A Woollen Spun Gal

I just can’t quit this squishy Canadian yarn. It’s not fancy, sophisticated or luxurious, but it’s my kind of perfect. Chances are, if I meet a yarn made from natural fibres, I’m going to love it. I fall in love easily. But of all the sweaters and shawls that I have made, the ones I most want to wear come from the humblest of yarns, that is to say, 1 ply, minimally processed, woollen spun, Canadian wool from Canadian sheep. This is starting to sound very patriotic and that really wasn’t my intention, but I do love the idea of first using what grows in your own national backyard before expanding the woolly borders.

When a yarn is humble, but you really, really love it, you might have some self doubts. Why the attraction to this simple fuzzy skein when there are so many truly luxurious yarns to knit with? I have definitely asked myself this question many times. What is it that keeps calling me back to this no frills yarn?

In Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book, Braiding Sweetgrass, she writes a lot about connection to the natural world by way of a material or product you hold in your hands. For example, holding a straw hat, and feeling connected to the hands that wove it and the plant it is made from. In a world of big box stores we have moved farther and farther away from the connection to a product’s natural source. When I hold a pretty skein of yarn that has gone through a lot of chemical processes, I may be moved by its beauty, but that’s where the story ends. When I hold a skein of minimally processed yarn, I’m right there on the farm with my fantasy flock, frolicking through the meadow. I feel connected to the yarn’s source. Naturally dyeing this yarn takes this connection one step further. As I dye, my house becomes infused with the scent of the plants and when they release their colour I am always in awe of the gifts that the natural world has to offer.

This yarn is woollen spun yarn. There are two ways to spin yarn. One method of spinning is called Worsted, not to be confused with worsted weight (the yarn world is confusing) and the other method is woollen spun. One is not better than the other, they just produce a very different kind of yarn and they each have very different qualities. When yarn is spun with a worsted draft, all of the fibres are first combed in the same direction. As the yarn is being spun, the air is compressed out of it. This creates a very smooth and dense yarn. It also tends to be shiny, has better drape and is stronger. Doesn’t that make woollen spun sound like it is second best? Well, hang on there a second.

When yarn is spun with a woollen draft the fibres are coming from different directions. As the yarn is being spun, air is allowed to enter the strand. The result is a strand of yarn that is very squishy, fluffy, light and most importantly, warm. It also has a halo that I can only describe as, charming. Woollen spun yarn is warmer than worsted spun yarn. It acts much like insulation. It is also much lighter. As a knitter, it took me some time to realize that I preferred my sweaters and shawls to be light and warm. Woollen spun yarn also holds its shape better, so if you want to make a hat that has a bit more structure then woollen spun yarn is a good choice. Woollen spun yarn does pill more easily, but I have made several shawls from this yarn and because there is very little friction when wearing a shawl, I have not had a problem with pilling.

Personally, I also love this yarn for sweater knitting. For every rule or fact there is a solution or nuance. The rule for woollen spun yarns is that they pill more easily and have less drape. That said, if you would like to use it for knitting a sweater then knitting at a tighter gauge will significantly strengthen the fabric. If you want to knit a shawl then a looser gauge will give you more drape.

I live in this sweater and I have to say, it’s doing very well in the pilling department. Every once in a while I pull out my depiller to freshen it up. I’m also ok with doing a bit of mending from time to time, but so far it hasn’t needed any. Woollen spun yarn is not suitable for every kind of project. Personally, I don’t like it for socks, even when there is nylon added. Sock yarn gets a lot of strength from the addition of nylon (or mohair or silk), but the length of the fibre, the tightness of the twist and and the destiny of the fibre also contribute to a yarn’s strength. When it comes to sock yarn, I prefer a worsted spun yarn.

If you look at the above photo of worsted spun yarn, you can really see the difference between it and the woollen spun yarn. Which one is better really depends on the fabric you want to make and which one best represents your style. If you love all things shiny, then you are probably more of a worsted spun knitter.

If, however, you have constant dreams of running away to grow all your own food and tend a flock of sheep, then you will probably love woollen spun yarn as much as I do. My hand dyed yarn can be found HERE.