Types of yarn for crocheting and knitting, their advantages and disadvantages

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Compared to what was on the shelves twenty years ago, the current variety of materials and colors is amazing. From coarse and spiky sheep's wool to the lightest goat's down, from threads as thin as cobwebs for openwork to awesome finger-thick ropes, such a wide selection can satisfy even the most exotic requests. However, in all this splendor it is easy to get confused and completely lost if you do not know what you want. A small guide with a list of the main types of yarn for knitting with photos and names should help beginner needlewomen.

By what criteria can yarn be judged?

You can come up with a lot of options to tell in stages what types of yarn for knitting are. The most obvious way is by the nature of the origin of the material. Here you can highlight the yarn:

1. Organic origin - from natural fibers withoutadditional chemical treatment (except, perhaps, staining). This yarn is valued for its comfort when worn and good heat transfer. It, in turn, is also subdivided into yarn of vegetable and animal origin. The first is cotton, linen, silk (although there is a bit of a controversial point here, but more on that later). The second is the wool of various animals like sheep, goats, alpacas and camels. However, there are also some nuances here. The fact is that the coat on an animal has several types of hair in its composition: the outer one is long, thick and hard, downy is short, thin and very soft, and transitional - as you might guess, something in between the previous two. And in different grades of wool, different types of hair predominate. In the so-called fine-fleeced sheep, all the wool is fluff. The rest of the sheep - coarse-wooled - have a mixture of all three or two (without transitional) types of hair in the cover. It should be noted that yarn is not made entirely from fluff alone, because the fibers are too short to twist into a thread: they make a mixture of ordinary wool or synthetic fiber and separately combed fluff.
2. Artificial yarn. It is also made from natural fibers, undergoes an impressive stage of chemical processing. The raw material is either waste from the processing of natural fibers, such as cotton, or something unexpected, like cellulose (wood). The appearance of artificial yarn products is more interesting, but their operation is fraught with certain difficulties.
3. Synthetic yarn is a product of organic synthesis. In order not to be frightened and not to grumble "fu, chemistry",useful to know: any textile fiber is a polymer: a long, long molecule consisting of many interconnected identical small molecules - monomers. And if natural fibers are a polymer created by nature, then chemical fibers are also a polymer, only created artificially and from other molecules that do not bind themselves into polymers in nature. Synthetic yarn has exceptional strength and resistance to various deformations, but is not always comfortable with frequent wear.

You can also distribute the types of yarn for knitting (crocheting and knitting) based on how the fibers are twisted into a thread. Recently, the imagination of designers has been moving in this direction, so that on the shelves you can find completely bizarre and unexpected forms. The obvious fact that yarn can be twisted stronger or weaker is pointless to discuss separately - everything is clear here anyway. But the ways in which they twist deserve close attention.

1. More or less traditional types of twist can be collected in one item. This is a thread consisting of several separate identical strands twisted together in one direction. Often the strands themselves also consist of individual strands twisted in the opposite direction. The names are given by the number of "final" strands in the thread - two-, three- and more -– strand thread.
2. New ways of twisting the thread are based on the use of strands of different thicknesses. This is how a spiral is made - when around a thick untwisted strand (roving) in a spiral (wow!)a thin thread is twisted; the gimp is the same, only a second thread is added, the spiral of which is directed in the opposite direction. This also includes yarn with bulges and lumps - as you might guess, containing the aforementioned bulges and lumps in the thread-roving.
3. A very interesting yarn structure is obtained if the strands are twisted into one thread at different intervals (some are stronger, some are weaker). This is how a thread with knots is obtained - one of the strands sometimes "crawls" out of the general structure, straying into bumps; boucle - if uniform rings are obtained instead of cones; corkscrew - the strands are twisted so that a helical pattern is obtained. Knitting yarns such as those in steps 2 and 3 are great for simple patterns because the unusual structure of the thread draws all the attention.
4. Chenille, or plush yarn, as they like to call it, deserves special mention. Here, the opposite is true - at the base are two tightly twisted thin strands, and on them - a fluffy voluminous fiber. From chenille it is good to knit toys and children's things.
5. Yarn with pom-poms is a cord with lumps attached to it. This thread is no longer just the result of twisting strands, but a work of design art. In order to have a good idea of how it differs from the same threads with thickenings and lumps, a photo is simply necessary for a comment on this type of yarn for knitting.



6. Pile yarn and the so-called grass are nothing more than imitations of fur. They differ in that infinished products pile yarn is more like astrakhan fur; and weed is a very popular material for "fur" vests.
7. Knitted yarn is quite an interesting phenomenon. The fact is that knitwear itself is a fabric already knitted from thin threads on a loom. And the threads of such yarn are simply tubes of such knitwear - smooth and hollow. Knitted yarn is very popular in home decoration, in the manufacture of children's things and various soft toys - from this material they turn out to be especially cute and harmless. It is well suited for all ways of working - there are a great many interesting types of crochet from knitted yarn. From simple single crochets, breathtaking Japanese crafts are obtained - amigurumi - creatures from balls stuffed with padding polyester.



