Some Fibers Info

yarns are spun from natural or synethic fibres.

Natural Fibres:

Alpaca - hair from the alpaca (llama)
Angora - hair from the angora rabbit
Cashmere - hair from the cashmere goat
Cotton - plant fibre from the boil of the cotton plant
Lambswool - sheeps first sheering usually the softest
Linen - plant fibre fromt he stem of the flax plant
Merino wool - from the fleece of merino sheep
Mohair - from the angora goat, the softer and finer kid mohair is from the kid goat
Shetland wool - traadionally from the shetland sheep
Silk - continuous filament secreted by the silkworm larva
Wool - from the fleece of a sheep

Synthetic Fibres

Acetate, rayon and viscose - chemical treatment of cellulose fibres from wood pulp

Acrylic, polyester & nylon - made from petro-checmicals, nylon is the strongest textile fibre, elastane is an elastic fibre

Fiber Characteristics


Fiber Where it comes from Fiber characteristics


Alpaca Hair of an alpaca Comes in many natural colors
Lustrous, strong fibers
Nonresilient
Angora Hair of an angora rabbit Silky, soft fiber
Expensive
Lofty/fluffy
Can be dyed
Extremely warm for its weight
Camel Down from a Bactrian camel (two humps) Available in "camel" color only
does not accept dye
Very warm
Fragile
Cashmere Undercoat hair from a cashmere goat Expensive
Very soft
Fragile and delicate
Cotton Inside the pod of a cotton plant Heavy
Nonelastic
Accepts dye well
Stretches
Absorbent
Noninsulating
Stronger wet than dry
Machine washable
Linen Inside stalk of a flax plant Extremely strong
Takes dye well, but is often left
natural
Becomes smoother and softer with age
Absorbent
Quick-drying
Nonelastic
Nonpilling
Stronger wet than dry
Mohair Hair from an angora goat Accepts dye well
Soil-resistant
Durable, strong, resilient
Very warm for its weight
Long, lustrous staple
Qiviut Down of a musk ox Extremely soft
Accepts dye well
Very expensive
Ramie Nettle plant
Similar to linen -- often used as a
substitute for linen
Absorbent
Accepts dye well
Rayon Manufactured from cellulose in wood pulp or cotton Absorbent
Accepts dye well
Quick-drying
Heavy
Non-elastic
Stretches, but will
recover in dryer
Weak fiber
Most common type of
rayon is viscose
May shrink if not
laundered properly
Silk Filament unreeled from the cocoon of a silkworm (tussah silk comes from the wild silkworm)

Smooth, shiny, strong fiber
Thinnest of all the natural
fibers
Accepts dye well
Resists pilling
Drapes well
Stronger dry than wet
Wool Fleece (hair) of a sheep

Comes in natural colors: gray, brown, white
Accepts dye well
Contains lanolin, a natural oil that is
water-repellent
Breathable -- keeps the wearer warm and dry
Water- and soil-resistant
Good insulator -- lots of warmth for its
weight
Resilient
Will felt if subjected to heat and friction
Naturally flame retardant
Staple lengths and properties vary with
different breeds of sheep


There are a few others I purposly left out.. Way to expensive to use for anything maybe a knitted ring.....these are the most used anyway.

More info tomorrow