If you've been reading this blog for any time, that might surprise you given my well-chronicled penchant for Tosh, Quince Chickadee, and Zara - some of the best worsted. Oh, and because I've felt very comfortable sharing my distaste for the granola-y fibres, in the past.
What really put me over the edge, though, was making this shawl. The fabric made from Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn is so gorgeously refined, so endlessly springy, incredibly warm and beautifully dyed. While it may say rustic, it doesn't say Granny.
FWIW, you can learn more about the differences between worsted-spun and woolen-spun on the latest knit.fm podcast. Jared Flood also clarifies these processes in a totally approachable way.
In brief:
- Worsted spun = dense, even, good stitch definition, sometimes luxe
- Woolen spun = wiry, airy, light, lofty, crunchy, generally rustic
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This is good information. I didn't realize the difference. I did notice the difference that some yarn seems earthier than others. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam. I didn't understand this for the longest time. Just knew that some yarn looked crunchy :-))
DeleteI always gravitate towards colour (usually hot pink) and a soft texture. BUT, I also love the rustic (granola-y - ha, ha) yarns and the beautiful fabrics they create. What can I say, I'm easy :) Thanks for the link to the podcast. Will listen to it sometime this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI think you do gravitate towards colour - your stash shows your colour-sense. Let me know what you think of the podcast. In some ways, it's a bit tedious, but there's a lot of good information.
DeleteI'd say I like both, for different reasons and purposes. In yarn shops, I think I'm drawn by a mixture of elements. Colour is probably first, but I suspect that the colours that pull my eye do so because of the way the yarn itself grabs the dye, and that has to do with the fibre and the way its spun. And I'm mesmerized by quality of craft which comes through, I think, in texture, twist, fineness, integrity, whatever. Some yarns are beautiful because of their halo, some are stunning because they're so purely without anything extraneous to that line. Right now, I'm trying to work through a stash that might just be a bit too large. But I'm craving a yarn store visit at the moment. Such a treat for the eye and the fingers. . . if not for the wallet. . .
ReplyDeleteOK, colour is more of a factor for peeps than I would imagine. I mean, there are some colours I don't like - I stay away from those. The rest are kind of equal-opportunity from my perspective.
DeleteBut I hear you about the way the yarn grabs the dye. That is a factor all on its own. I really think you'd love the Brooklyn Tweed, btw. Have you tried it?
Not yet, but I really want to. . . have a few patterns (BT) that I'd love to try out the yarns on.
DeleteWell, you learn something every day. I love me a good worsted (now I know the difference) ;-)
ReplyDelete