969 days ago

What is Yarn: What It’s Made From, How You Make It and More

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Wellington (The Wash House)

When researching or reading about different fabrics, you are likely to see the word yarn mentioned a lot. ‘Made from spun yarns’ or ‘with synthetic yarns’ are a couple of examples. But what is yarn? What is spun yarn? Are there other types? What does it all mean, and how much relevance does this bear to your final fabric? That’s what we are here to look at in a little more detail.

What is Yarn?
Yarn is a length of fibres. That’s the simplest way to explain it. It is a continuous length of fibres which are interlocked, and it’s used to produce fabrics, as well as in crocheting, knitting, embroidery and ropemaking.

This means that we can split yarn into two different ‘categories’ of sorts. The thread that is used for embroidery or in sewing machines, as well as yarn (commonly known as balls-of-wool) used in crafts such as knitting or crocheting, are long lengths that are bought as yarns.

The alternative would be a yarn which is then knitted or woven into a fabric. The textile is then bought as fabric, in lengths, rather than the yarn itself being purchased separately. This second description is the one that we will explore further in this post.

What is Yarn Made From?
Yarn can be made from such a variety of different fibres. This includes both natural and synthetic fibres. The most common plant fibre is cotton, however, you can also use other natural fibres such as bamboo. Alongside cotton, the synthetic polyester fibre makes up the two most commonly used fibres. Animal fibres are also often used, such as wool, harvested from sheep, as well as cashmere (harvested from goats) Angora (from rabbits) and silk (from insect larvae).

What is the Difference Between Spun and Filament Yarn?
Spun yarn is made by twisting staple fibres together in either an S or Z twist, to make a single thread. The process of twisting the fibres together into yarn is called spinning and it was one of the first processed to be industrialised. Spun yarns can contain a single type of fibre, or you can spin various types of fibre together to give you a blend.

Filament yarn is made up of filament fibres which are either twisted together or simply grouped together. It can either be composed of one filament, which is called a monofilament, or it could be made of more than one, in which case it would be known as a multifilament. This can be as few as two or three filament fibres, or even up to 50, or more.

Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

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More messages from your neighbours
4 days ago

Wairarapa Balloon Festival over Easter

The Team from Destination Wairarapa

The countdown is on to the Wairarapa Balloon Festival! This magical event is completely FREE, and fun for the whole family. There will be lift-offs from different locations each morning, and balloon competitions where balloonists use their technical skills to complete a series of challenges.
On 28 March - 1 April, over Easter weekend.
Check out the full programme, www.wairarapanz.com...

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2 days ago

BBQ Cover blown into our garden

Mary from Karori

A large, black BBQ cover has blown into our garden at the City end of Karori.
Have you, or someone you know, lost one in the last few days?

1 day ago

Bob Francis Wins Senior New Zealander Of The Year

Rita Angus Retirement Village

Seven-term Mayor of Masterton, Bob Francis CNZM QSO MBE JP, has been named the 2024 Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau.

Affectionately dubbed ‘Mr Wairarapa’, Bob has served his community in multiple areas, including health services, commercial development, the arts, aviation, homelessness, conservation and sports.

Bob’s award signifies the sixth time Ryman Healthcare has supported this category of the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards, which provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Kiwi seniors who continue to make positive contributions towards the future of Aotearoa.

Click read more for the full article.

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