What is Rolag? (by Michele Grim)

 

Don’t fear!  I’m here to answer all your questions.  One of the most common types of spinning fiber that will be processed is called roving.  Roving is carded wool that is a long continuous strand of twisted fiber.   

A roving is a long and narrow bundle of fiber or fibre. It is used to spin wool yarn. A roving can be created by carding the fiber.  Because it is carded the fibers are not parallel.  Roving that is not twisted is called a sliver (pronounced SLYver).     

The first picture on the right is Llama roving.   

A batt is a wider than roving, rectangular and made from a drum carder.     

The second (white and yellow fiber) picture on the right is that of a wool batt.  

A rolag is a roll of fiber made from hand carders and generally used to spin woolen yarn.  A rolag is created by carding the fiber using handcards and then by gently rolling the fiber off the cards. If it’s properly prepared a rolag will be uniform in width distributing the fibers evenly.  A combed top is another type of long, continuous strand of fiber.   The difference is that instead of being carded it is combed with all the short hairs have been removed to create a smooth fiber.  

Animal fibers have traditionally been used to create rolags but today’s yarn spinner uses many different materials including synthetic and even plant fibers – like bamboo. 

The third picture on the right is that of a wool rolag. 

Either one you pick will give you some very beautiful yarn. Stay tuned for more fiber spinning related articles.  I’d sure like to hear from you if you also dye and spin your own yarns.  If you visit Misfit Yarns you’ll see some of my work.  Naughty Knitterz will soon be displaying some of my work on a newly created Yarn & Fiber Shop page.  No matter if you spell it fiber or fibre you’ll find it there.  

If you have email me ( michele@naughtyknitterz.com ) with any questions you might have.      

Spin & Grin you Naughty Knitterz!     

Source: Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn, Maggie Casey, Interweave Press, 2008.  Pictures taken by Michele Grim. 

Things to know about Bamboo Yarns (by Yarn Cloud)

I would like to take a few minutes to discuss some of the features of bamboo yarns. If you are asking how can panda food become a yarn you may find some answers right here.  

Bamboo was introduced to the world of hand knitting yarns only a few years ago. It is an excellent choice when it comes to protection of our environment since 100% bamboo is biodegradable and made out of renewable resources. Bamboo can be harvested without destroying the plant and takes a fairly short time to renew. 

I know we all care about our planet but you are probably anxious to hear about the things this fiber can do for you as a crafter. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial, it can protect from UV rays and was proven to cool body temperature while worn as a garment. Yarn Cloud Bamboo has also earned the European certification of suitability for use in products intended for babies under the age of 3.

Fabric knitted from bamboo has a great drape, looks silky and can be very soft. It looks somewhat like silk or mercerized cotton but it’s quite different from both. One thing to consider when knitting with bamboo is that it can be fairly heavy so afghans made out of worsted weight 100% bamboo while gorgeous will be quite handful.  If you choose to knit a large project from bamboo use rather circular needles since you can rest your work in your lap which puts less strain on your hands and wrist. Small projects from light weight bamboo should not be much different than knitting with any  viscose based yarn.

Some knitters mentioned that bamboo may have the tendency to split while knitting. This is due to a fact it does not have great coherence in its regular spun varieties. The splitting factor is also affected by needles used. We have noticed that when knitted with blunter tip needles made out of bamboo or rosewood the splitting is significantly reduced.

Bamboo has a great absorbing features which may be positive and negative as well. Due to high absorption bamboo when washed has tendency to swell  and takes a long time to air dry. It’s generally recommended to hand wash and air dry projects from bamboo. We have tested our yarns for machine washing and machine drying and we found no problem with neither when done with proper care. Our yarns can be washed on delicate settings on low temperature and tumble dry on low heat. Make sure to check for color fastness first. While generally Yarn Cloud yarns are very color stable some colors may bleed especially when washed for the first time.

I would like to let you know a bit more about Yarn Cloud Bamboo Yarns.

Our yarn comes in 3 different weights (light, worsted and bulky) and 5 different  varieties.

Regular Bamboo is 5 ply and considered light weight. It is great choice for lace scarves, shawls, christening gowns and light garments where drape is desired. Suitable for knitting, crochet and weaving.

Bamboo Magic Waves is a 10 ply variety which is worsted weight and top choice for dishcloths, baby washcloths, baby blankets, toys and apparel. Suitable for knitting, crochet and weaving. This yarn can be used for some Plastic Canvas Projects as well.

Bamboo Soft Spell is our thinner chainette in worsted weight and when knitted it remains more flexible while still keeps it’s beautiful drape. Due to this fact it is better suitable for sweaters and apparel. Suitable for knitting and crochet.

Bamboo Charmed is our thickest bamboo yarn great for totes, handbags, bath mats, rugs and other projects. Suitable for knitting and crochet.

Bamboo Elegant is a 5 ply light weight blended with cotton boucle strand and its general use is similar to our regular Bamboo. Suitable for knitting, crochet and weaving.

The important thing when knitting or crocheting with Bamboo is to chose the right yarn and right project. As I’ve said before Bamboo has a great drape but this may be a problem when looking for close knitted tank top. Soft Spell may be better suitable for that kind of project. If you are not sure you can always ask us a question before you start to prevent any frustration later. We all know how much we hate to unravel!

Some gorgeous products made out of Yarn Cloud Bamboo can be found on Ravelry and we are working on creating customer showcase on our site very soon.

If you have any questions about Bamboo you can always e-mail me at romana.graham@yarncloud.com and I’ll do my best to get you your answer.

At last I would like to mention that in order to support the use of environmentally friendly fibers we have started Yarn Cloud Bamboo Club which offers its members everyday 25% off on the whole line of our Bamboo yarns and several other discounts in other categories. It also offers occasional coupons for even more savings. For more info please visit https://www.yarncloud.com/BambooClub.html.

Romana C Graham

Founder and President of Yarn Cloud