Woollen and Worsted Yarns

Wool yarns of superior quality and appearance spun from the better qualities of wools, and by a much more elaborate preparation for spinning than woollen yarns receive. The aim is to assemble or rearrange the constituent fibres of the yarns as near parallel as possible, and to remove by combing all the short fibres that would otherwise spoil the regularity, smoothness and lustre which is characteristic of worsted yarns. The broad definition that - worsted yarns are combed and woollen yarns are not - still holds good. There are four methods in common use for spinning worsted yarns, i.e., cap spinning, mule, flyer and ring spinning, each having special characteristics that make it more suitable than the other for spinning certain types and counts.

A term which originally denoted carded wool yarn spun from wool fibre unsuitable for combing or rejected as noil from the wool combing machine. Now it denotes an infinitely varied class of yarns spun from virgin wool, re-used wool and other materials mixed in every conceivable manner, and prepared for spinning by carding and condensing. Woollen yarns are coarser than worsted and owing to the omission of combing in preparing the yarn for spinning, the component fibres are not parallelised, hence the yarns are fuller and have more projecting ends of fibres due to the presence of a greater proportion of short fibres. Woollen yarn spinning is a means of making serviceable yarns from fibres too short to be used by the worsted method of yarn preparation.

An extremely varied class of textures comprising ladies' dress materials, suitings, overcoatings, shawls, machinery felts, etc., in which all classes of wool not used for worsted spinning are utilised, along with all classes of wool wastes, re-used wools, cotton and other materials mixed, blended and twisted into yarns too varied in character to enumerate. Special treatments of the cloth in finishing such as milling, felting, raising, etc., make woollens in their various classes among the most generally useful of outer clothing textures.

(See knitting). All yarns used for knitting are termed hosiery yarns in Leicester, but in America only yarns actually used for knitted footwear come under this term. These yarns are much softer than required for weaving. Miscellaneous Yarns - Goat wools, such as llama and alpaca are employed in spinning. yarns for the knitting trade. Vicuna and camel yarns are used to a limited extent. Ramie yarn is specially employed for knitting gas mantle fabrics. Soft spun flax yams have been used for making underwear fabric. Chenille and other manufactured threads are used to a small extent in warp knitting. Composite yarns, such as union yarns - spun from a mixture of wool and cotton fibres; cordon yarns - cotton and worsted singles, doubled together; wool and rayon or spun silk, cotton and rayon or spun silk are largely used to produce self or two-colour effects. Fancy yarns, such as slub yams, voiles, and curled and loop yarns are also employed. Hosiery Yarns (Cotton) include condenser, hosiery, condenser lisle thread, mercerised and sewing cottons. Condenser yarns are spun in coarse counts from low-grade cotton, Indian and American. They are carded, condensed and mule spun, and possess little twist. Hosiery cotton yarns vary considerably in counts and qualities, practically all varieties of Indian, American and Egyptian being used in varying proportions to obtain suitable mixture for quality and price. Cheaper yarns are carded and mule spun. American and Egyptian cotton yarns are combed mainly with the object of removing seed particles. High-class Egyptian and Sea Islands cotton yarns are super-combed. The chief features of a hosiery cotton yam should be: (1) Regularity; (2) cleanliness; (3) fullness. Regularity prevents the making of cloudy fabric, showing thick and thin places. Cleanliness is essential, as the seed particles clog the eyelet hole in the yam guides and cause breakages. Fullness is desirable to cover the loop interstices. Elasticity and pliability are quite as essential as tensile strength. Yams are usually soft spun and if two-fold soft doubled, average twists in two-fold being 2/10's 6¹/₂T., 2/20's 8¹/₂T., 2/30's 10T., 2/40's 16T., 2/80's 20T. Softer twist less 25 to 30 per cent of average (T= turns per inch). Lisle thread is a comparatively hard-twisted and doubly-gassed thread in which there are no projecting fibres. It is always of a two-fold character, and the doubling twist varies from 24 to 34 turns per inch in 2/60's. It is used largely in the manufacture of ladies' hose tops and feet and for lace hosiery. Mercerised yams are used largely in the fancy trade, a comparatively soft twist again being employed. Sewing cottons for seaming, linking and making-up are specially prepared in two to six cord open and reverse twist. Woollen and Worsted Yarns include lamb's wool, wheeling, skein yarns, gala yams (woollens), worsted, crossbreds, fingering, cashmere, dry spun botany (see under each name). Worsted and crossbred yarns of various qualities are used. These yams are spun softly with " hosiery twist." The drawing may be open, cone or French, and the spinning may take place on cap, ring or flyer frames. The chief essentials of hosiery yarn are softness of fibre, fullness, minimum of twist consistent with the requisite tensile strength, regularity, pliability and elasticity. Cashmere Yarns, as used in the knitted goods industry, are spun from short, loose and weak wools as well as from better qualities by French drawing and mule spinning. A small proportion of real cashmere is used for outer garments. In recent years nylon yarns have been largely employed.

