A
Abaca
A hemp like fiber used for cordage grown in the Philippine
Islands.
Abrasion
The wearing away of fiber by rubbing away.
Absorbency
The ability of a fiber or fabric to absorb moisture.
Acetate
A manufactured fiber that uses cellulose refined from cotton
and/or wood pulp. Characteristics: fast drying, wrinkle- and
shrinkage-resistant, crisp or soft depending on end use,
luxurious in appearance.
Acid Dye
A dye which is applied to protein fabric or fiber from an acid
dye solutions. It can be used on nylon, wool and other animal
protein fibers, silk, acrylic, polypropylene and blends. It is
fairly colorfast to light and laundering.
Acrylic
A manufactured fiber made from long-chain synthetic polymers.
Characteristics: wrinkle resistance; low moisture absorbency
and quick-drying; provides warmth yet lightweight, soft and
resilient.
Adjective Dye
A dye which requires the use of mordents. See
natural dyes.
Akha Spindle
A lightweight, supported spindle.
Aklae
Norwegian low-warp tapestry technique. Wefts interlock between
two warp ends.
Alpaca
Specialty hair fiber from the
alpaca,
a member of the South American llama family. It is softer,
finer, more lustrous and stronger than sheep's wool, but in
relatively short supply. Fibers are prized for their strength,
durability and beauty. Please see
McColl's Darkroom in Cyberspace
for drawings showing a close-up of fiber.
Alum
Hydrated double-sulfate of alumina potassium. A commonly used
mordant.
Albegal SET
Liquid dyeing assistant for Sabraset/Lanaset Dyes, used to
obtain level colors.
Amercian Pima Cotton
A cross between Sea Island and Egyptian cotton. Grown in
Arizona. Length averages 13/8" to 15/8".
Ammonia
An alkaline liquid used in natural dyeing.
Ammonium Sulfate
A mild acid-forming salt used with acid dyes. Used to insure
levelness for light to medium shades.
Anti-chlor Concentrate
A sodium bisulfite compound used to neutralize residual
chlorine when removing color with hypochlorite bleach.
Aniline Dyes
A class of synthetic, organic dyes originally obtained from
aniline (coal tars),and were the first synthetic dyes. Today
the term is used with reference to any synthetic organic dyes
and pigments, in contrast to animal or vegetable coloring
materials, and synthetic inorganic pigments. Aniline dyes are
classified according to their degree of brightness or their
light fastness. Also called "coal tar dyes."
Animal Fibers
Protein-based hair, fur, and cocoon materials taken from
animals. Typical animal fibers include, wool, mohair, llama,
alpaca, cashmere, camel and vicuna and cocoon material (silk).
Angora
Downy soft, fluffy hair that is plucked or sheared from the
angora rabbits.
This is a slippery, flyaway fiber is usually blended with wool
or other fibers to make it easier to spin and to reduce the
cost.
Angora Goat
The goat that produces "mohair"
Anthrax
A highly dangerous, infectious disease cased by Bacillus
anthracis. In humans, a form of this disease is commonly
called "wool sorter's disease". It may be contracted, most
likely through skin abrasion from handling fleeces from
infected animals. More information about this disease may be
found at the HealthScout's
site.
Apparel Wool
All wools that are manufactured into cloth for use as
clothing.
Attenuation
In spinning, the fibers are pulled out of a distaff or from a
ball of roving into a strand of the desired diameter.
Axle
This is the metal shaft through the center of wheel,
supporting it. There is usually a set screw that 'locks' it in
place which (sadly) can be sheared off.
B
Baby Combing Wool
Short, fine wool which is usually manufactured on the French
system of
worsted
manufacture. This term is synonymous with "French
Combing Wool".
Backcross
The mating of a crossbred animal to one of the parental
breeds.
Bactrian Camel
The
Bactrian camel
is the camel that camel hair comes from.
Bags
In the United States, the commercial wool growers have their
fleeces loaded into large cloth bags for shipping to the wool
mills. In Australia and New Zealand, the fleeces are packed
into "bales"
-- which load better in the ship holds for export abroad.
Balanced
A plied yarn that doesn't twist back on itself. If you hold
~10 inches of yarn by the ends, then slowly move your hands
closer together until they are ~2 inches apart, a balanced
yarn will drape itself into an elongated U. An over-spun yarn
will ply back on itself.
Bales
In countries where the fleece traditionally has been shipped,
the fleeces are packed into bales -- which load better in the
ship holds for export abroad. Depending on the country, the
bales weigh different amounts. Australian and New Zealand
bales weigh 150 kg (330 lb), whereas South American bales
weight approximately 1,000 lb (454 kg).
Cotton also is shipped in 500-pound bales.
Basic Dyes
A class of dyes, usually synthetic, that act as bases, and
which are actually aniline dyes. Their color base is not water
soluble but can be made so by converting the base into a salt.
The basic dyes, while possessing great tinctorial strength and
brightness, are not generally light-fast.
Basket Weave
A variation of the plain weave in which two or more threads
weave alike in both warp and weft, joined in the regular order
of the plain weave. Named for the basket-like pattern of the
weave.
Bast Fibers
Fiber obtained from the stems of certain types of plants.
These include flax, hemp, jute, ramie, milkweed, and nettles.
Batik
A traditional dyeing process in which portions of cloth are
coated with wax and resist the dye.
Batt or Batting
Sheets or rolls of carded cotton or wool or other fiber or
mixtures thereof which is used for woolen spinning or for
stuffing, padding, quilting, and felting.
Bead Yarn
A yarn upon which is fastened either an actual bead or
(commercially) a lump of hardened gelatine of a bead-like
form.
