Guide to fabrics | Types of wool fabrics | Kinds of wool fabric

[@carolineedmistoncooki3fair631]

This series is so professionally done! The editing is spot on, with all the cut ins, and makes it so easy to see exactly what you are talking about.

[@ingridfromtoronto]

Human wool too! Also known as 4c kinky hair. So fascinating. Thank you for the content.

[@elizabethtaylor4448]

Hi girls. Loving this series. Can I help you a bit , Alpaca, Camel, Yak are not classified as "wools". They are in fact a hair. Its all about the structure. Hair is smooth & some of them are hollow.This is where they get their warmth factor from as the air is trapped within the fibre.Wool only comes from a sheep or goat. The wool fibre has a rougher look to it under a microscope. Mohair is from an Angora goat. Angora is from a specific type of rabbit called an Angora Rabbit . The fineness of wool is from the breed of the sheep. There are some breeds like Shetland that are a very fine wool. Obviously there are longer wools like Merino that are fine.There are some though such as Lincoln that are very course & used mainly for carpets.The width of the wool fibre dictates how fine it is & is measured in "microns". I know its all a bit confusing if you are not used to all those fibres. Im a spinner so I use all of these fibres when I spin yarn. They all have different properties & uses. The way the fibres are spun changes the way a fabric feels. A worsted spun yarn creates a very smooth yarn which is used in suiting. A woolen spun yarn is more lofty & that would be used in something like a Boucle.

[@StitchSisters]

Elizabeth Taylor thank you so much, that’s incredibly helpful 😘

[@StitchSisters]

Elizabeth Taylor thanks Elizabeth. We stuck with wool rather than hair as it’s what the fibres are commonly called when bought, rather than confuse things. Great info tho, thanks x

[@elissascotland6100]

Fabulous info Elizabeth Taylor. Thank you. There's even more info you/we could add....wool is the fibre/fiber, wol(l)en is the fabric....combing vs carding....I love learning about fibres. (Aussie/Brit/almost US citizen hence the random spelling.)

[@versot]

Elizabeth and Elissa you seem very knowledgeable so perhaps you can help me: Merino base layers (t-shirts and underwear) are known for their thermal properties and especially for the fact that it does not retain smells the way man made fibres do in sport wear. Now if I want to make my own base layers, can I just buy any soft wool jersey or does it have to say merino. Also, will a wool blend have the same wool properties if it is majority wool? Pardon my rambling and thank you. 😁 Thank you so much for this series Stitch sisters, I have been looking for just such a series for ages.

[@elissascotland6100]

Hi versot. I'll try to help but am no expert. Merino wool fibres are very fine (thin) and can feel very soft. Blacks outdoor supply/clothing shop has an online guide to layering. I don't know if I/we are allowed to include a link; see www.blacks.co.uk/blog/2016/09/the-layering-system-a16

[@sewagnes6706]

Great info on wool ladies. That's me seen all of your fabric vids now and I've learnt so much. Thanks again for doing these x

[@triciahulehan47]

Thanks for an informative talk on wool. When I turned on closed circuit so I could better understand you, the translation of wool in the CC is Wolf. So you were talking about the different kinds of wolves. :)

[@veragiles981]

Many thanks, girls! I'm really enjoying working through these videos. Full of useful information. Very helpful to see you handling the fabrics so that we can see the drape etc. Right.....! On to video 5 now!!

[@StitchSisters]

Vera Giles well done !!!

[@peggyblackburn9981]

Again Thank You. side note.. Love your note above "( unless you count hoarding and stroking)"

[@danih5631]

Thanks so much for doing this series! Learning so much from this :D

[@denbeesewswhat9841]

I remember years ago (well when I was in my 20s) signing up to an adult education dressmaking course and the first top I made was using a beautiful khaki wool challis - wool challis is gorgeous but its not always easy to find anymore.

[@StitchSisters]

Den Bee Sews What that’s why we love Minerva....they have fabrics other stores don’t have.

[@ajlugton1]

Plus wool (merino) is naturally antimicrobial and water repellent, and can also absorb multiple times its own weight in water before it actually feels wet, which is why it's so great for winter coats! Outdoor enthusiasts wear a lot of it as base layers, and I even wear very light merino shirts in an Australian summer, believe it or not.

[@Hippespinster]

Hi, thank you for all the informative video's! I just ordered my first serger and now I am educating myself before it arrives. I do think you were not correctly informed about wool. ☺ The length of the fiber (staple length) has nothing to do with softness. There are long fibers that are coarse and short fibers that are soft. And vice versa. Long fibers usally make more of a smooth yarn (called worsted spun) and has more sheen and drape. Short fibers are more suited for a lofty and fluffy yarn (called woolen spun). But there is so much variety in different fibers and the sort of prep and spinning of the yarns. Softness will come mostly from the micron count. That is the thickness of the fiber. And the way it is spun. If it is spun tightly you loose a lot of softness. I hope you don't take it the wrong way, but I had to write someting as I am a very enthusiastic fiber artist who likes to teach about the craft a little bit 😅😄

[@StitchSisters]

No thats absolutely fine, we appreciate you letting us know. Like we say, we are not experts ourself but it sounds like you know your fibres! Thanks for sharing with us. x

[@ammarmuhammad3923]

what would be suitable to make a letterman jacket, varsity jackets?

[@olive5890]

As a knitter i can clarify that finer wool is based on smaller micron (diameter of fibre) not length of fibre 😉

[@PsychicKathleen]

Thank you for another informative video! I just learned more about wool than I ever would have imagined. That wool challis! WOW :) What would you recommend in terms of thread? Do you use cotton or poly thread? Do you need to finish the seams?

