Wet Finishes for Yarn Or, It All Comes out in the Wash

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Wet Finishes for Yarn Or, it all comes out in the wash . . . b y J u d i t h M a c K e n z i e M c C u i n

As in glass, the molecules in wool and other fibers are always in motion.

ooking at a piece of beautiful handblown art glass, it’s hard What is wet finishing? to believe that what we see is in constant motion. The windows Wet finishing simply means that water is used to relax the crimp and Lin a bank building or supermarket are all actually flowing like set the twist. Wet finishing techniques water. We can’t see it happen—it moves too slowly for the human eye range from something as simple as a to record it. But move it does, causing the ripples and waves found in gentle wash in soap and warm water to more complex methods involving agita old glass windows and sometimes causing art glass to fly apart as the tion and extreme changes in water tem glass moves in conflicting currents. What is true for glass is equally perature. The end result of these tech true for yarn. It’s always moving, governed by one of the basic prin niques will depend on the type of fiber and spinning method you have chosen. ciples of textiles that all fiber will try to return to its natural state. All yarns, whether they are tightly or loosely spun, whether they are woolen When we spin, no matter what do this by using a number of finishing or worsted, lose twist when they enter method we use or what fiber we spin, methods either to stop the untwisting water for the first time. It can be cold we distort the natural order of the fiber. of the fiber (setting the twist) or to water or hot, plain or soapy—even water We do this primarily by introducing increase the movement of the twist to in the form of steam—and it can be after twist into the fiber, but we also, during force the yarn to open up and bloom the yarn has been made into a garment the spinning process, elongate the fiber (fulling). Sometimes we also try to or fabric. In all cases, twist will be re and straighten out the natural crimp prevent the crimp from returning by leased and redistributed. Also, when the structure. Once the spinning process is drying it under pressure (blocking). yarn is supported in water, the tension it over, the fiber in the yarn tries to move There are many variations and com has been under in the spinning process back into its original shape. Our job as binations of these finishing techniques, is removed and the yarn relaxes, regain yarn designers is to decide how to keep but they all have one thing in com ing much of its original crimp structure. the movement in the yarn to a mini mon—they use water to control and While there can be as many varia mum or use it to our advantage. We change the yarn. tions on wet finishing as there are spin

© F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or Spin.Off 1 all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use. spinningdaily.com ners, there are three main methods: First, examine the fiber you are a fleece) and the amount of crimp (the soaking (twist setting), soaking and using. Fibers have a natural response natural waves) per inch in the staple. agitation (fulling), and drying under to different finishing techniques. Some, Long fibers (longer than 3 inches) pressure (blocking). like silk, respond with hardly any usually have low crimp—fewer than change at all. Others, like cashmere seven crimps per inch. When you apply What’s right for your yarn? and angora, are astonishingly different water, heat, lubrication, and agitation, The finishing technique will have a after finishing. these fibers tend to move toward the long-lasting effect on your yarn and the Generally, fibers are divided for center of the yarn, becoming denser project you make with it. With so many finishing into two main groups by the and stronger. Taken too far, these fibers options to choose from, how do you find length of the staple (staple is the natu would have a serious risk of felting. Lus the technique that is just right? rally occurring division of the fibers in ter longwools such as Romney, Lincoln,

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c d a) It is best to set the twist of these 1) mohair and 2) silk fibers (once b) This qiviut was spun for lace. The one that was poorly dehaired spun up into yarn) in a simple warm-water bath because they both have 1) has loops because the long fibers didn’t full. The second skein very little crimp structure. 2) comes from the same batch of qiviut fiber, but it was properly c) 2-ply skeins of Rambouillet and kid mohair: 1) fulled, 2) not fulled. dehaired and spun. d) qiviut 2-ply for lace. 1) This qiviut skein has been fulled and is rounder and softer, and the twist is more even. 2) This one has not been fulled. © F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or Spin.Off 2 all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use. spinningdaily.com 1 2 2

