I would like to talk concerning the universal fiber, wool. Wool is a term that refers to many types of animal fibers. Probably the most widely known is the fiber from sheep. Wool has very unique properties. It has great insulating ability which keeps in warmth, or in hot climates, keeps out heat. It is naturally flame retardant. Instead of flashing into fire when a match is utilized, it will smolder usually extinguishing itself. Sheep’s wool makes glorious sock materials as it is absorbent and will keep the wearer warm even if it gets wet. Scotsmen in the highlands would remove their kilts and soak them in streams and put them back on to keep out wind and stay warmer. Not many man made fibers can boast these attributes. It has three main drawbacks. Some individuals are allergic to the proteins in the wool, the fiber is attractive to clothes moths which eat it and cause holes, and one must use care in washing items made from it to prevent felting and shrinkage. There are a number of deal withments to keep away from clothes moths, like storing woolens within the freezer, or moth balls, or many herbal remedies. There aren’t any answers to the allergy except to not wear wool. And under is how I wash woolen items.
Wool varies in texture and use relying on the breed of sheep it comes from. There are sheep specially bred to produce the finest, softest wool. One of the best known breed is Merino. Incredibly soft yarn is made from Merino fiber. Ramboulet is one other soft wool breed. Yarn made from these types of fiber might be worn next to the skin with very little discomfort in the way of scratchiness… unless one is allergic to wool. The very finest and softest Merino is called Cashwool. It is as soft as cashmere. On the other finish of the spectrum may be very coarse, thick fiber utilized in making felt and rugs. All the remaining in between types range in softness and are what makes up the bulk of knitting yarns. Of course, there are additionally a terrific many blends using wool as one of the components. Wool always adds it’s properties to the blend.
Wool of all types might be spun soft and airy, hard and strong. Softly spun lofty yarn is the warmest because it traps air between the fibers and this aids in keeping the wearer warm. Tightly spun yarn could be very robust and isn’t normally used for garments however for weaving rugs and other applications that require strength.
Sheep’s wool is available in natural colors of white, cream, black, shades of grey and infrequently brown. It additionally dyes well with either natural vegetable dyes or chemical dyes. As long as somebody just isn’t allergic to it, it is a flexible choice of yarn to knit with.
As mentioned previously, woolen garments should be washed very carefully. Unless the garment is made from yarn that specifically states it is machine washable, do not wash wool items within the washing machine. The soap, agitation and changing temperature of water will make woolens felt and shrink, thereby ruining them. Machine washable wool is usually merino combined with at the very least 10 percent nylon to forestall it from shrinking during machine washing. These are the only items that can go into a washing machine. Different products have to be hand washed. Fill up a basin or sink with lukewarm water. Add your favorite clothes soap…sufficient to make a little lather. Gently immerse the article in the water avoiding agitating or rubbing the fabric together because that will cause it to felt and shrink. Let it soak for a time and gently squeeze the soapy water via the fabric, being careful not to be too rough. Treating the fiber roughly will cause the shrinkage. Lift the garment out of the water, careabsolutely trying to support the weight evenly.. I often put it in a colander to empty while I change the water. Make note, by really feel, the temperature of the water you’re dumping. It doesn’t should be exact, but the rinse water needs to be near the same temperature or the wool will be shocked into shrinking. Gently squeeze the soapy water out of the garment, don’t wring it out, once more, this roughness will cause felting. Lay it gently within the water and let it soak. Repeat this process until you are happy the cleaning soap has been rinsed out. There are 2 ways one can remove the surplus water to facilitate drying. One is to do something called “wuzzing” and the opposite is to use the spin cycle of the washing machine. Wuzzing is an old observe and it is much like what happens during the spin cycle. Put the garment in a pillow case, take it outside and quite quickly, rotate it via the air above your head or at your side to cause the water to fling out. Keep doing this till no more water comes out. To make use of the spin cycle, put the garment in a pillow case and into the washer, add something to balance the machine and turn the spin cycle on. When the cycle is over, remove the garment. It is now ready to dry.
Lay a towel or towels on the floor and place the garment on the towel(s). Arrange it to the shape it should have, or in the case of a sweater, to the dimensions it was knit to. Smooth out any wrinkles and let it air dry. This is called blocking and it must be done each time the article is washed.
With proper care and protection from moths, wool articles can final quite a long time. It is still considered one of my first decisions to work with for winter wear, either all wool or blends. If you have not ever worked with it, attempt it. You will then become part of a tradition of wool working that may be a few thousand years old.
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