Belly Wool
The wool that grows on the belly of the sheep and occasionally
extends up the side in irregular patches. It is usually an
uneven, different grade from the body of the fleece. It is
shorter and less desirable because of its poor lock formation,
and it usually lacks the character of the body of the fleece.
Beetle
A large wooden mallet used to help soften cellulose fibers.
Often used with linen and ramie.
Beetling
The process of striking woven linen or ramie fabric with
rollers to flatten the fibers. This leaves you with a more
lustrous fabric.
Belly Wool
The short, and often weaker, fiber from the sheep's belly. It
should be skirted off.
Binders
The individual hairs in a sheep's fleece that run from one
staple to another.
Binding Threads
Threads used to unite two or more ply into one firm (stable)
structure.
Black Wool
Any wool containing non-white fibers. A fleece having only a
few black fibers is rejected by a grader and goes into the
black wool bag because there is no way of separating the few
black fibers in the manufacturing processes. Black wool is
usually run in lots that are to be dyed.
Black-top Wool
Wool containing a large amount of wool grease combined at the
tip of the wool staples with dirt, usually from a Merino. This
wool is usually fine in quality, of good character, and
desirable in type, but the shrinkage is high.
Bleaching
The procedure, other than by only
scouring,
of improving the whiteness of textile materials. Sometimes
accomplished with and sometimes without the removal of natural
colouring or other extraneous substances.
Bleeding
A term applied to yarn from which the color runs, usually
staining the white or lighter colored-items nearby.
Blend
A textile containing two or more different types fibers or
different colors and grades of the same fiber.
Blocker
A frame for drying wool. A fine
picture
of one can be found at the CyberFiber site. This is a open
frame that rests on two supports with a handle on one side.
You wind the damp yarn under even tension across the frame --
not trying to line anything up. Rather like winding a bobbin
for weaving. After the yarn dries, you can usually slide the
whole skein off of one end. Edward Worst's book "How to
Weave Linens" has directions for making a blocker. Sadly,
this book is out of print.
Blocking
The process of drying a skein of wool under tension. This can
be done by drying a skein on a blocker. More prosaically, it
can done by winding around an upended-chair's legs or by
hanging a weight in the bottom of a skein. A #2 can of
tomatoes is often used as you don't get a sharp crease.
Blood or Blood Grade
This refers to the fineness of the wool, measured as low 1/4,
1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 blood. It reflects the amount of Merino
blood in a breed. 'More blood' refers to a larger amount of
Merino in a sheep which should produce a finer wool. Please
see
Wool Grades.
Blowout Factor
The rapidity with which an animal's fiber diameter thickens
with age. (A bad thing.)
Bobbin
Bobbins
The cylinder or spool upon which yarn or thread is wound. An
option to buying lots of bobbins for your wheel is using "Storage
Bobbins".
Bobbin Lead
A single band drives the bobbin. The flyer has a friction
brake. A well-known example of this would be the
Ashford Traditional.
Another term used is "Scotch
Tension".
Boculè
A compound yarn comprising a twisted core with an effect-yarn
wrapped around so as to produce loops on the surface.
Body
A term applied to wool when the staple has a good "hand"
(full and with bounce). It can also refer to the fullness of a
fabric. This is a subjective quality and has to do with a lack
of limpness and/or stiffness. A fabric is said to have a good
body when it has a full, rich, and supple hand.
Boiled Wool
Thick, dense fabric that is heavily fulled to completely
obscure its knitted construction.
Boiling Off
The operation of removing, by means of a hot, mildly alkaline
liquid, the gum (seracin) which covers the raw silk fiber.
Also called "de-gumming".
Bold
I saw one definition that said, "A term applied well-grown
wool of good character." Can you have wool with a bad
character, i.e., from a bad neighborhood? I suspect that this
is another one of those nebulous terms that apply to the
wool's "hand".
Botany Wools
Originally referred to merino wool shipped from Australia's
Botany Bay. It has become a generic term used to describe
superlative wools and fine
worsted
sweaters.
Bradford Count or
Bradford System
The British standard is based on the Bradford Spinning Count
System. This originated in the 19th century and is based on
the number of 560-yard
worsted
skeins that can be produced from one pound of clean wool. The
clean wool is then thoroughly oiled which aids in producing a
smooth, lustrous yarn for suiting. With this system the larger
number will be a finer wool. Please see
wool grades.
Braid Wool
The coarsest of the U.S. grades of wool, according to the
blood system of classification. It is a very coarse and
lustrous wool. Please see
wool grades.
Break
Weak at a certain point, but strong above and below the weak
spot, as opposed to "tender",
which signifies a generally weak fiber. This can be caused by
a sudden change in pasture, feed, illness, or lambing. Please
see
McColl's Darkroom in Cyberspace
for drawings showing a close-up of fiber. Please also see:
"Testing the Wool".
Breaking
Also known as "scrutching".
In breaking, the flax plants that have been through the "retting"
process pass through rollers or are beaten with a wooden blade
to help 'break' the stronger parts without damaging the longer
fibers.
Breaking Length
A measure of the breaking strength of a yarn. It is the
calculated length of yarn which equals its breaking load and
is equal to the tensile stress at rupture of the yarn.
Breaking Load
The maximum stress needed to rupture a fiber, yarn or fabric
in a tension test.
Breech or Britch
Wool
Wool from the thigh and rear region of the sheep. It is the
coarsest and poorest wool on the entire fleece. It is usually
manure-encrusted and urine-stained fiber. It should be "skirted"
and removed from a fleece for a hand spinner.