A common term for fine mixed effects in woollen and worsted fabrics. Twist yarns are used both ways in dark and light mixtures.

A cloth made with stripes by using warp yarns of different twists; one stripe has left-hand and the next right-hand twisted yarn. When dyed a shadowy effect is produced. The left-hand twisted yarn is usually tinted in sizing with a loose colour to enable the operatives to distinguish it from the other twist. " Shadow Fabrics " is the name given to this type of fabric in the woollen trade. They are made in all weights and in checks as well as stripes. Suiting fabrics are very popular in browns, blues, greys and blacks. Fine worsted yarns are general. Checks are also made with right- and reverse-twist yarns in the weft.

Super woollen yarns, made on the worsted principle, from high-class wools known as merinos. Wools are graded from 28's to 100's and the qualities above 60's are the merinos. They are full, soft and durable, and used for the best suitings and dress goods. The term botany is only applied to those yarns which are of 60's quality or over.

A class of goods noted in histories of British fabrics, said to have been introduced early in the 17th century, and then declared to be made of combed wool, though later the cloths were composed of mixed woollen and worsted yarns. Similar to lastings and Long Ells.

Combinations of coloured woollen and worsted yarns for tweeds and homespuns used in a manner which mingles the colours in simulation of heather mixtures.

General term for processes after winding concerned in preparing weaver's and knitter's warps. Methods of warping vary according to (1) the yarns employed (2) whether they are sized or not, and (3) at what state sizing takes place. There are at least seven methods of warp preparation, e.g., beam warping, direct warping, mill warping on vertical mills, section warping on horizontal mills and in cheeses on section blocks, Scotch dresser sizing, Scotch warp dressing, and Yorkshire warp dressing. Beam Warping is the system in general use for making grey cotton goods. The beam warper comprises a creel for the supply ends, which may be on double-flanged bobbins, cones or cheeses, and a beaming head which comprises mechanism for mounting and rotating a warper's beam and means for winding the yarn from the creel supply on to the beam under suitable tension. The number of ends and length of warp on a back or warper's beam is related to what is required in the weaver's beam. Assuming the weaver's beams were required to have 2928 ends, 24's warp, and 8 cuts of 96 yards each, the back beams for a set might have 2928: 6 = 488 ends, and 2 X 6 X 8 X 96 = 9216 yards. On the slasher sizing machine six back beams would be run together, thereby producing 12 weaver's beams each containing 2928 ends 768 yards long. Warp Beaming Speeds - With the old type of warp beaming machine taking supply from unrolling double-flanged bobbins, the warping speed would be about 70 yards per minute. In modern beam warpers taking supply overend from cones, the warping speed is up to 250 yards per minute. With beam barrels of 4¹/₂-in. dia., and up to 500 yards per minute with barrels of 10-in. dia. Warp and Weft Knitted Fabrics - Warp knitted fabrics in which extra yarn is introduced in the form of weft threads which are laid in between the warp threads and their needles for the purpose of adding extra weight and for patterning purposes. Warp Loom Tapes - Narrow knitted fabrics usually less than one inch wide used for trimming garments. They are knitted on circular latch needle machines, but the tapes are flat. Direct Warping - A method used in making warps for towels, fustians, and other fabrics in which the total number of ends can be accommodated in one creel, say not more than 1,000 ends. The threads are run from the creel direct to the weaver's beam on a machine similar to that used in section beam warping. Mill Warping - There are two distinctly different methods of mill warping. On the vertical mill, which may be anything up to 20 yards in circumference, the number of ends in the complete warp is obtained by repeating the runs the required number of times, e.g., with 200 bobbins in the creel, 4 runs would give a warp of 800 ends. The length of the warp is determined by the number of revolutions made by the mill for each run. The horizontal mill is much used in Yorkshire for making woollen and worsted warps It is used to a small extent for cotton warps and is largely used for making silk and rayon warps. The mill or swift is usually about 5 yards in circumference. Its distinctive feature is the making of warps in sections which are wound on the mill in overlapping manner. The creel capacity varies from 250 to 600 ends, and with 500 ends in the creel a warp of 5,000 ends would require ten sections. Section Warping for Coloured Goods - This is a system of making coloured striped warps from hank-dyed and bleached yarns. The bobbins are creeled to pattern, one or more complete patterns to each section. Each section is the full length of the warp and is run on a small section block keywayed to fit a key on the shaft of the subsequent beaming machine where the sections are placed side by side and run on the weaver's beam. Scotch Dresser Sizing - There are two systems of warp preparation known as Scotch dressing. 