wool thread dimensions, sourcing

[Steve Ashton]

There are a wide and confusing range of ways that yarn is categorized and measured.
In general, if you see yarn listed with two numbers like a fraction - ie 16/2 it will usually be a weaving yarn.
There will normally be some letters before the numbers. ie Nm or Ne.

The first number usually means how heavy a single ply of the yarn is. (but these numbers can be reversed under some systems.)

Nm 16/2 means that there would be 16, 1000meter lengths in one Kilogram. This is the Metric Cotton Count. This may or may not be used for wool.
Ne 16/2 would mean that there are 16 lengths of 840 yards of yarn in one pound. This is the English Cottom Count, which also may or may not be used for wool.

The second number would be how many plys are in the yarn.

This is a 3 ply knitting yarn which is measured by at least 8 different and totally unrelated systems.




A very common Tartan weaving Yarn is 20/2 wool.
Here is just one source - https://woolery.com/lamana-milano-yarn.html


If you see the yarn listed as no.2, WPI, with a word like 'lace', or meters/100 grams you are usually dealing with a knitting yarn.

Each country such as the UK, the EU, AU, and Japan all use different systems.
The British Ply System is totally different from the Craft Yarn Council numbering system and has nothing to do with how many individual plys are in the yarn.

This is a kilt made from hand woven fabric, in the Wildcat Tartan, woven by one of our members. He used 20/2 wool yarns for most with the yellow being silk.



The loom he used was a 48 inch, 12 shaft, manual dobby, with flying shuttle which is now owned by my wife.

His hose were knit by me on my Hand-Cranked Circular Sock Knitting Machine in color-coordinating colors.

Here is a sample of the fabric and the hose.
If I am not mistaken this was 16oz fabric woven from Merino and silk at 80 epi.



That is a 1 inch grid on the table.

[NHhighlander]

(Uh, I tried to "aye" your comment, double-clicked, almost called the cops on you. Clumsy me.)

There are a wide and confusing range of ways that yarn is categorized and measured.

This is so refreshing to hear! ("validating," said a colleague in similar circumstances)
It's not that I'm slow or something, it's just the way it is. Got it.

A very common Tartan weaving Yarn is 20/2 wool.
Here is just one source - https://woolery.com/lamana-milano-yarn.html

If you see the yarn listed as no.2, WPI, with a word like 'lace', or meters/100 grams you are usually dealing with a knitting yarn.

Hmmm, I'm coming across that word, "lace," a lot, which nags me some as the heavy manly kilt made with delicate lace-rated material...
Definitely NOT the kind of yarn that I grew up with, anyway.

indeed, 2/20 or 20/2 seems to be the "what," as I am digging deeper into suppliers.
Yet, when the WPI is indicated (wraps per inch) these are disclosed in the 15, 18 range. Good to know that indicates it's knitting yarn.

I want at least 25, 30 warp threads per inch or better. 40+? The Duncan sett is 288 as per the Register. If I want two "canonical" setts in my 22-inch-bellybutton-to-floor-kneeling plus a neat fancy selvedge pattern, it is kind of close, and I'd have to do permutations if I want three. And I do want three, somehow it "looks" nicer to me, but that's, lessee, (288 x 3 + 100)/22, 43 EPI.... 964 heddles. Add 10% for constriction or whatever is called as the weave naturally shrinks.
Past the K barrier.
Yet, as Mom said, piano, piano (se arriva lontano).

This is a kilt made from hand woven fabric, in the Wildcat Tartan, woven by one of our members. He used 20/2 wool yarns for most with the yellow being silk.

Yeah, @Truitt! I did read his tale.
Hmm, let's link it here also, a worthy conversation for an outstanding, inspiring project!
Hand Woven Tartan Fabric
https://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/...n-fabric-88967

His hose were knit by me on my Hand-Cranked Circular Sock Knitting Machine in color-coordinating colors.

Mouth watering post there is, about your hand cranked sock knitting machine (which was actually invented by a local to Franklin, New Hampshire, don't remember his name off my head. Or so the Laconia museum says...)

Here is a sample of the fabric and the hose.
If I am not mistaken this was 16oz fabric woven from Merino and silk at 80 epi.

80 EPI . Are we talking EPI as one way, i.e, count for warp (then, add the same count for weft, of course), then a total of 160 threads in a 1-inch piece of fabric, because 80 + 80? (warp + weft), or is it that 80 EPI means 40 + 40? I'm afraid that the 'net is confusing, also...
(I sort of seem to recall Truitt mentioning "40" somewhere, but I could easily be mistaken)



In other news, the first results of the natural dye experiments. The red is cochineal, the brown is local NH lychen+iron (some iron fertilizer I had on hand), both first soaked in alum. Top and second from the left is Amazon-sourced, the rest is Bolivian Highlands homespun. Now green, blue, black...

NaturalColorYarn.jpg