Breed Characteristics
or Breed Type
Individual breeds have distinct characteristics. A
Merino
is very fine, shows a lot of crimp, and the fibers are very
close. A Lincoln, is much coarser with low crimp.
Bright
Very white, almost reflective, wool relatively free of dirt
and sand. Some breeds, like
Cormo,
are known for producing particularly bright fleeces.
Britch
This is the short, curly fibers found in the groin and belly
area of sheep. It has a very different character from the rest
of the fleece and should be skirted out. In a perfect world,
spinners would never see this.
Brittle
Brittle refers to harsh, dry, 'wire-like' fiber; much like the
split ends in hair.
Broadcloth
A fine, closely woven, lustrous cotton or cotton/poly blend
made in plain weave with a fine rib in the weft. The filling
yarn is heavier and has less twist than the warp. The cloth is
usually mercerized, and has a soft, firm finish.
Brocade
Brocade is a jacquard weave with an embossed effect and
contrasting surfaces. Can also be woven with synthetic or
man-made fibers.
Brushed Wool
Finished yarn or material that has been brushed to raise all
loose fibers to the surface, i.e., the commercially-spun
mohair yarn.
Buck Fleece
A fleece from a ram. The wool usually has a heave shrinkage
due to excessive wool grease; thus wool of this type is not
worth as much in the grease as a similar wool from ewes or
wethers. Some buck fleeces have a distinctive odor that many
find objectionable.
Bulk Grade
The largest percentage of grade in a lot of original-bagged
wool.
Bulky
In wheels, a term used for a wheel with a wide orifice. This
allows the creation of a thicker yarn suitable for blanket
wefts.
Bump
A cylinder of coiled, prepared fibers ready for spinning. This
is how commercially prepared fibers are delivered. Rather like
if you had access to a really big ball winder and used it to
wind the top you had just hand combed.
Burry Wool
Wool heavy in vegetable matter -- including burs, leaves,
seeds, and twigs, which requires special and expensive
processing in removal.
Bursting Strength
The mechanical test done commercially on fibers to show how
strong they are.
C
Cabled Yarn
Two or more plied yarns twisted together. One or more part of
a cabled yarn can be a single. So if you took two 2-ply and
plied them again, you would have a cabled yarn. It is
important to remember that you reverse the twist for each
step. So if you spun your singles Z, the 2-ply would be spun
S, and the cabled yarn would be produced by plying Z. You will
need to have extra twist in the singles and the first ply to
produce a "balanced
yarn". Please check Mabel
Ross' book "Essentials of Yarn Design for Hand spinners"
for detailed directions.
A 3-2 cable refers to three 2-ply.
Calendering
The process of passing fabric through a machine consisting of
heavy rollers which rotate under pressure to smooth and
flatten fabric, to close the intersection between the yarns,
or to confer surface glaze. (Often used with cellulose fibrics
like linen and cotton.)
Camel's Hair
Hair from the two-humped
Bactrian camel,
which is softer, lighter in weight and more fragile than wool.
It provides warmth without weight, it never wrinkles and is
water repellent.
Camelid
Any animal that comes from the camel family. Obviously camels,
but also alpaca and llama.
Canary-stained Wool
A yellowish coloration in the wool which cannot be removed by
ordinary scouring methods. May be caused by bacterial growth
or urine staining.
Candle
This refers to the stiffened fat on an unwashed fleece. Not a
pleasing condition for Hand spinners and often a condition
when fleeces sit for years waiting to be spun.
Canvas
A general classification of strong, firm, closely woven
fabrics usually made with cotton. A heavier, open weave
comprised of plied yarns. Characteristics: very hard-wearing,
generally water-resistant.
Carded Fibers
Fibers that have been carded which opens them up.
Carbonizing
The process of treating wool with chemicals, usually acids, to
destroy and remove the burrs without seriously damaging the
wool. The usual chemical used is sulphuric acid. Wool so
treated is known as carbonized wool.
Carders
Also known as hand carders (as opposed to "drum
carders"). Some of the
carders have curved backs, some straight backs. There is some
belief that the reason why modern hand cards have the curved
backs is because they were modeled after museum pieces.
Unfortunately, the museum pieces were warped (curved). Early
plans for carders show the straight backs.
Now, having said that, let me add that if you like using
curved-back cards, you should do so. I have a pair of Ashford
hand cards (with curved backs) that I just love. As much hand
carding as I do, this isn't a problem for me.
A more critical requirement is that your cards have offset
handles. This will save wear-and-tear on your hands.
Carding
Carding
is the process used to open out fleece so that it can be more
evenly spun into a "woolen"
yarn. The process by which the fibers are opened out into an
even film. The etching,
La Cardeuse (The Wool Carder),
shows a woman carding with flat-backed carders. And,
Celerina's site has an animation showing
hand carding.
Carding Cloth
The Woolly Designs site has a close-up of
Carding Cloth.
The material is used on hand cards, drum carders, and carding
boards. The spacing of the tines causes it to be classified as
'fine' or 'coarse'. Many manufacturers refer to their combs as
'cotton cards' or 'wool cards'.
Carding Wools
Wools that are too short to be treated by wool combing and
must be processed into
woolen
yarns. Synonymous with "clothing
wool".
Carpet Beetle
The larvae of this beetle eats wool and other protein fibers.
Various articles on fiber pests can be found
here.
Carpet Wool
Coarse, harsh, strong wool that is more suitable for carpets
than for fabrics. Very little of this type is produced in the
U.S. Some of the choicer carpet wools are used to make tweeds
or other rough sport clothing. Some breeds, like
Karakul,
are mainly used for rugs.
