun is smooth, while woolen spun is a little more rustic. So at my LYS how can I tell from the label on the yarn? For many projects, it wont make much of a difference if youre switching yarn construction. Keep up with her exploits at jillianmoreno.com. Now I know. 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. According to Clara Parkess The Knitters Book of Yarn, spinning or adding twist to the fiber while it is in a jumbled state (in other words, in a woolen-preparation) is one key aspect of woolen-spun yarns. When you touch worsted yarn, it tends to feel heavier and very even, and it will be shiny if the fibers in the yarn are inclined that way. You can read more about the ranges of WPI for each yarn weight on the Craft Yarn Councils website. December 2022 April 2019 I once had it explained very simply: Woolen spun yarns are like bedhair in the morning - going every which way, and worsted spun are like hair after it's been combed. Ravelry has a searchable field for this info now, but unfortunately many yarnies/companies havent filled it in yet. In the production of Quarry, which was inspired by unspun yarns, we skip the process of spinning the individual plies of yarn and instead nestle together three strands of roping drawn out to the right thickness, before gently twisting those strands together in a mock twist. Developed and spun in Springvale Maine, we are proud to present the Jagger Spun Collection. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Weaving. In side-by-side comparison of worsted and woolen yarns with the same fiber and yarn structure, the worsted yarn is more durable, less warm, and heavier than a woolen yarn. There are two basic ways of drafting fiber by hand or by machine: worsted draft or woolen draft. Try to get your WPI to match as closely as possible to avoid that problem. Many commercial yarns are spun with the worsted style. 140 yards/50 g. $15.50 each. Jo, You have a real gift. 'Carding' is one of the processes which untangles the woo. Think in terms of shopping at a fiber show. They are the same weight and have the . Woolen spun yarns will bloom more after washing and are lighter and airier. If the ratios are close, youre more likely to have a good match for substitution. . If Im knitting a gansey to last more than a few years, and want fantastic, crisp stitch definition, Ill choose a worsted spun yarn. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. December 2016 This means that they'll have very clear stitch definition, as opposed to woollen spun yarns which have a softer stitch definition. Its like choosing between the cleaned-up, slicked-back Tom Hardy in Legend or the grungy Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road. Copyright 2023 A Bee In The Bonnet | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, This site uses cookies to improve its performance and to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. There are two yarns, one brown and one light green. The other style invites the twist into the fiber, it lets the twist zip into the fiber with little to no control; twist is just tossed at the fiber. Not every woolen-spun yarn has a rougher surface, and not every worsted yarn is smooth. As such, for our woolen-spun yarns, the strands of roping are simply loaded on a spinning frame, where they are concurrently drafted, twisted, and wound onto bobbins to become singles for plying. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Holland & Sherry98% SUPER 100'S WORSTED 2% LYCRA 2.46 YDS X 62" 159648 at the best online prices at eBay! It resulted in a hat that was light as a cloud but still structurally sound and very warm. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank for for such a coherent explanation (and the pretty swatches really help too)! It's then spun with the twist entering the drafting zone in a long draw technique. After steaming, which allows the fibers to relax into their newly twisted state, the singles of twisted yarn are then loaded on a twisting frame to be plied together both Shelter and Loft are comprised of two singles gently twisted together to create a two-ply yarn.>. November 2017 January 2019 August 2020 The worsted process means mixing all short hairs out of fabric. I also find that woollen spun yarns need a lot of work to be held in place to create even floats, whereas worsted spun yarns naturally feed through my hands and create an even tension almost by themselves. Semi-woolen is when combed fibers are spun in a way where the twist enters the fibers, usually when spinning from the fold. When spinning the fiber the long draw or medium draw technique is used to allow the fiber to wrap upon itself while . I hope you enjoy your next project. To check your gauge, cast on 5-10 stitches more than what the pattern says will give you 4. September 2015 I guess I thought it referred to the ply, like 4-ply. October 2019 But if the pattern calls for yarn from an indie dyer or one of the smaller manufacturers, it can be pretty hit or miss (I just checked for several of my favorites that I've used in designs