I am new to weaving and was given a bunch of weaving yarns which I believe to be all rug yarn  - I am thrilled but most of the cones are obviously mismarked (e.g. tan yarn identified as violet) so I am not sure of the ply or amount of yarn.  I believe that most of it is 100% wool, but one of the small diameter is 70% dacron / 30 % wool and I couldn't find any reference to that yarn online and am wondering what it is used for.  

I know there is a device for  estimating yardage per pound - but I guess the yarns would have to be removed from the cones and weighed?  I also don't have an accurate scale.  

 Also, I would like to weave a rug but am not sure if I should use the wool for the warp or buy a warp yarn?

I would appreciate any advice.  Thx!

 

 

Comments

Fri, 06/05/2015 - 05:33

Erica J

What a great stash! Since you are new to weaving, don't have accurate scales, etc. I would recommend not worry too much about knowing the yarn count. It doesn't seem you know where you would buy more of this same yarn, soyou can just use the yarn wrap method for calculating sett. Wrap one yarn around a ruler,  for one inch, without stretching the yarn. I find it easier to not use the furst or last inch. For plain weave divide the number if wraps in half, for 2/2 twill, I believe you multipy by 2/3rds. We also have the handy sstt calcultor here, http://weavolution.com/weaving_sett_calc

I recommend just putting on a 2-3 yard warp and playing! I hope that helps. If you empty one cone for your sample warp, then you can ke e p it to adjust any scales you may be able to use later on.

Fri, 06/05/2015 - 14:05

sally orgren

If you have a digital scale, (or won't feel like a dope for using the produce ones at the grocery store :-) weigh each cone and and write the weight on the bottom of the cone. The cardboard cone itself weighs very little. 

If you can buy (or borrow) a McMorran yarn balance, you can determine how many "yards per pound" you have for each yarn. Search the Internet for ways to do this without the official yarn balance, I don't think it is hard. When you get this piece of info, write it on the bottom of each cone too.

You are smart not to trust the labels in the cones for inherited yarn. You can do some simple fiber testing. If you burn the yarn and it smells like burning hair, and the ash easily brushes away, it is probably wool. If you get a hard, bead-like substance on the end, that may indicate some kind of extruded, man-made fiber like Dacron, etc. Some of those man-made fibers would also make great, long-wearing rugs, but I would not mix them with wool. (Different shrinkage properties.) 

Knowing the "yards per pound" for a given yarn, plus the total weight of the cone you have, allows you to know how many yards of each yarn you have to work with, without taking it off the cone.

 

 

Fri, 06/05/2015 - 14:10

sally orgren

Typically folks use carpet warp (a highly twisted cotton) or linen for warp, not wool. To weave a long - lasting rug, you should weave under high tension. Wool is great for weft as it  packs in nicely between the warps.

Thu, 06/18/2015 - 00:45

Ghia

Thank you all for your advice.  I appreicate the help - I realize that taking a weaving class would be the best way to learn and do plan to do that but I work FT and would have to drive quite a way as there aren't any local weaving teachers.  This is a great resource.  Thx. again!

Thu, 06/18/2015 - 12:33

Erica J

Ghia,

Have you looked at the classes we offer on Weavolution? There is a warping class and several other beginner courses. They are all prerecorded and you can ask questions in a group here.