Cashgora
Fiber produced by crossing cashmere goats with angora goats.
Cashmere
Soft, silky fiber combed from the
cashmere goat
with a diameter of 18.5 microns or less. Cashmere has
excellent insulating power, providing warmth without weight or
bulk. It drapes beautifully, resists wrinkles, and sheds lint.
Costly because of limited supply.
Castle Wheel
The flyer is usually mounted above the wheel, which means less
floor space is used. A well-known example of this is the
Castle Wheel
at Alden Amos' site.
Cellulose Fiber
Or cellulosic fiber. Fibers produced form the cell walls of
plants, i.e., cotton, hemp, ramie.
Chaffy Wool
Wool containing a considerable amount of chaff -- finely
chopped straw.
Chambray
A general class of plain weave, usually cotton, made with a
colored warp and white weft.
Character
The evenness, distinctiveness, and uniformity of crimp
characteristic of their respective wool classes. A well-bred
wool of 'good character' will usually show a pronounced crimp
and distinct staple formation.
Charka
Charka (means wheel) was developed in India by Ghandi in early
1920's so the people of India could spin cotton thread and not
be dependent on foreign materials. A wonderful description of
the 'Khadi' or 'Swadeshi' movement can be found in
"A philosophy... handspun"
by G. Janani at the Hindu.com
site.
The
book-size Charka
is a mobile, self-contained charka. Charkas are designed for
spinning fine fibers such as cotton, silk, angora, and
cashmere, etc.
Charmeuse
Charmeuse is a satin weave silk with a crepe back sometimes
called crepe-backed satin.
Cheeses
Cheeses refer to the spirals of pencil roving produced on the
large mechanized carders. The fibers can be knit as is (the
original Lopi®) or can be spun up.
China Grass
An alternative name for
ramie,
a bast fiber.
Citric Acid Crystals
Substitute for Acetic Acid 56%. Use 1 teaspoon to replace 1
teaspoon Acetic Acid 56%.
Class-one Wool
Merino sheep produce the best wool which is relatively short,
but the fiber is strong, fine, and elastic and has good
working properties. Merino fiber has the greatest amount of
crimp of all wool fibers and has a maximum number of "scales":
two factors which contribute to its superior warmth and
spinning properties. These sheep produce class one wool.
Class-two Wool
Class-two wools are not quite as good as the Merino wool, but
this variety is nevertheless a very good quality wool. It is
50-200 mm in length, has a large number of "scales",
and has good working properties. This class of sheep
originated in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
Class-three Wool
These fibres are about 100-455 mm long, are coarser, and have
fewer "scales"
and less crimp than Merino and Class-two wools. As a result,
they are smoother, and therefore, they have more lustre. These
wools are less elastic and resilient. They are nevertheless of
good quality to be used for clothing. This class of sheep
originated in the United Kingdom.
Class-four Wool
These fibres are from 25-400 mm long, are coarse and hair
like, have relatively few "scales"
and little crimp, and therefore, more smoother and more
lustrous. This wool is less desirable, with the least
elasticity and strength.
Classification by Fleece
Wool shorn from young lambs differs in quality from that of
older sheep. Also, fleeces differ according to whether they
come from live or dead sheep, which necessitates standards for
the classification of fleeces.
Clean Content
The amount of clean, scoured wool remaining after removal of
all vegetable and other foreign material.
Clean Wool
Usually refers to scoured wool but occasionally it describes
grease wool that has a minimum amount of vegetable matter.
Clear Finishing
Usually, worsteds are not brushed, but closely sheared to give
the fabric a clean face and crisp feel. This is called clear
finishing. See also "unfinished
worsteds.
Clip
With angora goats, refers to the amount of hair removed from a
single animal.
Clock Reel
A device for winding hanks of yarn. Some come with various
kinds of counters. An image of a
clock reel
can be found at the Illinois State Museum site.
Clothes Moth
The larvae of this moth eats wool and other protein fibers.
Various articles on fiber pests can be found
here.
Clothing Wool
(Industry Term) Wool under 1.5 in. in length and distinguished
from combing wools by their shorter length. Principal
properties include softness, crimpiness, and felting ability;
see also "carding
wool".
Cloud Yarn
A term given to yarns of irregular twist obtained by
alternately holding one of the component threads while the
other, being delivered quickly, is twisted around it, and then
reversing the position of the two threads; thus producing
alternate clouds of the two colors.
Cloudy Wool
Wool that is off-color. It may be due to wool becoming wet
while poorly stored in a pile.
Coarse Wool
Wool that has a Blood grade of 1/4 or Common OR a numerical
count grade of 44's, 45's, or 48's, OR a micron count above
31. Coarse wool may have as few as 1 to 5 crimps per inch.
Coated Fleeces
Some wool producers coat their fleeces that cut down on the
amount of vegetable matter and weathering. Some images, from
Gleason's Fine Woolies, show
coated
sheep.
Color Fastness
The term used to describe the resistance of fabric to the loss
of color. There are several things which can cause loss of
color, the most important being washing and light.
Collapse Yarn
Collapse yarn is (usually) an over spun single, dried under
tension (see "blocking")
that is then knit or woven. When the item is moistened, the
yarn returns to its original elastic state. See "balanced
yarn".
Color
The actual color of the wool. In industry a bright white to
cream is most desirable; canary stains, brown or black stains
are undesirable.
Color Defect
Any color that is not removable in wool scouring, due to urine
stain, dung stain, canary yellow stain, or black fibers.
Color Fastness
That property of a dye, to retain its original hue, when
handled under normal conditions when exposed to light, heat,
or other conditions.
