Yarns About Yarn: Part Two
The continued story of everyone's favorite yarn
In part one, we learned about how they spin yarn and shear sheep. Those of you who haven't rushed off to Australia to become sheep farmers might want to hear about the rest of the process -- and learn where other yarn comes from.
More Natural Fibers: Llama and Alpaca
Not so long ago it was pretty difficult to find llama or alpaca yarn in your local craft store, even though many South American countries have long considered it a staple. Now, though, it's as common -- or more so -- as sheep wool.
Alpaca wool is quite similar to a sheep's, except that it doesn't have lanolin. Although that means it's not at all waterproof, it also makes it hypoallergenic, soft, and warm. Many people find sheep's wool itchy and prefer yarn made from alpaca wool.
Llamas have wool similar to an alpaca, although only their undercoat is soft and luxurious -- the outer coat is very rough and often used in making rugs or similar handicrafts. The process of creating wool, though, is much the same as that for sheep.
Angora and Cashmere
Angora yarn comes from the most ridiculous looking rabbit you'll ever see in your life -- it literally looks like a big puff of fur with a face trying to emerge. Angora rabbits are also bigger than most cats, which gives them a pretty interesting style. Angora yarn, though, is extremely soft, thin, and fluffy, with a silky texture.
It's also quite brittle and expensive, which is why blending with wool is common. Angora yarn felts so easily that if an angora rabbit isn't groomed regularly, it can actually felt right on the animal. Many breeders pluck the rabbit, just brushing the loose hair away. Although it can also be sheared before spinning it into yarn.
There's also an angora goat, which produces mohair yarn. The angora goat is almost as ridiculous looking as the angora rabbit (think of an eighties rock star crossed with a sheep). You can shear them the same way as a sheep, but there's much less coarse hair mixed in, so the resulting yarn (mohair) is fairly complete.
Unlike the angora goat, the cashmere goat is quite pretty -- which is funny, because although its undercoat results in that oh-so-soft cashmere yarn, the outer hair is coarse and unpleasant and has to be removed before processing (much like a llama). The goats are sheered just like sheep, and are most common in China.
The Moral of the Story
Did you have any idea that so many animals produced yarn and in such varied states? I sure didn't. Just the picture of the angora animals was enough to set me back a few steps. So now that you know where all that yarn comes from, go buy some and knit something special.