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oldish chris
Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 4148 Location: Comfortably Wet Southport
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Posted: Tue Dec 10, 13 10:19 am Post subject: The Joys(?) of single ply wool. |
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I'm looking for a bit of advice from the spinners and knitters. As you all know, knitting is becoming rather trendy, indeed, in little old Southport we now have several shops selling bits of wool and two specialists. However, the level of knowledge and experience of these vendors is low. On the other hand, the range of yarns and fibres now available is amazing, not just wool/acrylic DK, but Peruvian alpaca and stuff.
Recently a local shop suggested the my wife might like to try this new stuff: a hank of Merino/alpaca Aran weight yarn. The first thing that I noticed is that it is single ply (just checked, Aran from WYS is three-ply). I'm struggling to knit with it, it unspins itself as I knit (found out about "S"es and "Z"s, which explains things a bit)
I'm hoping that an expert will give me a few tips and maybe a few comments that will lead to enlightenment, some of which I can pass on to the wool shop. |
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sally_in_wales Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 20809 Location: sunny wales
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Woodburner
Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 2904 Location: Essex
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oldish chris
Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 4148 Location: Comfortably Wet Southport
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Midland Spinner
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 2931 Location: Under a green roof
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wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
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NorthernMonkeyGirl
Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 4584 Location: Peeping over your shoulder
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mochyn
Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 24585 Location: mid-Wales
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
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mochyn
Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 24585 Location: mid-Wales
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oldish chris
Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 4148 Location: Comfortably Wet Southport
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 13 9:27 am Post subject: |
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Dear Mochyn and Rose,
The yarn is factory spun.
My wife, who as a competent knitter, is treated as the knit and natter group's consultant, was asked by the shop owner for an opinion. I would like to see the business succeed, so I shall persevere and do my best regarding feedback.
I thought that there had to be a reason why wool is multi-ply, no-one would spin it twice for fun! Thought I'd ask. The bit about the knitting possibly becoming skewed hadn't occurred to me, and the piece, a round hat, isn't going to reveal if, with this yarn, it is a problem.
(Blimey, if they think my wife is an expert, wait 'til I go on about the qualities of single ply yarn!) |
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Luath
Joined: 03 Dec 2009 Posts: 761
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Midland Spinner
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 2931 Location: Under a green roof
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Woodburner
Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 2904 Location: Essex
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Posted: Thu Dec 12, 13 11:04 am Post subject: |
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oldish chris wrote: |
Dear Mochyn and Rose,
The yarn is factory spun.
My wife, who as a competent knitter, is treated as the knit and natter group's consultant, was asked by the shop owner for an opinion. I would like to see the business succeed, so I shall persevere and do my best regarding feedback.
I thought that there had to be a reason why wool is multi-ply, no-one would spin it twice for fun! Thought I'd ask. The bit about the knitting possibly becoming skewed hadn't occurred to me, and the piece, a round hat, isn't going to reveal if, with this yarn, it is a problem.
(Blimey, if they think my wife is an expert, wait 'til I go on about the qualities of single ply yarn!) |
Indeed! It's not really spun a second time, in fact it's more like 'unspinning'! Here's a little something you can try, take a piece of yarn about 2ft long, hold one end firmly or tape it to the desk while you give the other end more twist until it tightens up a bit, then, still holding firmly, bring the two ends together in the air. See how madly it all twists together! If you do it neatly, you get one double thickness yarn, which is stable, and that's the important part. Allowing two twisty yarns, to 'untwist' around each other, is a far faster way of getting neutral twist yarn than putting singles into skeins, washing at appropriate temperatures and drying under tension.
You can do a similar test on a ball of yarn straight from the shop. Hold the yarn firmly where it is coming off the ball, and unwind a couple of feet more. Bring the ball close to the hand that is still firmly holding the yarn. If it stays in a nice loose loop, all well and good. If it twists around itself, not so good! If it twists a lot, send it back to the manufacturer!
I could go on at length about the relative merits of of different yarn types and manufacture for different purposes throughout history, but I think that's all you really need to know.
You're spot on about twist not mattering much on a hat. You might get a spiral effect going on but that's all. |
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oldish chris
Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 4148 Location: Comfortably Wet Southport
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