Combed fibers
Fibers that have combed. This process removes the short
fibers. When drawn off, the fiber is called "top".
Combing
An operation in the worsted system of fiber preparation that
removes the short fibers (see "noil",
"second
cuts") and foreign
impurities. The long fibers are straightened and laid
parallel. See also "wool
combs" and "worsted
preparation".
Combing, Dry
The preparing and combing of wool to which no oil has been
added.
Combing in Oil
The preparing and combing of wool to which oil has been added
to facilitate the manipulation of the fibers.
Combing Wool
Wools having sufficient length and strength to comb. According
to industry standards, the length of fibers for strictly fine
combing must be over 2.75 in., with an increase in length as
the wool becomes coarser.
Common
One of the U.S. Grades of wool. It is next to the coarsest
grade, and derives its name because it presumably comes from
sheep of common ancestry.
Complements
These are colors that are opposite one another on the hue
circle.
Condition
In grease wool, the amount of yolk and foreign impurities it
contains A fleece having a "heavy condition" would have a
large amount of shrinkage.
Consistency
The uniform distribution of all the fiber characteristics
within each lock and throughout the entire fleece.
Copp
This refers to the cone of fibers that builds up on a spindle.
Corduroy
A strong, durable fabric with cotton ground and vertical
cut-pile stripes (wales) formed by an extra system of filling
yarns. The foundation of the fabric can be either a plain or
twill weave.
Core-testing
The coring of bales or bags of wool to determine the clean
content (or "condition")
and yield.
Core Yarn
A yarn made by winding one yarn around another to give the
appearance of a yarn made solely of the outer yarn.
Cortical Cells
The spindle shaped cells forming the inside structure of a
fiber.
Cotted
A fleece that contains fibers that are matted (or "felted")
together.
Cotton
A cellulose fiber collected from the perennial shrub from the
genus Gossypium; predominantly G. hirsutum (upland or
long-staple cotton), but also some G. barbadense (Pima or
extra-long-staple cotton). A vegetable fiber consisting of
unicellular hairs attached to the seed of the cotton plant.
Most cotton is colored a light to dark cream, and its chemical
composition is almost pure cellulose. Colored cottons in
shades of tan, greens, blue, and rust are also less commonly
available. A distinct feature of the mature fiber is its
spirality or twist. For more information on cotton, you might
want to look at:
"Queen Cotton"
by Susan Druding from the
Textile Arts Forum.
Cotton Count
The cotton count expresses the number of hanks required to
make a pound of yarn. A hank of cotton is equal to 840 yards.
So 1 cc = 840 yards of cotton, the coarsest cotton yarn. A 3
cc yarn would then be one third as course and would be
expressed as 3/1 cc show that it is a single strand. Likewise
plies are designated by two numbers separated by a slash such
as 4/2 cc. This equals 3360 yards (4 x 840) of two-ply yarn.
This yields 1680 yards of yarn per pound (3360/2). An 8/4 cc
yarns would yield the same number of yards per pound, but
would be a 4 plies of finer yarn. So a Number 8 four-ply yarn
is the same diameter as a Number 4 two ply yarn.
Cotty Wool
Wool that has matted or felted on the sheep's back. Caused by
insufficient wool grease being produced by the sheep, usually
due to breeding, injury, or sickness. This type of defective
wool is more common in the medium to coarse wools. The fibers
cannot be separated without excessive breakage in
manufacturing.
Count
The number given to a yarn of any material, usually indicating
the number of hanks per pound of that yarn. May also refer to
the fineness to which a fleece may be spun. There are at least
three definitions. In raw wool, a number used to indicate
fineness, see "micron
count". In
worsted
yarn, the number of 560-yard skeins weighing one pound
(Bradford method). In
woolen
yarn, the number of 256-yard skeins weighing one pound
(Yorkshire method).
Crabbing
A term used in the textile industry. Crabbing sets the cloth
and yarn twist by rotating the fabric over cylinders through a
hot-water bath, or through a series of progressively hotter
baths, followed by a cold-water bath. Crabbing is done to
stabilize the fabric before dyeing and finishing and is
necessary only for
worsted
fabrics.
Crank
The extension of the "axle"
to the "footman".
Crease-Resistant
This refers to the ability of a fabric to resist and recover
from creasing during use. Wool is considered to be very crease
resistant, while cotton is not. And don't even get me started
on linen!
Crepe
A general classification of fabric characterized by a broad
range of crinkled or gained surface effects. Methods of making
crepe include the use of hard twisted yarns, special chemical
treatment, special weaves and embossing.
Crimp
The wave effect in the wool fiber. Usually the finer wools
show the most crimp. Uniformity of desired crimp generally
indicates superior wool.
- distinct
-
refers to crimps that are sharp and clear -- fine wools have
more crimps per inch
- bold
-
larger crimp refers to spaces widely apart -- coarser wools
have fewer crimps per inch.
In
yarns, crimp relates to the distortion of a yarn due to its
interlacing in a fabric.
Crimp Recovery
The ability of a yarn or fiber to return to its original
crimped state after being released from a tensile force.
Crocking
The name given to when excess dye rubs off from fibers.
Crinkle
The waviness of each individual fiber when separated from a
lock. It is responsible for elasticity and is usually
irregular.
Croop
Silk, especially after immersion in a weak acid, when
compressed and rubbed, gives out a peculiar rustling sound,
which is known as 'croop'.
Crocking
The transfer of dye stuff from one fabric to another item by
friction. This usually happens when a fabric or yarn has been
overdyed.
Cropping
The process of cutting the pile on a fabric to uniform height
or cutting loose fibres from the surface of a cloth after
weaving.