this year, and nothing). But not always. Sometimes, those individual strings are then twisted together to form a stronger, denser yarn. The yarn on the left has multiple strands of yarn plied together, while the yarn on the right is a single ply of fiber. Both types require different fiber preparation on spinning techniques. So many Tom Hardys. Fabrics created with worsted spun yarns, on the other hand, will generally have better drape, smoothness, and stitch definition. Look at the picture that accompanies this section. These carded strands are lofty, lightweight, and trap a lot of air. https://garmentmerchendising.com/category/fiber/. This wool should be spun using the long draft. A drumcarder can also be used. A quick aside to address the words we use here. I think Ill need to read it over a few times to really get it, because there is so much information. The pattern called for an expensive, fingering-weight, linen yarn. For example, a yarn labeled 2/fine (often known as fingering or sock weight) can have a WPI of anywhere from 12-18. They may not be able to get to yours quickly, or even at all. Sign up for our email list and get 10% off your next order in the MDK Shop! They also tend to have better stitch definition than single-ply yarns do. Original Yarns Very good, educational description. As such, for our worsted-spun yarns, once the roving is loaded on the spinning frame, they first pass through a draft zone, which drafts the fiber to open it up and reduce it to the intended weight (and thickness) required for the yarn. Want to try out some wonderful wool yarns? Also in pilling and other aspects. Thank you for your thoughtful and careful drafting, and especially the photos! I did not know this was the difference in certain types of yarn. . Woolen yarn is dense and is often made from the shorter strands of a sheep's fleece. Eg: gabardine. Now I also know the difference when spinning too. UFO to WIP: Can This Crochet or Knitting Project Be Saved? In colorwork, the edge that gives a worsted yarn great stitch definition also makes colors standapart, while woolen drafted yarns create softness and blur between colors. No twist enters the fiber by itself. 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. August 2017 Worsted yarns are spun with all the fibers aligned, making a smooth and dense yarn with more sheen and drape. August 2015 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. The way a yarn is spun - worsted vs. woolen - also determines how much fiber is used per yard. The project aims to restore the hydropower installation to produce clean energy from the waterway that runs under the mill. The combing process removed all the shorter length hairs, leaving behind fibres of the same length, free from tangles. I hope you found time to explore your stash, and perhaps enhance it with yarns of different breeds. May 2018 The compression of a worsted draft puts more individual fibers into a length of yarn, making it heavier. www.harrisville.com, Content: 100% pure wool Put-Up: 215 yd [196 m]/4 oz [113 g] Construction: 2-ply Care: Handwash with mild soap in lukewarm water Recommended Gauge: 17 sts = 4 (10cm) on size 8 (5 mm) needles, Our mill has been in production on the same location for 158 years, so we do have some history in producing woolen-spun yarn, says John Little of Briggs & Little Woolen Mills. from Brown Sheep Company. Finally, more processed, worsted spun yarns don't aggravate my eczema . It also means woolen-spun yarns are warmer than their worsted counterparts as these air pockets help hold body heat. Woolen yarns are made of carded yarns and are fuzzy and bulky. Thats because yarn weight is one of the key elements that affects the gauge of your knitting. Congratulations on shedding light on these two styles of spinning that are so confusing for many spinners. Usually with terms like Woolen fabrics are spun from short fibers, while worsted wool is made from longer and fine ones. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. All Rights Reserved. A 100% wool sweater will look different from a sweater made from linen or bamboo fiber. May 2017 Durability, warmth and weight. Thank you! Dogs US 6 - 8 or 4 - 5mm. This bulky weight blend of 80% acrylic and 20% wool offers the triple crown yarn benefits: it's machine washable and dryable, has the warmth and comfort of wool, and works up quickly. Snippets is the Saturday newsletter full of MDK news, specials, and first look at new offerings. Compared to woolens, worsted wool fabrics are brushed in two directions with special brushes. August 2016 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. Woollen yarns are used for flannel, tweed, melton, knitwear and felt. Between those extremes, you can make infinite yarn combining elements from along the woolen/worsted continuum. This helped me understand the difference and will help me make better choices when picking a yarn to knit certain patterns. 