Here’s Why Wool Yarn is the Best Choice for Your Next Knitting Project

Choosing the right type of yarn is important for any successful knitting project. Today we have dozens of different fibres, blends, and materials available, which makes it difficult to pick the right one for your knitting needs. These yarns can be either natural or synthetic. Natural yarns come from naturally-occurring materials from plants and animals.

On the other hand, synthetic yarn fibres are man-made. Manufacturers often mix several different types of knitting yarn to achieve the best product. You can easily see the materials used on their clothing labels. Read on to better familiarize yourself with the most popular types of yarn and figure out which one to choose for your next project.

What are the Different Types of Knitting Yarn?

Natural Yarn Fibres

1. Wool: This is the most common type of yarn fibre. It’s warm, durable and it holds its shape well.
2. Alpaca: This material is taken from alpacas. It doesn’t block as well as wool, but it provides warmth and softness, which makes it a good choice for small winter projects.
3. Cashmere: This yarn material is soft and fluffy. However, it’s expensive and it isn’t as strong as the others.
4. Cotton: Cotton produces strong and rigid yarn that doesn’t block well. However, the upside is that it’s light and breathable, which makes it ideal for knitting summer clothes.
5. Silk: Silk yarn is strong, shiny, and lustrous, but it doesn’t provide a lot of warmth, which makes it more convenient for summer projects. It’s also slippery to work with, so it’s not convenient for beginners.

Synthetic Yarn Fibres

1. Acrylic: These synthetic fibres are convenient for beginner knitters. They’re easy to use and are tear resistant, but they don’t provide many other benefits.
2. Polyester: This fibre isn’t environmentally friendly, but it’s a popular synthetic substitute for wool because of its durability and strength.

Wool Knitting Yarn

Wool is the most preferred type of knitting yarn. It comes in several different sub-types and people typically use it for making close-fitting sweaters, scarves, blankets and more. The most common types of wool fibre are: merino wool, Shetland wool, organic wool and wool blends.

If you’re looking for a super-soft wool variation that is pleasant for your skin, go for the merino wool Hedgehog Fibres yarns. These are durable and versatile yarns that come in a variety of colours. The sweaters made from merino wool don’t irritate the skin as synthetic materials tend to do. They will keep you warm and cosy throughout the winter, and sweat-free in the summer.

What are the Benefits of Wool Knitting Yarn?

• Retains shape & doesn’t wrinkle: Wool fibres have a coil-like structure which makes them extremely elastic. Every time you stretch wool, it jolts back to its previous form. Thanks to this, you can freely stuff your woollen garments into a backpack and take them out completely wrinkle-free. Wool knitting yarn is best the preferred choice for making gloves, indoor footwear, outdoor garments, etc.

• Durable: The quality wool fibres you can find at the Hedgehog Fibres yarn options are significantly stronger than cotton or silk fibres. This means that they’re extremely durable and are less likely to tear, even after years of use. Woollen clothes are especially convenient for small children, since they’re soft, warm and won’t give in to the usual wear and tear.

• Natural insulator: Wool’s bulky construction holds in air, which causes the material to retain heat. Your body’s warmth heats up the trapped air which makes you cosier and more comfortable in the cold winter days. Woollen garments are ideal for skiing, hiking or camping when you’re dealing with sub-zero temperatures.

• Moisture-wicking properties: Sweating as a result of overdressing is common in the chilly days. Wool holds one-third of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. These fibres quickly absorb the moisture from your skin and let it evaporate.
  Because of their moisture-wicking qualities, Hedgehog Fibres yarns are also convenient for lightweight and loosely knitted summer garments.

• Fire-resistant: Wool has moisture in each fibre, which makes it naturally resistant to flame, without requiring chemical treatments.

• Resists soiling, static & dirt: This yarn has a special scaling structure that resembles the way roof tiles stack up on top of each other. This makes it resistant to static, dust and dirt, and easier to clean.

• Colourful: Due to the many different breeds of sheep, wool comes in a variety of colours. In addition to these natural colours, it’s also super absorbent and easy to dye without using any harsh chemicals. A good example of the large range of colours that wool can achieve are the Hedgehog Fibres yarns. They come in soothing pastels, but also vibrant fiery reds and mysterious blues.

• Renewable & sustainable: Wool is widely popular as a sustainable and renewable source. It comes from annually shearing sheep. The garments that are later created are biodegradable and don’t cause any harm to the environment, compared to the harmful oil-based synthetic yarns.

Wool Maintenance

If you’re looking for high-quality pieces of yarn that will keep you cosy and fashionable during winter, don’t hesitate to check out the available Hedgehog Fibres Australia wide. The best thing about creating wool garments with them is that they’re machine washable.

However, you still need to be careful with how you wash them unless you plan to make your new sweater a nice present for a baby shower. Wool tends to shrink when you wash it at extremely hot temperatures. For this reason, it’s best to use lukewarm water and set the washing machine to a gentle cycle.