1. Dresser sizing used for sizing warps for linen damasks, etc. Back beams are first made and placed in two beam creels, one on each side of the headstock. The threads from several back beams are collected in one sheet of yarn, sized by passage through a size-box, brushed by a revolving brush, dried by hot air, and passed vertically upwards where both sheets of warp threads are united and pass on to the weaver's beam in a single sheet. Scotch Warp Dressing - The other method of Scotch dressing is used in the preparation of coloured striped warps, usually from warp-dyed and bleached yarn. It consists in splitting off from ball warps previously dyed or bleached and sized, the number of ends of each colour required in the finished warp. Each group is then wound on separate flanged warpers' beams. These beams are placed in a creel and the ends drawn through a reed according to pattern, and wound finally on to the weavers' beams. Yorkshire Warp Dressing - This is a system used mostly in the preparation of coloured striped warps. It is also invaluable in preparing warps dyed and sized in warp form to prevent shadiness in the cloth. Four warps with the same number of ends in each are dyed the same colour, and in sleying, one end from each warp is put in each dent of the reed. Any tendency to shadiness arising from irregularity in dyeing is thereby effectively eliminated. In striped work the required ends are split off if necessary from a larger ball warp, sleyed to pattern in the reed, and then run under controlled tension on to the weaver's beam. The dresser uses a brush as long as the width of the warp to brush out entangled places where the threads have adhered together with size. Yorkshire dressing provides perfect warps with every thread in its proper place on the weaver's beam, no crossed or missing threads, and a minimum of knots.

A cleansing treatment of woollen and worsted fabrics designed to remove wool fats which have remained in the yarns during processing, or any oily and fatty matters that have been added to assist processing into yarns. The usual method is saponification in which the free fatty acids of the oils are converted into soaps by the action of alkali in the scouring machine. The strength of the scouring solution, time of treatment, temperature of the scour are varied in accordance with the amount of oil to be removed, the character of the fabric, etc.

A coarse, woollen cloth known as early as the 12th century, a finer quality being called " say." It was much used during the Middle Ages for all portions of attire by the poorer classes, and in the piece for the decoration of houses. ———————— The specification issued by the U.S.A. Government is as follows: - Cotton and worsted serge for overcoat lining shall be of single or 2-ply cotton warp and single or 2-ply worsted filling, the wool to be not below 46's grade; the width shall be full 36-in. exclusive of the selvedge and shall weigh from 6-oz. to 7-oz. per linear yard; it shall be woven in regular serge weave and constructed so as to give a fabric with good body and twill line on the face and containing approximately equal quantities of worsted and cotton yarns throughout; to be navy-blue, fast to the light, with both sets of threads and to be put up into bookfold. ———————— This term was formerly applied in Yorkshire to rough handling coarse wool fabrics woven in a twill design. An old 6-end serge was a simple diagonal 3 up, 1 down, 1 up, 1 down. The term serge is now almost universally understood to mean the 2 & 2 twill, and sometimes the 3 & 3 and the 4 & 4 twills. In wool fabrics it is the practice to add to the name serge, the definition of botany to distinguish fine wool serges from cross-bred qualities. A typical botany worsted serge, 2 & 2 twill weave, 21-02. per yard, 56/58-in. is made with 2/20's worsted 64/70's quality, S twist, 46 ends and 46 picks per inch, 72-in. wide in loom, woven white arid piece-dyed. The cloth is clear finished so as to obtain a well-defined twill effect. A usual weight for ladies' costume serge is 12/13-oz. per yard. Serges are made in many qualities ranging from 12-oz. to 26-oz. per yard. Crossbred worsted yarns are used in making the rougher and stronger types, while woollen yarns are also used. A serge which is extensively used in uniforms for transport workers is made with two-fold cross-bred worsted yarn for warp and single Cheviot woollen yarn for weft. The cloth is woven white or grey and piece-dyed.