8. Bulky yarn. The types of thick yarn for knitting include a great variety of different threads. They can be quite reasonable thickness - for knitting needles and hooks of 10-13 sizes - necessary in order to quickly knit a large product (for example, outerwear). Especially among the types of knitted yarn for knitting, there are threads of absolutely crazy thickness. This, of course, is exotic, but some enthusiastic needlewomen create charming blankets, carpets and even ottomans from such hoses.



9. After the frills described above, the strict English style of tweed yarn looks very moderate. This is a standard thickness thread,necessarily made of natural wool, twisted in a standard way, but having small color blotches throughout. These inserts give the finished product a distinctive look. Tweed is a popular type of yarn for knitting, mainly used in the creation of traditional wool products - scarves, sweaters and more.
10. Behind the strict tweed is a frivolous slightly unbridled yarn with lurex. By adding certain synthetic fibers, the thread becomes shiny, like a material with a mirror finish. If you look at the photo of the types of yarn for knitting, then the general impression is that the threads with sequins and beads are very similar to Lurex - they are just as bright and elegant.
11. Another rather interesting variety of yarn is with ruffles. The material for the ruffle is attached to the main thread and gathers into assemblies as the fabric is knitted, which makes it a good solution for finishing things.

Of course, the imagination of people is limitless, and on sale you can still find a great many of the most unusual and extravagant variations - the number and variety of photos with knitting needles from different types of yarn is breathtaking. It is not possible to tell about all at once, so we will limit ourselves to this list of the most popular variations, and leave the rest for research by the most interested and courageous experimenters.

Wool details

In the history of knitting, which goes back several centuries (and even millennia), wool remains the most common material for products. Its main advantages are ease of manufacture, availability of raw materials,the ability to keep warm perfectly - at all times they more than covered the shortcomings (it is better to put up with nasty spools than to die from the cold). With the expansion of trade relations in the world, types of wool from many countries began to enter the large market, and the scale of the variety of woolen yarn turned out to be huge - from the funny alpaca, whose wool only the leaders of the Inca Empire were worthy of wearing, to the prosaic coarse-wooled Romanov sheep from central Russia. Now all this widest choice is available to any needlewoman, and the list below is a small guide to what types of yarn for hand knitting are. A photo of some is presented in the material.

Sheep wool

The most common. Among other "woolen" animals, sheep breeds are the most differentiated in terms of the qualities of the raw material sheared from them. It depends on the ratio of down (short and soft) and guard or transitional hair (longer and stiffer). The more of the latter, the coarser the coat. All products made of sheep wool have:

• hygroscopic - they absorb moisture well;
• poor thermal conductivity - the word "bad" here, oddly enough, means "good": materials with low thermal conductivity have a very slow process of heat exchange with the environment, that is, wool gives off the heat accumulated by your body into the air for a very long time;
• breathability is a valuable quality of all natural fibers (as opposed to synthetic ones). Slowing down heat transfer, wool does not interfere with air exchange,providing great ventilation and you won't sweat;
• durability - even with long use, wool is resistant to physical factors - it wears out little, keeps its shape and fades more slowly than synthetics.

However, with all the advantages of sheep wool, there are also disadvantages. These are peeling (those notorious spools), sensitivity to washing (it "sits" in boiling water, wet - it loses its shape) and allergy (also the scourge of many natural products). It is worth considering that any wool, not only sheep, is a favorite delicacy for moths, which she devours in closets on both cheeks.

Among all types of sheep's wool, it is worth highlighting merino wool - it is obtained from special fine-fleeced breeds of sheep, in which only fluff grows. It is much thinner and lighter than ordinary sheep, and in terms of thermal characteristics it is not inferior to it.

Wool is the most common knitting yarn. Photos of products confirm this: a woolen fabric with knitting needles, even if it is even, even with braids or with another relief pattern, looks smooth and neat.

Alpaca

Alpaca, which has recently become fashionable, is the wool of the llama of the same name. Alpaca yarn does not form pellets, but at the same time, compared to sheep, it is softer, more pleasant and warmer. It has many natural shades - white, black, as well as a palette of beige - from brown to light golden. In yarn, alpaca wool is almost never mixed with other types, so skeins are decent.

Angora

This is angora rabbit yarn. Delicate and soft, surprisingly pleasant to the touch, it gives the finished product a characteristic silky sheen. Its use is significantly hampered by the length of the fiber - it is so short that it twists into strands very poorly, and the hair begins to "climb" when worn. Therefore, Angora wool is used only in mixtures with other types of wool or with synthetic fibers.

