Thanks for explaining the difference, it's interesting to see those subtle contrasts between the stitching! Thank you! 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. Thank you!!! November 2022 January 2017 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! After picking, the fiber goes through acarder, a machine with several rolling cylinders covered in metal teeth. Going to send people to this. September 2014 July 2013 Look at the picture that accompanies this section. Very well spot on! Thank you for explaining what it actually means. from Brown Sheep Company. The most important thing when choosing a yarn substitute is to pick a new yarn that is approximately the same thickness, or weight, as the recommended yarn. June 2013 March 2021 I finally understand what worsted and wollen mean. Worsted is used to describe the thickness of a yarn (worsted weight), one way fibers are aligned before becoming yarn (worsted preparation), and how twist enters fiber to become yarn (worsted drafting). Are they going in parallel or perpendicular? Ive wondered lately why some yarn I loved in my LYS seemed perfect, but when swatched, especially in garter stitch, looked so shiny, something I didnt want. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These are actually a scaled down version of the historical combs, but having handled a pair I can tell you that they're still seriously heavy to handle. Today, Im talking about the last one. ). This definitely affects your choice for a project that will be steeked, but also for fair isle or intarsia colourwork where the woolen spun will fill in the gaps between stitches of different colours. It also explores the differences between woollen and worsted processing systems and products. 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. Examples of Woolen Spun:Cascade Eco+ Merino DKCascade BFL, Examples of Worsted Spun (not a complete list):Malabrgio RiosCascade 220 Superwash. So good! March 2020 Thank you for this insightful article. 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. You explained it so well. Woollen yarns are used for flannel, tweed, melton, knitwear and felt. When it comes to choosing between a woolen-spun yarn and a worsted-spun yarn, there really is no right or wrong answer. November 2021 is traditionally spun from carded rolags (this was the job small children carried out). Ideally, you want to get accurate stitch and row gauge. And I really appreciate the swatches. 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. 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 substitution is where you use a different yarn from the yarn recommended by the designer who wrote the pattern youre following. So the semi-worsted spinning gets you more yardage since the yarn is less . 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. My question is how does one know whether a Yarn is worsted or woolen spun if one is not sophisticated enough to know just by looking? June 2016 Check out our worsted spun wool selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Thats especially true if youre knitting a small, close-fitting garment like a sock or mitt. Depending on their knowledge of spinning and yarns, it gets a bit tricky to articulate sometimes. 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. 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. September 2020 Woolen fabrics are spun from short fibers, while worsted wool is made from longer and fine ones. To read the applicable privacy policy, please. October 2017 Some have a naturally rougher surface. The one on the left is woolen spun, and the one on the right is worsted spun. So, and this is without seeing your yarn, your drafting, or the fibre, it's probably a lofty semi-worsted yarn. Try Ravelry and yarnsub.com, or phone the manufacturer (or ask your LYS owner to). Worsted-spun yarns are dense and strong. Thank you for an excellent and informative article, Jill! 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. May 2014 Try yarnsub.com or ask LYS staff. Your best bet is always to know how to make the substitution yourself. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Thank you so much for sharing. Yarns with multiple strands of fiber plied together are very sturdy. Semi-woolen yarn is spun woolen-style, using fibers prepared in a parallel arrangement. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Extremely helpful! December 2022 These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Domestic wool combed top from Poppy Flower Fibers, 4 oz. Worsted Weight: 250 Yards / 100 Grams. Eg: tweed. 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. That would be worsted-style shopping. Combing was traditionally done on large heavy combs, and was done by men. A great big AHA! Moment for me! How about giving us more names of worsted and woolen yarns currently available? Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. It will stay in my notebook in my knitting bag. Wool fabrics can be classified by their production technology the worsted and woolen one. 