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. Theyre the same weight, but theyre not made the same way. Woolen drafted yarn gives a texture and an overall softness and visual motion to all the stitches, something I like, but occasionally I find some small stitch repeat patterns get lost with woolen yarns. This is the type of information that makes a knitter more knowledgable about our purchases. Maybe youre trying to use up some of your stash. Our BWC Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarns are two-ply in both the fingering and worsted weight and are available in 100 gram skeins. This is a new day for me. The type of yarns also depends on how they spun. The Empire is more uneven looking, a little airier as well as fuzzy. An alternative to spinning top worsted is to spin it semi worsted. May 2015 February 2017 The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. If your gauge is too loose (that is, fewer stitches per inch than it should have), try going down a needle size. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Woollen spun woven fabrics are thicker and heavier and used mostly for outerwear. Also softer than woolen yarn after carded. Well, the differences between woolens and worsted begin at the carding stage. Great article, thank you for this very detailed account , I learned so much ! Worsted wool fabric is typically used in the making of tailored garments such as suits, as opposed to woollen wool, which is used for knitted items such as sweaters. Im trying to educate myself on the different weights of yarn and could only find worsted listed as a weight. ). PHONE: Toll Free 1-800-483-8749 At Brooklyn Tweed, we employtwo basic spinning methods that occupy either end of this broad spectrum of possibility: woolen-spinning and worsted-spinning. Brilliant. Thank you for an excellent and informative article, Jill! Please refer to Blacker Yarns blog for an explanation: https://www.thenaturalfibre.co.uk/blog/woollen-and-worsted-spun-yarns-thoughts-wovember#:~:text=A%20woollen%20spun%20yarn%20will,high%20proportion%20of%20short%20fibre. As modern spinners we can now get some much smaller and lighter combs, but combing is still a real physical workout. You can write a comment on the yarns Ravelry page suggesting that drafting info be added. If you are unsure or curious about the outcome of a particular stitch pattern, swatch it. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Now, I finally understand what it really means and how it will impact my future knitting! The sweater turned out too big and too heavy, so it drooped until it hung from my shoulders like a circular tablecloth with a hole in the middle. Select an optionAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict Of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingArmed Forces (AA)Armed Forces (AE)Armed Forces (AP). Raw, dirty & weedy alpaca is what I'm practicing this woolen technique I am learning, from rolags. Brooklyn Tweeds Arbor (Targhee wool, worsted spun) and Shelter (Targhee/Columbia wool, woolen spun) are perfect examples. Jill, I am a newbie to crochet and knitting, so this information is wonderful! Woollen yarns (upper) have a softer, more diffuse look whereas worsted yarns (lower) make very distinct stitch patterns. August 2022 Thank you for this article. Id assumed it was me, but now I wonder if its my yarn? googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('interstitial-ad');}); Save patterns, share updates, and connect with your community. The worsted will tend to emphasize the gaps between the colours. Gauge: 5.5 sts / inch on US 6. Over at Into the Whirled, the people come from all directions into the booth in a hullabaloo of shopping, woolen style. Wool fabrics can be classified by their production technology the worsted and woolen one. Multiply that over the many inches of a knitted item, and well, you can see how subbing in a yarn with a WPI of 12 for a yarn with a WPI of 18 could be a bit of an issue. Thanks for clearing up my confusion over what I scored at the thrift shop today and helping provide some direction on what project might be right for it. Great explanation, i aways spin long draw and card my alpaca, tearing long strips off of the batt, i would be interested in working out what type my yarn is. From that basis it's pretty much impossible to create a woolen yarn, which relies on trapping hairs perpendicular to the direction of the yarn yarn weight is one of the key elements that affects the gauge, Shoes for Showing Off Handknit Socks: Six Suggestions. Worsted is about both how you spin and how you (or your supplier) prep. It seems that I am and have produced a woollen yarn. I have been looking for something to help determine how best to substitute yarn. . Fascinating! popular colorways Coal 12 stashed 19 projects Fig 4 projects 4 projects 3 stashed 3 projects 50 projects Snowbound 7 stashed 16 projects The best article ever on this subject. Thank you for there explanation. 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 of a worsted-spun yarn are first straightened and then oriented in the same direction, making the yarn smooth and shiny, which gives your knitted fabric lots of stitch definition.