Camel wool

Despite the seeming exoticism of the product, camel wool yarn is a fairly common material. Its unique feature is the hollow structure of the hair, which makes the material light and even warmer (air has an extremely low thermal conductivity). Camel down is also highly valued in yarn making.

Mohair

Mohair yarn is obtained from the wool of angora goats. In addition to the standard advantages of high-quality wool - lightness, the ability to retain heat and softness - mohair has such an interesting quality as fluffiness. Items made from the wool of Angora goats are, as it were, enveloped in a cloud of airy villi. However, mohair also has problems: just like angora, it has short and slippery fibers, so it is always used in yarn along with various additives.

Cashmere

One of the most luxurious types of wool. The fluff that is combed from the Tibetan mountain goats of the Indian state of Kashmir (hence the obsolete name of the yarn). The fluff after combing is carefully sorted, leaving only downy fibers and removing hard hair. Therefore, cashmere wool is exceptionally soft and airy. FromGoat down (but not from cashmere) is also knitted by the famous Orenburg shawls and cobwebs - the thread itself is so thin that the product can really be threaded through the ring.

Yarn of vegetable origin

The main advantages and disadvantages of vegetable fiber yarn largely coincide with similar characteristics for wool: the advantages are hygroscopicity and ventilation, maintaining a comfortable temperature regime, and the disadvantages are sensitivity to washing and getting wet. There are not so many varieties of plant fibers compared to wool.

1. Cotton is the most popular material for creating lightweight products. Of all the types of crochet yarn, it is perhaps the most suitable - openwork napkins, collars and other cotton thread laces go with a bang. In production, it is easier to process than wool, so cotton yarn can be extremely diverse in its qualities.



2. Linen - the material with the most durable fibers. Linen yarn is incredibly strong and durable. It does not fade and retains its shape after washing, unlike cotton products. This is the highest quality material for summer clothes - it regulates the temperature of the skin best of all, allowing air to pass through and preventing it from overheating. In the heat, linen products are indispensable. One of their disadvantages is that linen fibers are very difficult to dye, so the color of the threads is usually natural - off-white and tones close to it.
3. Silk - in a good way, silk thread hasplant origin is the secret of the silkworm gland. However, there is no pure silk yarn - raw materials are added as an impurity that gives the material a characteristic soft sheen and elasticity (silk products do not wrinkle).

Artificial yarn

The lion's share of all types of artificial yarn is viscose - a recycled cellulose fiber, that is, wood. It is also often referred to as artificial silk for its characteristic sheen. Viscose is successfully dyed - the colors of the yarn are bright and juicy. True, the strength of the fiber is not very high - over time, the product loses its shape.

Synthetic yarn

The breakthrough in organic synthesis that occurred back in the 20th century gave the world many compounds that had not been found in nature before. One of the most important sections of industrial synthesis - the synthesis of polymers - in addition to rubber, PVC and Kevlar, gave mankind an exciting variety of materials for sewing clothes and shoes. Cheapness, suppleness and unpretentiousness of synthetic yarn helped her to gain popularity among many needlewomen.

At the heart of all synthetic fiber chains is carbon. Therefore, it is convenient to classify yarn by functional inclusions in carbon structures.

1. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), or in the common people acrylic, is undoubtedly the most famous synthetic yarn. According to its properties, acrylic is very similar to wool - it is elastic and does not fade, but, like wool, it rolls over time. However, acrylic, unlike natural materials, is not devoured by moths, does not lose shape when washed even in a typewriter andremarkably cleared by all sorts of "chemical" stain removers like gasoline or acetone. Of course, the main drawback of acrylic, like any synthetic fiber, is poor thermoregulation; what is most valued in natural materials is absent among synthetic ones.



2. Polyamide fibers - capron, nylon and others. The main material of hosiery, polyamide fiber is added to the yarn for the strength of the finished product - it has an extremely high resistance to abrasion. Yarn with the addition of nylon threads is indispensable when knitting socks, sleeves and pants - so they do not wipe out for a long time.
3. Polyurethane fibers, among which the most famous are lycra, elastane and spandex. Their main feature is elasticity. Like other specialized synthetic fibers, they are used only as additives to yarn, giving it elasticity, stability (the ability to quickly return to its original shape after stretching) and crease resistance.

As you can understand, now the majority of the market is occupied by yarn of not just one type of raw material, but a mixture of several fibers with different useful properties. Such a yarn is called mixed. It incorporates the advantages of all the materials included in it, and often levels out their shortcomings due to the successful "neighborhood" of fibers. Most brands now produce mixed types of yarn for knitting - Gazzal, Colombo, Italian, English and Turkish companies.