Crossbred or
Cross Bred
Wool produced by crossing different breeds of sheep.
Curl Yarn
A type of yarn which presents curls or loops of various sizes
all along its surface. It is usually produced as follows: Two
threads, a thick and a thin are twisted together, the thin
being held tightly and the thick thread slackly twisted around
it. This two-fold yarn is then twisted in the reverse
direction with another thin thread, this untwisting throwing
up the thick thread as a loop, the two fine threads holding
the loops firmly.
Cuticle
The outer layer of cells of a fiber which are hard, flattened
and do not fit together evenly and whose tips point away from
the fiber shaft forming serrated edges. These serrated edges
cause the fibers to grip together during processing and
manufacturing. See also "scales".
Crossbred Wool
A sheep bred from two distinct breeds; also a classification
for wool of medium fineness. In the U.S., wool obtained from
sheep of long-wool x fine-wool breeding. Usually this wool
grades at 3/8 or 1/2 blood. Please see
Wool Grades.
Crutched Wool
Wool that has been clipped from rear end and udder area of
ewes in the early spring to prevent collection of manure and
fly strike.
D
Damp Wool
Wool that has become damp or wet before or after bagging and
may mildew. This weakens the fibers and seriously affects the
spinning properties.
Doubling
The process of combing by twisting together two single yarns
to form a double yarn.
Doupion
A silk-breeding term used for double cocoons. It is also used
to refer to the rougher quality of silk.
Dead Wool
Wool taken from the sheep that have died on the range or have
been killed. Wool recovered from sheep that have been dead for
some time is occasionally referred to as 'merrin'. Wool taken
from sheep that have died on the range or have been killed.
Dead wool fiber is decidedly inferior in grade and is used in
low-quality cloth.
Decitex
A unit of weight indicating the fineness of yarns and equal to
a yarn weighting one gram per each 10,000 meters. The
abbreviation for this is "d'tex".
Defective Wool
Wool that contains excessive vegetable matter, such as burs,
seeds, and straw, or which is kempy, cotty, tender, or
otherwise faulty.
Degreasing
Any method that removes yolk, suint, and dirt from wool.
Degumming
The boiling-off of silk in silk and hot water, in order to
dissolve and wash away the natural gum (seracin) which
surrounds the fiber.
Delaine Wool
Fine, strictly combing wool, usually from Ohio and
Pennsylvania. Delaine wool does not necessarily have to come
from the Delaine-Merino; however, that breed is noted for this
class of wool.
Demi-lustre Wool
Wool that has some luster but not enough to be classed as
luster wool. Wool of this type is produced by the Romney and
similar breeds.
Denier
A unit of weight indicating the fineness of fiber filaments
and yarns, both silk and synthetic, and equal to a yarn
weighting one gram per each 9000 meters; used especially in
indicating the fineness of women's hosiery. The abbreviation
for this is "d" or "D".
Denim
A well-known basic cotton or blended fabric in a right- or
left-hand woven twill. Generally, the warp is dyed blue with a
weft.
Density
An index of the number of wool fibers per unit of a sheep's
body. Fine-wool breeds show greater fleece density than the
coarser wool breeds.
Dingy
Wool that is dark or grayish in color and generally heavy in
shrinkage. May be caused by excessive yolk, poor farming
conditions, or parasites.
Direct Dyes
A class of aniline dyes, so called because they have such
great affinity for cellulose fibers, i.e., cotton and linen.
While both these and acid dyes are sodium salts of dye acids,
direct dyes do not require the use of a mordant. Their shades
are duller than those of either acid or basic dyes and they
tend to have less tinctorial value than the basic dyes;
however, they have the very important advantages of being much
more lightfast than the basic dyes and possibly more so than
acid dyes.
Direction of Twist
(S twist or Z twist) To determine twist, hold yarn in a
vertical position and examine the angle of the spiral. The
angle of the S twist will correspond to the center portion of
the S. The angle of the Z twist will correspond to the center
portion of the Z. When spinning, the wheel should rotate
counter clockwise for an S twist and rotate clockwise for a Z
twist.
Dirty Tips
The weathering that occurs on the ends of some locks. These
may not completely wash out or evenly dye.
Distaff
A staff with a cleft or formed-end for holding flax from which
the fiber is drawn in spinning. May be attached to a spinning
wheel. The
Monastic Heritage Museum
shows a wheel-mounted distaff on a wheel from the 1800's.
Diz
The small tool that is used to help form and even top in wool
combing. Traditionally a diz was made out of carved horn. You
can also make (or buy) very nice ones out of wood. A cheap,
none-classy alternative is to trim a piece of plastic and
punch or drill a hole in the middle of it. I've seen this done
with the bottom corners of a plastic milk jug or a crescent
cut from a section of PVC pipe. As always, if it involves
worsted
spinning, please see
"Hand Woolcombing and Spinning"
by Peter Teal.
Dobby
A general term for a fabric woven on a special dobby loom,
which allows the weaving of small, geometric figures. A dobby
weave can often be distinguished from a plain weave by the
patterns are beyond the range of simple looms.
Doggy
Wools that have no character and show the results of lack of
breeding. These wools are usually short, coarse, and lacking
in feel.
Doff
To remove, as in doffing a drum carder.
Domestic Wools
All wools grown in your own country as opposed to those
imported.
Double Drive
Both the flyer and bobbin are driven by belts from the drive
wheel. The bobbin pulley (or whorl) is smaller, which
determines the spinning ratio. Some double drive wheels can be
converted to run with Scotch Tension.
