A is for Angora

Three in a row that are all about fiber!  I know, I found it frustrating too.  That is just how things popped up in alphabetical order.  I promise the next 2 will not be fiber related.

On with the show:

Angora fiber comes from the Angora rabbit, a group of domestic rabbits bread for their long silky “wool.”  Angoras come in several arbitrarily defined breeds, based on their physical appearance.  The most common breeds in the US are the English, French, Giant, and Satin (the English – my favorite – are the smallest and look most like giant cotton balls).

Regardless of their breed, angoras produce a very fine, extremely light weight, and warm fiber.  In fact, Angora fiber is only 10 microns in diameter, far finer than even cashmere.  Like Alpaca, it is also 8 times warmer than sheep’s wool.  It will even keep you warm when saturated with twice as much water as sheep’s wool can hold.  As a result of its warmth and diameter, angora is often blended with other fibers like wool or silk to reduce the yarn’s density and increase its wear-ability.

Angora fiber can be harvested thru traditional shearing or clipping methods, but the fiber also sheds in tufts and can be painlessly plucked from the rabbit during grooming.  The best part is that the plucked fiber is also considered the highest grade. This fiber can then be spun directly off the rabbit, and washed after it is spun.

Angora yarn is known for being extremely fuzzy and somewhat delicate.  While this is often true, it is the result of using low quality, short fibers that have not been spun tightly enough.  Since angora has little crimp and the individual fibers are smooth, angora must be spun rather tightly to get a structurally sound yarn.  Correct twist, combined with higher quality, longer staple length fibers yield a strong, stable yarn.

I have been trying to find an excuse to get an English Angora for a while now, but using it’s fiber to enhance my stash is not a viable excuse so far.  Here in Florida it is simply too hot to wear more than about 5% Angora fiber on even the coldest days.  Even one bunny would produce more fiber than I need at my current knitting rate.  Maybe if we move farther north……

A is also for Alpaca.

Alpacas are South American domesticated herd animals that come from the same scientific family as camels.  They look a lot like llamas, but they are smaller, much friendlier, and most of them rarely spit on people.  Alpacas are also pretty easy on the land they graze, making them a pretty “green” fiber option.  They have been described as cuddly investments, but I think they are just cuddly.

Alpacas come in two varieties, Huacaya and Suri.  Huacaya are the far more common variety.  Their fiber tends to be shorter, and has much more crimp than that of the Suri.  The Suri has longer, silkier fiber with very little crimp.

Alpaca Fiber is the “wool” harvested from an alpaca; much like wool is harvested from sheep.  In fact, alpaca fiber is similar to sheep’s wool, but it is warmer, smoother, and lighter weight per unit of fiber than sheep’s wool.  Alpaca is also lanolin free, making it safe for those with lanolin allergies.  Good quality alpaca is fine and soft at only 18 to 25 micrometers in diameter (the finer the fiber the softer it generally feels, and alpaca is very fine).  Baby alpaca is particularly fine, as alpaca fibers get thicker as the animals age.

Alpaca fiber is as much as 7 times warmer than wool, drapes beautifully, takes dye very well, and is not prone to pilling.  On the other hand, it is more slippery and less flexible than wool, and stretches underweight.  Alpaca is also heavier than wool in heavier gauges because it has less crimp than wool and is more slippery than wool it has to be spun very densely.

What do I knit in alpaca?  Since I live in such a warm climate I knit only whisper fine lace in alpaca, as everything else is too warm.  If I could, I would beautifully fine draping sweaters and cardigans.  Alpaca is lovely.

Knitting ABCs: A is for Acrylic

I have been working on a project tutorial for you all, but it is taking me a while.  It has allowed me to do a bit of thinking however, and the current tutorial in the works inspired the Knitting ABCs.  Today.....

is for Acrylic

Acrylic yarn is a synthetic yarn made from a polymer of about 1900 monometer units. At least 85% of that polymer must be acrylonitnile monometer in the US to be called acrylic.  The yarn is made by dissolving the polymer, then extruding through a spinnerette, which spins what it extrudes.

Although acrylic yarn often resembles wool, it doesn’t need to be taken care of as carefully as wool.  Acrylic yarn is machine washable, and dryable on cool settings, and unlike wool, moths hate acrylic.  It is also much lighter weight than that other favorite machine washable, cotton.   It also tends to be inexpensive compared to natural fibers and other synthetics, and is safe for people with wool allergies.

Acrylic is very susceptible to heat however.  Steam blocking acrylic will “kill” it, getting rid of all of its bounce back.  That is not really a problem though, because acrylic doesn’t really block anyway.  It can also irritate sensitive skin, or in the case of really cheap, plastically acrylic, all skin.  Additionally, it is not as warm as wool or absorbent as cotton.

What would I make with acrylic?  Something I have to wash, a lot, and needs to be lighter, and cheap.  What do I make with acrylic?  Almost nothing.  Just about the only things I knit in acrylic are gifts that I would rather knit in wool, but I know the recipient would machine wash.

Do you have a suggestion for the Knitting ABCs?  Let me know by leaving me a comment.