I don’t know how much you know about how to make yarn, but it typically involves spinning (or twisting) strands of fibre together. As an aside, I’ve always wanted to learn more about spinning, but that’s a project for another day. This week, I was shocked to learn about a new type of yarn that doesn’t involve any spinning. It’s called ‘blown yarn’ and it involves blowing fibre into a narrow mesh tube.
Because of the construction technique, the blown yarn has a very airy feel to it. The trapped air within the tube also has the added benefit of providing insulating warmth, which seemed a little counterintuitive to me, but science has never been my strong suit. My local yarn store happened to carry DROPS Air, a blown yarn with 65% Alpaca, 28% Polyamide, and 7% Wool. When I picked up the yarn, I definitely felt the lightness, but the warmth remains to be tested.
My primary reason for testing out blown yarn was due to a new test knit that I had signed up for. The designer had suggested a blown yam for this knit dress, and I was immediately intrigued. In previous dress projects, I have found the finished objects to feel rather heavy, and not as wearable as I had initially hoped. With the blown yarn, I think the new dress should be lighter and easier to wear in the winter. I’m super excited to show you how it will turn out and to try out this new type of yarn.
Until next time, happy crafting!