Double Coated
Some breeds of sheep (and other fleece-bearing animals) have
two coats. Sometimes the double-coating refers to different
colors; perhaps a dark outer/longer coat. Sometimes this
refers to the length. Also referred to as "primitive".
Double Fleece
A fleece consisting of two year's growth.
Doupioni
A silk yarn reeled from two or more entangled cocoons and
producing a coarse yarn Generally used in fabrics such as
shantung or pongee. See "Reeled
Silk".
Down Twist
This is one of the two terms that Alden Amos uses when
discussing plying. This refers to an "S-Twist".
Alden maintains that people get so hung up trying to remember
whether an S-Twist is spun clockwise, that they lose track of
process. It really doesn't matter whether your singles are
spun S or Z, you just need to ply them in the opposite
direction.
Down Wool
Allso called 'Hill Wool'. Wool of medium fineness produced by
such breeds as the Southdown and the Shropshire. These sheep
are distinguised by their fine and curly wool of short staple,
which is especially adapted for making loose, rough, moss-like,
felted, carded yars for the production of clothing. These
wools are lofty and well suited for
woolen.
Much of the down wool runs 1/4 to 3/8 blood in quality. This
can be a great wool for felting.
Drafting (or Drawing)
The process of blending, levelling, and drawing out the fibers
from your drafting hand (usually your left) to your spinning
hand (usually your right) to produce a fine sliver.
Drafting Triangle
The small triangle of fibers that are formed between your
drafting hand and your fiber hand. This should never be longer
than the fiber length. Also called a "drafting triangle".
Drape
The way a fabric hangs. Drape is affected by yarns, weave
structure, and finish.
Drive Band
The cord that runs between the wheel and the flyer. A single-drive
band is a circle and is used with the Scotch Tension wheels. A
double-drive band is a figure-8 folded back on itself and
loops over the flyer unit and the speed whorl.
Drafting
The process of drawing out the fibers so that twist can enter
the fiber.
Drive Ratio
Ratio of wheel diameter to flyer whorl diameter (or bobbin
whorl on a bobbin lead wheel). Governs how much twist you get
in the yarn for each treadle.
To measure your wheel ratios, set up your wheel, tie a bright-colored
piece of yarn to your flyer arm, and adjust the treadle until
it is at the bottom of its movement. Slowly rotate the wheel,
while counting the flyer revolutions until the treadle returns
to it's original point. The bright yarn tied to the flyer arm
just makes it easier to count.
Drop Spindle
A spindle that hangs freely from the fiber source (as opposed
to a supported spindle). Probably so named by people who
haven't added enough twist.
Drum Carder
A rotating drum, covered with carding cloth, used to card
fibers. An example hand-cranked drum carder can be viewed on
the
Ashford
site.
Dry Combing
Preparing wool for
worsted
spinning without any oil. Also referred to as "French
combing".
Dry-Spun Flax
This is a term for spinning flax and mainly is a way of
differentiating it from 'wet-spun flax'. In dry-spun flax,
additional water is not added to the surface in spinning. It
produces a hairier, less-attractive yarn.
Dull
A yarn or fiber surface lacking in lustre.
Dusting
The second step in commercial wool processing (after sorting).
The purpose is to remove as much dirt and sand as is possible
before scouring.
Dye
There are many application classes of dyes, including acid
dyes, disperse dyes, reactive dyes, and natural dyes. Dyes may
be generally divided into natural and synthetic types. Natural,
or vegetative, dyes are obtained from berries, flowers, roots,
bark and more. Synthetic dyes are chemical compounds.
Dye Activator
The recommended pure alkali powder for use with all reactive
dyes on cotton and cellulose fibers. Also used to scour fabric
along with Synthrapol.
Dyeability
The capacity of fibers to accept dyes.
Dye bath
The solution (usually water) containing the dyes, dyeing
assistants and any other ingredients necessary for dyeing.
Dyed in the Wool
Fabrics or yarns where the fibers were dyed prior to
processing.
Dyeing
The process of applying a comparatively permanent color to
fiber, yarn or fabric by immersing in a bath of dye.
E
Eastern Pulled Wool
Wool is pulled from the skins after it has been loosened,
usually be a depilatory. Pulled wool should not be confused
with dead wool.
Elasticity
The ability to return to its original length after being
stretched or compressed. Wool has more elasticity than cotton,
with finer wools stretching up to 30% of their original length.
Electric 'wheel'
A flyer on bearings driven by a small motor. Very compact, can
be useful for people with limited use of legs. Very portable,
can be battery powered.
End
A warp yarn.
English Combs
The multi-pitch (commonly 4-pitch) hand combs used in
preparing top.
Evenness
This term refers to the uniformity of the fiber throughout the
fleece.
Exhaustion
The amount of dye taken from the dye bath by the fiber, yarn
or fabric being dyed. Also, the condition of the dyer at the
end of the day.
F
Fabric
Any cloth woven or knitted from fibres.
Fall Wool
Wool shorn in the fall following 5-6 months of growth.
Fast Color
A dye which is stable to color destroying agents, such as
sunlight, perspiration, washing, abrasion, and pressing.
Fellmongedring
The process of gathering wool from the fleeces of dead sheep.
Felt or Felting
Non-woven fabric made by layering thin sheets of carded wool
fibers, then applying heat, moisture and pressure to shrink
and compress the fibers into a thick matted cloth that will
not ravel or fray.
Feltability
The degree to which fibers will consolidate by felting.
Felting
The matting together of fibres during processing or use.
Felting Property
The property of wool and some other fibers to interlock with
each other to create felt. Felting is caused by the
directional friction effect of scales on the fiber surfaces.
