Look at all our CLICK for Babies Crying Caps!
Many thanks to the generous knitters who made our collection a great success! We are still taking caps but all donations must be in by September 24th.
CLASS NEWS:
Cynthia is trying a new class feature this fall--
Each week she will do a short hands-on lesson during the regular class time. On Fridays at 2:30 and on Monday evenings at 6:45, beginning on September 13 & 16th.
TECHNIQUES OF THE WEEK
Sept 13 and 16--Fixing Dropped Stitches and
Lost Yarn Overs-- you CAN get them back!
Sept 20 and 23--All about Cables and the rows in between
Sept 27 and 30--Counting Rows and Stitches--and YES-- GAUGE!
It's a really wonderful tool to have in your skill set-- just trust me on this:-)
Knitting Project Class:
Monday 6:30pm or
Friday 1:30pm
with Cynthia
Tuesday 1:30
with Nancy
Crochet Class
Friday, 10:30 am
with Stephanie
Our summer has ended, at least in the shop, and we returned to regular hours this week. Please note we are open
10-5 most days, until 7 pm on Thursday and noon-5 on Sunday
What is Worsted?
This is a question that we are often asked by new knitters. The answer is more complex than you might think!
To most knitters, worsted simply means a medium weight yarn, such as Cascade 220 or Encore. To those who follow the new Yarn Weight Category charts, it's a #4. (Don't even ask me what I think about that!) But there more to the story. What does the word "worsted" actually mean? What is the history?
The term "worsted" is actually used in several different ways: a dense, smooth, woolen fabric such as men's suits are made of; a specfic preparation and spinnng style for worsted-spun yarn; and of course "worsted weight" knitting yarns. Naturally, they are related.
Worsted yarns are made from fiber than has been carded and then combed so that all the fibers are parallel going into the spinning process. It results is a denser and stronger yarn. A good example would be Cascade 220.
This same process is used to make thinner yarns for weaving worsted wool fabric. Other yarns are made with the "woolen" spinning process in which the fibers are not combed and therefore can be spun in different directions within the yarn, resulting in a lighter, loftier yarn with less tensile strength. Many 2-ply yarns such as Bartlettyarn are made this way. They break more easily and are fuzzier when knit up.
I'm not sure how "worsted" came to mean medium weight in the knitting world, as any weight yarn can be "worsted" but that is the common usage these days. Older (much older!) pattern books will refer to 3-ply or 2-ply knitting worsted to denote different weights.
Be careful when interpreting an older pattern and pay attention to the gauge! And don't be afraid to knit with "woolen" spun yarns. Once knit up, they are wonderfully cozy and hold up very well.
By comparison "woolen" yarns hold more air and are therefore warmer, have more bounce and flexability of gauge, will bloom more but also are more likely to pill. Worsted-spun yarns are denser, have a crisper, smoother look ideal for cables and colorwork, and bloom and pill less.