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. *Membership cannot be purchased with Gift Cards. Drop me a line any time. Most people define semi-worsted as spinning worsted using carded fibers while spinning the way you would for worsted yarn. Theyre great for items that wont get a ton of friction while youre wearing them and that you wear against sensitive skinthings like hats and cowls. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You are however spinning long draw, which is a more woolen type of draft and will be trapping more air in the yarn. Heres a thread on Ravelry discussing it: https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/techniques/3930171/1-25, Really impressed by the author. Theyve both got their benefits and drawbacks, which Ill cover next. They are both delightful, yet different. Can you spot the other difference? 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. June 2020 When I first started knitting, I bought a Debbie Bliss magazine that had this adorable, lightweight top for summer. But once knitted and blocked, a further bloom will take place, and the resulting fabric will be light and lush; cozy and insulating. Thank you for this article. Usually with terms like Worsted spun is smooth, while woolen spun is a little more rustic. One method is not better or worse than the other just different. But not always. Thank you, thank you, thank you. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. June 2021 Congratulations on shedding light on these two styles of spinning that are so confusing for many spinners. Lets use the Profiterole Hat for an example again. Thank you! 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. 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. The yarn surface is brighter and cleaner. August 2017 worsted-spun. Have you ever pet a puppy in that super soft spot at the base of its ears? Your explanation is great, and reaffirms my decision to purchase your Yarnitecture book awhile back. Native Twist is available in twenty-nine bold, earthy, and jewel-toned solid colorways. In tropical-weight worsteds, the use of tightly spun, straightened wool combined with a looser weave permits air to flow through the fabric. August 2014 It had a lacy yoke, short sleeves, and a bit of swing at the hem. Ill choose a woolen spun yarn. Heres what woolen and worsted mean to your knitted sweaters and accessories. One other point about worsted vs. semi-worsted. This is a fantastic article and helped me to understand in the ins and outs so clearly however, even after refreshing Im getting broken links for all the in article photos what happened? Safe home and already knitting a scarf . As a very new spinner (wheel) I found this article so informative and easy to understand. You won't want to put . February 2017 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. 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. It's then spun with the twist entering the drafting zone in a long draw technique. 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. Many commercial yarns are spun with the worsted style. 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. Nature Spun Worsted is 100% US grown wool and it is spun and dyed in Mitchell, NE. AC Business Ventures LLC, DBA Nitro Knitters. Thank you so much Katie. Brilliant exposition, Katie! If you ever created your own cord or unwound a hank of yarn, then that's the exact same process. Im usually a picker, and I never pull from the center of a ball. There are two basic ways of drafting fiber by hand or by machine: worsted draft or woolen draft. Woollen and worsted yarn are two types of yarn that can be handspun. The difference between worsted-spun and woolen-spun yarns lies in how the fiber is handled before the actual spinning. Worsted yarns are spun with all the fibers aligned, making a smooth and dense yarn with more sheen and drape. Spinning If you want knife-edge stitch definition, go for a worsted drafted yarn. 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. 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. Over at Into the Whirled, the people come from all directions into the booth in a hullabaloo of shopping, woolen style. May 2021 While woolen spinning is all about trapping air, worsted does the exact opposite. Its easier to just add more rows than to recalculate the width of a garment. It was a cotton-acrylic blend that was great for items that will get heavy use. Woolen spun yarns will bloom more after washing and are lighter and airier. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If either of these fibers is in your yarn, no matter how worsted and smooth it is spunit will become a fuzzy yarn. Look at the picture that accompanies this section. This page is a godsend . Theyre lofty yarns, so they make lightweight, absorbent fabrics, Elsa Hallowell says, which feel cooler when its warm and very cozy when its cold. www.wool-clothing.com, Content: 100% pure virgin wool Put-Up: 170yd [155 m]/1 3/4 oz [50 g] Construction: 2-ply Care: Handwash gently in lukewarm water Recommended Gauge: 24 sts = 4 (10cm) on sizes 35 (3.253.75mm) needles, Flywheel is a sportweight version of Harrisvilles well-loved Watershed.