[@vuyiswamasombuka583]

Thank you very much 🥰 for this informative video. This just what I needed. I've been a follower for years now, I don't know how I missed this when it 1st came out 😅

[@happyshopper570]

Great video which couldn't have appeared at a better time. I have brought some expensive flannel wool to make a winter dress with and it looks like the kind of material that i have seen on dry clean only garments. Could you PLEASE tell me how do i pre-wash this without ruining this gorgeous fabric? Hand wash? machine wash? hot water? . Thank you so much!!!

[@addiekl]

happy shopper Generally it's not advised to wash woven wool fabric (wool knits are okay in cold water by hand). Look up shrinking wool by steam pressing. Or you can dry clean the fabric, which I have done before but it's fairly expensive, usually about $20. I had some wool suits made abroad: I bought the fabric but had no dry cleaning available. I am guessing that the seamstress steam pressed the fabric prior to cutting out but I don't know. I have not had any problems with dry cleaning the finished garments for years afterwards. I hope that's helpful.

[@happyshopper570]

Thank you so much for this, i guess i will cold wash it first. cheers!

[@happyshopper570]

i meant, not wash it!!

[@addiekl]

happy shopper Wool flannel is a woven so it's not a good idea to wash it. Steam press or dry clean only.

[@calholli]

In That new Tom Hanks movie: "The news of the world' --- If you look that up, there is a certain texture or knit/ His Coat? What is that fabric?? I found out that the wool is a blend, but what is that "texture/ pattern called. Any help will be appreciated, thanks.

[@barbiecole4416]

Hi, I have just found this series and I am loving it! It is especially helpful as I am having to buy any fabric online now due to Covid and shielding. I’m not sure if you are still replying to comments but if so... Do you need to pre-wash wool fabrics, do they need overlocking and should they always be lined? Thank you so much for all your clips and classes, I love your chemistry and I learn so much from them x

[@StitchSisters]

Hi Barbie Happy to help! We wouldnt prewash wools mainly due to the fact that they could distort and shrink in the wash. If you have a fabric for a coat or something you would probably dry clean it so we do the same once the garment is made. You would normally line them too as they can be a little scratchy sometimes against the skin. They can also cling to other fabrics so a nice smooth lining helps it to wear better. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching

[@sewingjaney7085]

Wow, that was so interesting, learnt so much 😍

[@ngkiantat8071]

hi stitch sisters, for the level 1 beginners course, is it compulsory to complete all the subcourses (eg. 3 simple tops, sew cactus pincushion, sew bunting, sew clasp purse, zipper pouch, fabric basket before progressing to level 2 ? Thank you.

[@StitchSisters]

No, not compulsory in any way. They are just additional fun course that add a few more skills in certain areas (dressmaking, quilting etc)

[@juliadroy1179]

Love the Melton Wool, I love tartan too.

[@lilybogaards5089]

Loving this series! Thank you for bringing all this info together and showing all the examples. Very helpfull to see the fabrics being handled. For those interested in even more indepth info on animal fibre I would like to recommend watching this episode of The Fruity Knitting Podcast kzbin.info/www/bejne/nICueKd_qLiLnLc Also adresses the issue of animal wellfare for those who may have concerns about that

[@michelemartin7276]

Thanks for this link Lily, the interview from 42 minutes on the different properties of wool generally & individual breeds specifically was fascinating. It was also great to hear from a crafter who is keen to make their craft sustainable & planet friendly too.

[@ElloraWilson]

I'm amazed you didn't know Alpacas and Llamas are different animals. They look similar but if it says alpaca, it does not come from a llama!

[@richarddzurek6147]

9:34 but dry cleaning is not the only way to get 100%wool back in shape, steam is better than dry cleaning. Also when its blended with plastic, the heat can destoy it.

[@florybancu2288]

What is your adress

[@rhondaziman562]

I'm watching this to learn what to buy for my coat that i'll be making in your coat workshop. eee!

[@Xyknit]

Love this video！

[@janicecoulson5388]

Aren’t Alpacas and Llamas different animals?

[@StitchSisters]

Janice Coulson they are Janice, it was our mistake. They are in the same family and commonly mistaken....sorry.

[@janicecoulson5388]

Oh no apology needed? Wasn’t meant as a criticism, love this series , has been very helpful , as a beginner, fabric choice can be very daunting x

[@sarahosmari7870]

Ladies when you buy wool must wool be prewashed before sewing please let me know ☺☺

[@katysuemarfil2148]

Loving this series ladies!!! Thank you again!!! Blessings

[@thinkerandmaker659]

About 25% of the unmanufactured wool in the world originates in Australia. For example, the wool that the queens fine wool gloves are made from, which are treated in several countries before they are complete, is Australian wool. Also lots from NZ, but not sure how much they export. Wool is one of Australia’s biggest exports apart from wheat, and twenty -somethings who go and live in England.

[@StitchSisters]

This Girl Sews that’s great info. We didn’t come across Australian or NZ wool but I guess just because it’s not named by the manufacturer doesn’t mean it’s not there ! I’ll keep an eye out for it 😘

[@lindahedelund7047]

and of course wet wools will still keep your warm.

[@mj6463]

Good video! I am looking to get a great kilt for a reasonable price, so maybe not the intended audience, but still quite helpful.

[@mj6463]

I still have no clue how to actually buy the fabric, but I know what I want lol.

[@elissascotland6100]

Mmmmmm stroking fabric! Love it :)

[@ImTash]

quite glad you didn't have mohair/angora - after some reading up about it ( i had no idea it came from bunnies before this video!) the farming of them is barbaric and unethical so quite happy to not see it!

[@Kristina-gz2wu]

please do a vieo on tweeds