The factors involved in felting are the fiber structure, the
crimp of the fibers, the ease of deformation of the fiber and
the fiber's power of recovery from deformation.
Fiber
The fundamental component used in making textile yarns and
fabrics. Fibres are fine substances with a high ratio of
length to thickness. They can be either natural or synthetic (man-made).
Natural fibres are of animal origin (wool, mohair, etc.) or
vegetable origin (cotton, linen, etc.) or mineral origin (asbestos).
Synthetic fibres are produced from naturally occurring
material, mainly wood pulp or cotton lint, and the most
commonly used example of this form of fibre is rayon. Manmade
fibres are produced directly by the polymerisation of
synthetic chemicals at present obtained as by-products of the
petro-chemical industry: typical examples are nylong and
polyester.
Fiber Fineness
The mean fiber diameter which is usually expresses in microns.
Fiber Length
The staple length of the fiber. On combing wools, this is
often 3-8 inches, on the down wools 1.5-3 inches. With cotton,
it may be 1/4-1 inch long. Bast fibers, likes flax, may have a
staple length of 36 inches.
Fiber Thickness
The average diameter of the fiber.
Filament
A fiber of indefinite or extreme length, some of them miles
long. Silk is a natural filament, while nylon and polyester
are synthetic filaments. Filament fibers are generally made
into yarn without the spinning operation required of shorter
fibers, such as wool and cotton. Filament yarns are smoother
and more lustrous than spun yarns.
Fine Wool
The finest grade of wool -- 64's or finer, according to the
numerical count grade OR wool with an 18 to 24 micron count.
Also, the wool from any of the Merino breeds of sheep. Fine
wools may have as many as 30 crimps per inch.
Finishing
This refers to additional steps used after the yarn is removed
from the bobbin. See
brushing
and
fulling
Flame Retardant
Any process which can improve the resistance of a fabric to
burning.
Flammability
The ability of a textile to burn under specified test
conditions.
Flannel
Traditionally, an all-wool fabric of plain or twill weave with
a soft
handle.
Flax
A slender, erect, annual plant (genus Linum having
narrow, lance-shaped leaves and blue flowers, cultivated for
its fiber and seeds. The fiber of this plant, manufactured
into linen yarn for thread in woven fabrics.
Fleece
The wool from one sheep, either as it comes from the animal or
after it is rolled into a bundle and tied.
Fleece Wools
Wools produced on farms in areas east of the Rockies,
inclusive of those produced east of the Mississippi River.
Flicker
A hand tool that looks like a small hand card on a long handle.
To use it, hold one end of a lock of wool in your left hand
rested on your thigh and "flick" the tool up and down with
your other hand catching the end of the fiber. This will open
out the lock and make it easier to spin. It is recommended to
wear a sturdy pair of jeans or place a leather pad on your
left thigh.
Flyer
A rotating device that adds twist to the slubbing or roving
and winds the stock onto a spindle or bobbin in a uniform
manner.
Flyer Bearings
Holds the flyer, same material as used in wheel bearings
Folded Yarns
Another term for plied yarns.
Flyer Lead
A single band drives the flyer. The bobbin has an adjustable
friction band to slow it. A well-known example of this would
be the
Ashford Traditional.
Follicle
The skin structure from which hair or wool fiber grows.
Footman
The vertical connection between the treadle and the crank
Formosul
Sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate. It is the preferred discharge
for silk and wool which requires steaming.
Frame Spinning
The manufacture of yarn by attenuating a sliver by means of
rollers and then inserting twist by means of a flyer, a ring
and traveller, or a cap. (A commercial term.)
Frame Wheel
The flyer is usually mounted above the wheel, which means less
floor space is used. Also called a "castle
wheel". A well-known example
of this is Alden Amos'
castle wheel.
Free Wools
Usually means wool that is free from defects, such as
vegetable matter.
French Combing Wool
Wools that are intermediate in length between strictly combing
and clothing. French combs can handle fine wools from 1.25:2.5
in. in length. Yarns that have been produced with the French
combing method are combed dry; without oil added. (See
Bradford Spinning.) The yarn is softer and loftier than the
Bradford (worsted)
yarn.
Fribby Wool
Wool containing an excessive amount of second cuts and/or
sweat locks.
Frowzy Wool
A wasty, lifeless-appearing,dry, harsh wool, lacking in
character. See "lofty".
Fugitive Colors
Dyes that fade, especially those that lose color relatively
quickly when exposed to natural light.
Fulling
The operation of shrinking and felting a
woolen
fabric to make it thicker and denser. Also called "milling".
You can also full woolen yarn to give you a lovely knitting
yarn. (If you were going to weave with the same yarn, you wait
until you had woven the fabric.)
Fulling Agent
A chemical, usually a surfactant, that acts as a lubricant
during the process of fulling.
G
Garnetted Yarn
A yarn that has little bits ("garnets") of other fibers carded
in. Usually the garnets are of a different color -- but they
can also be from a different fiber.
Gassed Yarns
Spun cellulose yarns passed over a heat source (or through a
flame) to remove unwanted fibers on the surface. This gives a
smoother surface but is not recommended at home. (Cellulose
fibers are quite flammible.)
Gauge
A means of designating wool or mohair, primarily according to
the fineness or length of fiber. There are three major ways to
determine and refer to them:
blood grade,
Bradford count,
and
micron
measure.
Gilling
A commercial process called "pin drafting" used to produce top
fibers.
Ginning
The mechanical process that removes the cotton fibers from the
seed.
Glauber's Salt
Sodium sulfate. An acid used in dyeing to help the protein
fibers to take colors evenly (leveling). Used in acid dyein