A dress fabric woven from worsted yarns for warp and woollen for weft, either with the 2 X 1 warp twill or 5-end satin weave. The sett in the warp is much closer than in weft. The finish is a raised one. The illustration shows the 5-end satin design. One quality is made 40's worsted warp, 32's woollen weft, 80 X 40, per inch. Also made with wool warp and worsted weft in 5-end satin weave with twill running to the left. About 80 X 48, 2/60's warp, 40's worsted weft, from 45 to 56-in. The finish is nap raised and dress-face. Shrinkage about 12 per cent

A fancy yarn used in the wool trade. It is spun from fibres which have been dyed in various colours before spinning and these are mixed together to produce a desired tone. It may be woollen or worsted spun. Typical yarns are heather, lovats and tinted greys.

A delicate serge or woollen cloth made of worsted yarns in 4-shaft twill weave. Usually dyed black and used for shirts by certain religious orders, and for aprons by the quakers. Mentioned in 1739 as being made at Sudbury, near Colchester, also in Holland.

A delicate serge or woollen cloth made of worsted yarns in 4-shaft twill weave. Usually dyed black and used for shirts by certain religious orders, and for aprons by the quakers. Mentioned in 1739 as being made at Sudbury, near Colchester, also in Holland.

A woollen fabric, used for draperies and table covers. Woven from fine worsted yarns in 2 X 2 twill weave, piece-dyed in many colours.

A French woollen dress material woven in small brocade designs, from merino wool in light weights. It has a soft handle and is dyed black. It was also made in Yorkshire about 1840 of worsted yarns.

French woollen manufacturers make a fabric on jacquard looms in many coloured effects from fine worsted and woollen yarns that they term cashmere shawls. At the best they are only imitations. ———————— The natives of Kashmir and Tibet have made these shawls for centuries, and they are, perhaps, the finest textiles known. They are made on hand looms from hand spun yarns of Pashmina wool. Either plain or twill weave, one or more colours, in numerous gorgeous designs and often being embroidered. A doubled warp yarn and single weft is usual, the weft being wound on small sticks to use as shuttles. There are numerous varieties, of which the most esteemed are Doshalla, Kussaba, Jamewar and Ulwan. The fabric is also used for gowns and dress purposes (see kasabeh, jamawar). The ornaments of the shawls are denoted by different names, viz: - Pala - The whole of the embroidery at the two ends. Hashia - The border, one at each side. Zanjir (or Chain) - Runs above and also below the principal mass of the Pala and confines it. Dhour (or Running Ornament) - Situated to the inside in regard to the Hashia and the Zanjir enveloping the whole field. Kunjbutha - A cornet ornament of clustered flowers. Mitton - The field or ground within the borders. Matton - The decorated part of the field. Butha - Generic term for flowers, especially the cone-like ornaments (see butha)

These are woollen cloths woven from crossbred wool yarns and this type of wool is generally classed in three qualities - fine, medium and low. Fine - The fibre has good length, is uniform, and has a spinning limit of about 48's worsted counts. These are used for coatings, and dress fabrics of a medium quality. Medium - Similar to fine, but of a lower quality and the spinning limit is about 40's worsted counts. Used for such fabrics as Cheviots, and others that require a crisp handle. Low - Spins to about 32's worsted counts, and is used for cheap low worsteds.