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c d a) 1) Wet spun singles and 2) a Möbius scarf, 50% fine Merino and b) Two fibers that do well fulled:1) white Corriedale and 2) natural 50% silk spun as a loose singles and then fulled in a top-loading wash- brown Shetland. These both have a fairly high crimp and will expand ing machine. The Möbius scarf has been worn for about three years and and soften during fulling. shows none of the wear or pilling you would expect. d) 1) Before and 2) after: this silk yarn is just off the bobbin and c) 1) This Turkish knot yarn needs to be blocked to make all of the set in warm water during the dyeing process—the twist is slightly layers of twist balance. 2) Now it will make a wonderful warp yarn. released and evened in the water.

© F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or Spin.Off 3 all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use. spinningdaily.com and Cotswold are good examples of fibers that have had special treatments, such opposing twist, can be blocked to make that fit this description. Silks, bast fibers as superwash, Optima, and depigment them manageable. like hemp and flax, mohair, and type A ing, will respond as if they had no crimp pygora (the pygora fleece that closely re (see page 5). Twist setting sembles an ultrafine mohair) are also in Fiber preparation is the next thing Twist, like water, will always try to find this group. While there are other factors, to consider. The more parallel the fibers its natural level. Twist setting uses water such as the spinning method used, the are kept in the processing, the less to allow the twist to move back and forth finishing technique these fibers respond they respond to fulling, and the better along the fiber, balancing underspun and to best is twist setting. they will react with twist setting. Fiber overspun areas in the yarn. Depending on 1 Short fibers (2 ⁄2 inches or shorter) preparations that keep the fiber parallel how tightly it is twisted and whether the commonly have a greater number of are flick carding, or using minicombs or yarn is plied, a certain amount of twist will crimps per inch than seven, making English combs. All commercially pre discharge into the water. Placing a skein them much more elastic. When you fin pared top has parallel preparation. in water also allows the crimp in the fiber ish these fibers, they move away from The more deliberately crossed the to be reactivated. The amount of crimp the center of the yarn, allowing the ends fibers are, the better they respond to that returns depends on how the fiber was of the fiber to stick out and creating a fulling. Carding, either by hand or by prepared and spun. haloed surface. They generally regain much of their original crimp, which Tips pushes the yarn open and gives it a • Weaving: Weavers should wet finish their yarns after they have been woven. The inter- larger diameter. Cashmere, yak, bison, action between the wet finishing and the weave structure melds the threads together qiviut, and angora are examples of fibers producing wonderful cloth. in this group. So are Merino, Cormo, • Differential Fulling: Ply a nonresponsive fiber like silk or mohair with an extremely re- Rambouillet and robust crimp breeds sponsive yarn like fine Merino to create interesting textures (see figure a, page 3). • Accidental Fulling: When this yarn spun from qiviut that was poorly dehaired was wet like North Country Cheviot, Dorset, and finished using the proper fulling technique, it created a textured yarn because the hair Southdown. As for the long, low-crimp didn’t respond and the down fibers did. While it’s an interesting effect, it’s not suitable fibers, the effect of finishing will be in for the yarn’s intended use—to knit lace (see figure b, page 2). fluenced by how the fiber is prepared • Dyeing: Putting yarn through the dyeing process can have an effect similar to wet and spun. Taking these factors into ac finishing. If you are using a mix of dyed and natural colored yarn in a project, be sure to process the natural colored yarns the same as the dyed yarns—just leave out the dye count, the technique that is most effec (see figure d, page 3). tive with these fibers is fulling. • Handspun and Commercial Yarns Together: Are you planning on mixing commercial There are, of course, exceptions yarns with handspun in a project? Make sure you wet finish the commercial yarns the to how fibers react. A good example same way as your handspun to ensure they will be compatible. is Polwarth wool. Usually well over 3 • Felting after Knitting with Handspun Yarns: Are you spinning for a boiled wool or felt- inches in length, Polwarth is very highly ed project? This is the exception to the rule of finishing all knitting yarns. Like weaving yarns, the yarns for these projects need to be finished after they are knitted. crimped making it a wonderfully elas tic fiber. In spite of its length, Polwarth is generally in the second group of fi machine, increases the number of cross To set the twist in your yarn, make bers, those that open up when they are es in the fiber, especially if the batt from it into a skein. Use four figure-eight washed. Another exception is silk noil. the carder is rolled into a rolag or puni. ties to prevent the skein from tangling. Definitely a short fiber, it responds more Spinning from fiber that has been teased Fill a bowl with warm water and a good like a long fiber because it has no crimp into a cloud will also increase the yarn’s detergent like Dawn to speed up the structure and, therefore, no elasticity. ability to respond to fulling. wetting process. Just lay your skein in During finishing, the silk noil fibers The other factor to consider is the the water and leave it for several hours. will move toward the center of the yarn, method of spinning. In worsted spin- When you leave your wool yarn in water aligning themselves, and often caus ning, the twist enters yarn where the with a wetting agent (the detergent in ing the yarn to lose diameter and gain fibers are parallel. The more worsted this case) the time and surfactant force length. And then there are the fibers in the yarn is spun, the less likely it is to the wool cells to expand. Give it a rinse no-man’s-land—those that are between full, and the better it responds to twist to remove the soap, spin out the excess 1 2 ⁄2 and 3 inches in length and fibers setting. Yarns spun woolen-style have water, and hang it up to dry. that have a crimp structure that con room to expand naturally and can be en flicts with their length, long with high hanced by fulling. Novelty yarns, which Fulling crimp and short with low crimp. Fibers often consist of yarns of unbalanced or Fulling uses extremely hot, soapy

