Lion Brand Notebook ®
Why wool? What makes this fiber so special and what is the value of wool in yarn? Isn’t it itchy? Will it make you overheat? The world is full of myths surrounding wool fiber
Wool has this amazing power of elasticity. It allows your stitches to spring back into shape after you pull and drag the yarn around and across needles and hooks. Paired with a smooth yarn twist, this natural elasticity creates stitches that are defined and beautiful in the simplest of patterns.
TIP: Wool & wool blend yarns are a good choice for beginner/first projects. Just avoid single ply yarns. Not sure what that means? Read about single ply yarns HERE
Regardless of the overall texture (smooth, fuzzy halo, etc) wool yarns will all posses that aforementioned elasticity. This means projects like hats and socks, or any other fitted items, will all benefit from yarns with at least some wool content.
View All Free Hat Patterns Using Wool Yarns
True, wool is warm. But did you know it can also help cool you down and keep your dry by wicking moisture away from your skin? We’re not talking cool in the extreme heat of Summer, but merino wool is a little magical. It will hold up to 30% of it’s weight in water, which includes your sweat! It also turns that moisture into vapor before you even feel the dampness on your skin.
View All Sweater Kits Using Wool Yarns
Not all wool yarn is itchy. (Yes, as with anything, the possibility of a sensitivity or allergy does exist, but for the purpose of this section we are assuming this is not an issue.) Wool is hair. And just as human hair varies from person to person so sheep hair will be different across breeds. Just because you touched a wool yarn years ago and found it scratchy doesn’t mean another type of wool will have the same feel against your skin. Why? It’s all in the micron count.
So what’s a micron? A micron is a measurement of the gauge (diameter) of a wool fiber. The lower the micron number, the softer the yarn will be. You won’t generally see micron counts listed for yarn, though. If you’re a spinner, however, you’ve probably come across unspun fiber and fleeces with this information since it will effect how you might want to spin up your yarn.
Wool blends like Wool-Ease® Thick & Quick® are a soft and snuggly introduction to wool. This yarn has 20% wool paired with 80% acrylic. It’s a customer and designer favorite!
Intrigued by the wonder of wool? Jump in and try one of our favorites!
Diehard wool fans like me might want to explore LB Collection Superwash Merino or Fishermens Wool. New on the wool scene? Perhaps our ever popular Wool-Ease® Thick & Quick® is the right place to start.
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Joyce Leary
I use Woolease all the time – it is perfect for my family members who want something soft and easy to care for. I, myself, am a lover of the LB collection – really beautiful yarns!
Tara Soens
Really wanted to read this ‘why wool’ article-but the photos are over top of the words!
Erica
Sounds like a layout issues. If you’re trying to view on mobile maybe try desktop?
Adam Matte
I love my thick and quick MANGHAN I crocheted last year. Plus many scarves that I have made with thick and quick. Very nice to work with and not expensive. Love it BMK (Big Man Knits)
judy holmes
Question: Nowhere did you address the washability of wool. Maybe I am thinking in another generation, but I seem to recall the necessity of handwashing and blocking. Has this changed? Is there no shrinkage today?
Erica Jackofsky
Washability will vary based on the yarn. 100% wool (or other animal fiber) does need to be handwashed and dried flat. Unless it’s treated to be superwash. (You can read about superwash in this blog post.) Many blends can be machines washed. It depends on a lot of factors like how much natural fiber is in the yarn, what that fiber is, the spin, etc. All our yarns have washing instructions on the label and on their product page on LionBrand.com.
Melissa
I’ve made blankets and sweaters using wool ease and fishermen’s wool yarns. I mainly use wool ease for kids gifts and for family members that do not have the time, energy, or space to hand wash items. Both of these yarns work up beautiful for knitted and crochet items.