Yarn Lab: A Fine Line

When I received sample cards from Silk City Fibers, I immediately gravitated to the mouthwatering array of fine yarns in natural fibers. I figured that the gorgeous plumpy and textured yarns that are plentiful on Silk City’s site have an army of knitters poised to make them into beautiful knitted items, but the fine Linen 14, Nature’s Way 2/30 Merino, and Wool Crepe Deluxe 80/20 were calling for weavers to make the most of them.

I wove all the samples on an eight-shaft loom. I handwashed the samples in warm water, rolled them in a towel to remove excess water, and then laid them flat to dry. The only samples that needed pressing were the pure linen samples.

THE YARNS

Linen 14: (100% linen, 7,000 yd/lb), 31 colorways.
This lustrous, fine linen comes in a wide range of colors and makes a sturdy warp when sett tightly.

Nature’s Way 2/30 Merino: (100% mulesing-free ultrafine merino, 7,500 yd/lb), 10 colorways.

I loved the opportunity to work with “mulesing-free” merino. The movement to pay close attention to how our yarns are made, their impact on the environment, and the treatment of our beloved fiber animals is close to my heart. If you are not familiar with the term, mulesing is the removal of strips of skin from around the backsides of lambs to create scar tissue that has been thought to prevent fly-strike. The current understanding is that it is a cruel practice, and it has been banned in several countries.