Browsing Tag

wool yarn

Choosing Wool Carpet

March 12, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Wool carpet is very beautiful, durable and luxurious. It also feels great underfoot. Wool yarn is the most expensive and chick fiber to produce carpets.

Wool carpets have lots of benefits but also some drawbacks, so let‘s become aware of them and choose the right carpets for our homes.

wool-carpet-example  wool-carpet

Carpet wool is the one shorn from sheep – it is then spun and woven or twisted into carpet. Fleece of New Zealand sheep is considered the most luxurious in wool carpet production. There are wool rug made from goats wool, llamas wool or alpaca wool, too. Wool fiber is durable and the carpets can last 60 years or more if properly cared for (remember the ancient Oriental wool carpets that last for 200 years or more?)

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Wool and Yarn Production Process

March 4, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

Wool of different animals is probably the first fiber to be transformed into cloth. The ability and knowledge of how to spin wool into yarn developed several thousand years B.C. and encouraged trade among tribes of the Mediterranean Sea. Nowadays wool yarn is produced not only from sheep but from other animals – e.g. camels, goats, rabbits – as well. Wool and yarn are highly valued material in textile industry.

Camel_wool_portrait angora_rabbit1 angora-goat

The value of the wool yarn is based on fiber diameter (the smaller – the finer), staple length (the longer – the worthier), and density (the tighter – the better).

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Introducing Wool Types (5): Sheep Wool

February 8, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Sheep wool is the fiber that is harvested from the body of most sheep. It is an extremely complex protein, which evolved through ages for the protection of warm blood animals in a great variety of living and weather conditions. Each time the sheep is sheared its wool keeps growing and replenishes itself.

Sheep come is a variety of breeds – there are more breeds of sheep than breeds of any other livestock species. More than 1000 distinct sheep breeds are grown worldwide. They come in different sizes, shapes, and colors.

sheep wool yarns

Sheep breeds are classified according to the type of wool fibers they grow (fine, medium, long or carpet wool; or hair), their primary purpose (meat, milk, or wool), and/or by other specific physical or production characteristics.

Wool fiber is known for high resiliency and elasticity – it can be bent more than 20,000 times without danger of breaking or any damage.

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Introducing Wool Types (4): Mohair Wool

January 31, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Let me introduce mohair wool today. In short – mohair is a silky fabric or yarn made from the coat of Angora goat (see picture below) and it is one of the oldest textile fibers in use. Mohair wool is harvested twice a year by shearing the goat – one animal can produce 11-17 pounds (5–8 kg) of mohair wool a year.

mohair-wool-angora-goat

Mohair is a strong, lustrous fiber that makes a perfect yarn and fabric. Fabrics made from mohair wool yarn drape well and resist wrinkling and shrinking.

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Introducing wool types (3): alpaca wool

January 24, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Let’s talk about alpaca wool today. Alpaca wool yarn is a natural fiber that is harvested from an alpaca – South American camelid and resemble a small llama (see picture).

alpacas

Alpacas are bred specifically for their quality fibers.

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Introducing wool types (2): merino wool

January 15, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

On my quest to introduce different types of wool I present you today merino wool. You’ve probably seen lots of merino wool articles – merino wool sweaters, merino wool socks, gloves, hats, cardigans or even merino wool underwear. So why such a variety can be made of this particular type of wool, what are the benefits of merino wool yarn and where it comes from?

Merino is a breed of sheep, famous for its widely used wool. Merinos are considered to have the softest and finest wool of any breeds of sheep. This is how the merino sheep look like.

Merino Sheep

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Introducing wool types (1): Angora wool

January 15, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I decided to go to the very basics and introduce different wool and yarn types. Today let’s talk about angora wool. Did you know it comes from an angora rabbit? Most people think angora is yarn of some goat or sheep. No way. Angora yarn is produced from downy coat of this adorable rabbit!

angora_rabbit

Angora wool can only be spun from the hair of Angora rabbit while yarn made from Angora goat is called mohair.

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Creative Christmas Decorations Made from Wool Yarn

December 22, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Being interior decorator in my head and heart I always enjoy pre-Christmas period, when shop browsing can be made and new Christmas decorations purchased. Each year I have a concept of home decor in my mind and then look for items to implement it. This year, wool yarn Christmas decorations attracted my attention (maybe because of the promise I made for myself to write this blog :))

The idea came to me when I was examining one of those gorgeous wool stockings to hang on fireplace. The tag said it was made of 100% wool. Ok, I thought, what else made of natural wool can I find and put together a theme out of it? Wool jackets, wool coats, wool cardigans and even wool pants are the most usual products made of wool yarn. Are there any wool decorations?

So, take a look at my findings:

stylish red wool stockings red natural wool stocking wool stocking

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TOP10 Most Interesting Christmas Gifts from Wool Shops

December 6, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

Do you remember your childhood Christmas gifts? Do you feel nostalgic about them? I certainly do. Take my grandparents’ gifts. They were always predictable :). My grandparents lived in a village nearby, had a big farm with cows, hens, and sheep, and so the gifts they gave were always something produced in the farm. Usually, wool – wool socks, wool gloves, wool coat or even felt wool doll. I remember we – me and my sister – felt a bit annoyed at those repetitive and not-from-the-shop gifts. Today we probably would think differently 🙂

Having these memories and seeing this Christmas hype everywhere, I just thought – what wool gifts are there today, what I would give to my family and friends if I decided wool is the theme of this year’s holidays.

So here they are – cute, stylish, practical gifts made of wool yarn, felt wool, or cotton wool mix. I found them in wool shops I love and visit frequently. Enjoy!

3 wool gifts for home and you (from Toast):

– Wool blanket of stylish design.
– Women wool socks, knee high or regular.
– Wool felt slippers from toast.co.uk. Aren’t they gorgeous? Add a wool scarf or wool socks!

    

3 wool gifts for her (from Jigsaw):

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