Knitting wool is fiber from a domesticated sheep. Knitting wool accepts dye well, is flame-retardant by nature, remains warm even when wet, sheds water better than other yarns. Natural wool should be hand-washed. 'Superwash' knitting wool has been treated to allow machine washing. It will usually resume its proper shape when washed correctly; if it is mistreated and washed in water that is too hot, it will shrink or felt.
Different kinds of wool:
Contrary to popular belief, not all wool is rough and itchy. There are many different breeds of sheep, each with their own characteristics. Some knitting wools are better suited for rugs and others for fine lace.
Sheep's knitting wool is classed by its thickness or diameter in microns (1 micron=1/1000 millimeter), by the amount of crimp it has (how wavy it is), by the length of staple (how long the fibers are) and by its lustre or shine. Crimp is a natural and permanent feature of the wool. It doesn't wash out; rather it is restored when the knitting wool fibers relax in water and it gives the wool yarn its loft and bounce. So a crimpier fiber will produce a yarn that is more springy and lively.
There ae several breeds of sheep that give us the wide range of wools that knitters use today.
- A popular type of wool, the fleece of the Churro sheep is nearly straight, coarse and long. Spainards brought the Churro sheep to America. It is usually used in making rugs and blankets.
- Romney another variety of wool is a medium diameter with an average staple length of 6.5 inches. Romney is one of the major sheep breeds of New Zealand. Other breeds include Perendale, Coopworth and Lincoln. Romney fiber can be spun worsted with a light twist making a soft yarn for sweaters, or clothing fabric. Coarser Romney wool, is spun with a tighter twist and hence is well suited for furnishing fabrics. Romney fiber dyes well, producing yarn with good color.
- Merino wool is the finest of all the wool available. It has at an average diameter of 15 - 25 microns and staple lengths of 2 - 4 inches. Merino has a very close crimp, and hence can be spun into a very fine yarn, suitable for lace, fine clothing or baby blankets. It has a sharp white texture. When dyed it can produce light colored, pastel shades.
Advantages of knitting wool over other yarns:
Cool in summer:
When the outside temperature increases and begins to heat the knitting wool, it releases moisture; that has a cooling effect on the fibre which reduces the flow of heat to your body.
Warm in winter:
In the winter the absorption of moisture by knitting wool insulation can increase peak temperature by up to 4 c as compared to other yarns.
Condensation control:
Knitting wool generates heat when it absorbs moisture from the air. That energy is known as the heat of sorption and accounts for the warmth felt by wearers of woolen clothes in winter conditions. When the air is saturated with water vapour, wool absorbs some 40% of its dry weight in moisture, producing 960 kilojoules of heat energy for every kilogram of dry knitting wool.
E-books on wool:
Knitting wool is a natural fibre from a fully renewable resource; consequently the life cycle of the product has an ideal energy balance. You can find a lot of e-books on sheep rearing for wool and also various e-books on using different kinds of wool for different patterns.
Woolen knitted stuff for all:
Now that you know the benefits of using knitting wool, you surely would use it more and even recommend it to your friends. If you haven't yet tried knitting with wool, it's not too late to get your wool yarn, and start knitting today!!
