KNOW YOUR YARN - Jan 2025 by Lynne Meredith for MVM Custom Rugs
| It Takes More Than a Village | |
 Images clockwise from left to right: Corriedale Sheep / close up of Corriedale sheep fleece / Dyed hanks of undyed wool fibre / English Leicester Long Wool Sheep/ Lambswool fleece. | There is a saying in the rug industry that it takes a village to make a rug. Actually it also takes a sheep or goat or even an Alpaca ! There are several different elements that contribute in the creation of a beautiful rug. One of the key components is the yarn. It all starts with the yarn........I thought I would take this opportunity to explain a little about what distinguishes a high grade yarn from a low grade yarn. It is a fact, that all yarn types are not equal. Each has its own characteristics depending on the animals breed and its' geographical location. It is good to understand the basic differences between wool types in order to make the right choice for your needs. Each yarn differs in terms of functionality, durability, look, feel and price. It is important to "know your yarn" and compare apples to apples when making purchasing decisions. Let's start with sheep.......There are hundreds of different breeds of sheep worldwide all producing different types of wool. I have focused on countries and breeds that are common in the rug industry. |
| Wool - Factors that influence quality | |
 Images clockwise from left to right: Lonk sheep from the English Pennines / Argali sheep grazing in Tajistan/ Raw wool / Sheep shearing in New Zealand. | Sheep graze on grass and their diet and climatic environment has a direct impact on the quality of the wool. In areas with very fertile soil, such as New Zealand, England, Argentina and parts of Europe, the soil is rich in nutrients and minerals. These are passed onto the sheep through the grass they eat. Due to their healthy, high nutrient diet, the wool grows strong containing a high level of a natural oil known as Lanolin. Lanolin gives the wool its sheen. This is particularly noticeable in New Zealand wool. Colder weather conditions also encourages their fleeces to grow thick and long. Longer, stronger wool fibers, equates to less joins during the spinning process. This is known as longer "staple" yarn. The longer the staple, the less chance there is of shedding from the surface of a finished rug. In contrast, in areas of the world like parts of India, where the weather is hot and the ground is baron, sheep produce short staple yarn. The limited diet and climate result in shorter weaker coats that are more prone to breakage. Wool from these animals therefore tends to shed more, as more joins are required in the spinning process. The other critical point to mention is, that rugs crafted from long staple yarns enable the washing of hand knotted and hand tufted rugs once they are made. They are scrubbed down with soapy water and hard brushes. This has a dual advantage. Firstly, it agitates the surface texture of the rug, causing cut pile tip to "blossom"( blossoming is the opening of the spun twist at the pile tip). This enhances the wools natural sheen when it catches the light. The harsh brushing during washing also removes any loose fibers. The washing step in the finishing process is not normally done on rugs that are made from short staple wool. Sometimes rugs are double or even triple washed for maximum sheen and removal of loose fibers. If you are looking for rugs with with high durability and longevity, then those crafted with long Staple yarn are the best choice. If you are looking for a high fashion rug, which you plan to change out in a couple of years, a shorter staple yarn will be less expensive |
| Spinning- How to spin a good yarn | |
 Images clockwise from left to right: Hand spinning wool on a spinning wheel / Dyed yarn hanks drying in the sun/Undyed wool in natural shades /Artisan hand knotting a woolen rug /Machine yarn spinning. | Sheep are usually shorn once a year depending on the climate, usually between spring and summer. The raw wool is then washed, cleaned and sorted before being sent for spinning. There are two main types of spinning methods. Hand spinning and Machine spinning. "Hand spun" wool is literally spun by hand using a spinning wheel. It takes time and patience but produces a beautiful "thick/thin" yarn that can have varied levels of twist. This type of yarn is often used in hand knotted rugs. It has a more crafted feel with a slightly uneven surface texture. Dying can be done before, or after spinning (known as fiber dyed or yarn dyed) When handspun yarn is dyed, its unevenness causes the dye to take more in some places than others. This creates a color effect with slight shade variations which adds to its appeal. "Machine spun" yarn is consistent in thickness with a smoother texture . When dyed, the color is evenly distributed creating a clean, flat look which is perfect for sleek modern rugs. Sometimes the wool is left undyed. Sheep wool comes in many natural colors from creamy white to brownish neutrals through to black depending on the breed. These colors can be used as a palette in their own right, each with its own intrinsic shade variations. |
| Does Cashmere really come from goats? | |
 Images Clockwise from left to right:Cashmere goat herd in the Himalayas/Cashmere hand knotted rug from the MVM Ultra Lux Collection / Chinese Hexi Cashmere goat. | The resounding answer is yes ! Cashmere fiber get its name from from the Himalayan region of "Kashmir" which is where these specific goat breeds originated. There are lots of different varieties of cashmere goats. Today, most cashmere comes from the Gobi desert which stretches from Northern China into Mongolia. Goats that originally thrived in mountainous regions have now adapted to also live in desert like conditions. The cashmere fiber comes from the underbelly of the animal that grows during the winter months. It is said that hair starts to grow on the longest day of the year and stops growing on the shortest day of the year. It is harvested by combing through the under belly to remove the loose hair that the animal sheds naturally. Sometimes it is sheared. When shearing, it is critical that it is done at the right time of the year. The goat needs its thick coat to keep warm during the harsh winters. It is important to insure you are purchasing ethically sourced cashmere where the animals are not sheared too early. Characteristics of cashmere Cashmere fiber is very fine and extremely soft. It has a slightly "crimped" look in its natural state. When spun into yarn and then hand knotted, it creates a rug with a luxurious hand feel, glorious plushness and luster. I think it shows best in its natural undyed state, but can be easily dyed to any color as required. |
| What is Mohair? | |
 Images clockwise from left to right: Domesticated Angora goat / Angora goat herd in Turkey / Close up of Angora goat hair. | Mohair fiber comes from the Angora goat (Not to be confused with the Angora rabbit). It is sometimes known as the Tibetan goat, where it is thought to have originated. Although this is not known for sure, we do know that it was introduced into Turkey sometime in the 19th century. The breed got its name from the Turkish city Angora (now renamed Ankara) Today the goat is domesticated and can also be found in Argentina, United States and South Africa. It is a browsing goat that does well in a habitat with good brush cover, weeds and grass. It is a small animal with long silky curly ringlets that is sheared twice a year, The Fleece of the whole animal can be used but like the cashmere goat it is its underbelly that has the softest and longest hair. The fiber is also quite elastic and is even more resilient than sheep wool with very low flammability. |
| Are Alpacas from the Camel family? | |
 Images clockwise from left to right:Huacaya Alpaca/The natural colors of Alpaca /Shepherd in Alpaca coat /Inquisitive baby alpaca / Spools of hand spun alpaca yarn | Alpacas are the domesticated descendent of the vicuna and surprisingly belong to the camel family! For over 5000 years they were bred in pre-Columbian South America and were later exported to the USA, New Zealand and Australia. They have distinctive characteristics with long necks, long legs and small pointy ears. (They are often confused with their cousins the Llama that look a little similar) Their coats are soft, fluffy and slightly wavy with a silky hand feel . Unlike sheep, they do not produce lanolin which makes the fiber hypoallergenic. Despite being extremely fine, the alpaca fiber can easily be spun into yarn as it is very strong. however the yarns fineness is more suited to woven or knitted textiles for fashion and home rather than for rug making. It is much more common to see a full fleece or fleeces sewn together to create rugs. The amazing thing about alpaca fiber is that it is said to comes in more than 300 natural undyed shades; From neutrals, browns and blacks to shades of tan and rust. It therefore usually left undyed. |