© F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or Spin.Off 4 all pages in this issue to be copied for personal use. spinningdaily.com Treated fibers All of these treatments have similar effects on fiber. All make the Optima is a trademark name for a process that is used on fine wools fiber have a silkier hand, make the fiber more susceptible to dyes, to both remove the outer cortex (the scaly part) and stretch the fiber and vastly reduce the fiber’s tendency to felt. While Optima and the to its optimum length. It creates a long, fine fiber with little or no enzyme and/or chemical depigmenting processes are very new, mer- returnable memory, similar to silk. cerizing wool by burning away the outer cortex (the scaly part) with bleach or a strong alkaline like urine has been done for thousands Superwash, like Optima, is a trademark name that describes mercer- of years. ized wool (that is wool that has had the scales removed by chlorine) or wool that has been treated with a polymer that coats the fiber and Depigmenting is a chemical treatment that replaces the use of smoothes out the scale structure. Both of these processes leave the chlorine bleaches as a method of whitening a stained or colored wool more lustrous and resistant to felting. Wool treated with any of fiber. It does less damage to the fiber than the previously used the methods used to prevent it from shrinking during washing should chlorine bleaches and so can be used on fine fibers such as yak still be dried without using a dryer. and Merino without a noticeable change in the hand of the fiber. water and agitation to force the fiber Fulling adds to an otherwise fragile yarn where there is little or no elasticity. open and release both the twist and yarn’s stability. The springy fibers that These yarns are used primarily in weav the crimp. The water should be too do so well in this technique lock togeth ing, especially as rug yarns. Blocking hot to put your hands into (in some er during the agitation, making the yarn is also used with novelty yarns where cases the yarn is even simmered on stronger and reducing pilling. Yarns the opposing extreme twists can make the stove). The soap works both as a that have been fulled develop beautiful the yarns difficult to use unless they are lubricant to make the fibers slip easily halos, making fulling a perfect choice blocked. and as a surfactant (a wetting agent). for finishing fibers like angora. But full Block yarns only if you must. Block The yarn is deliberately agitated. Use a ing is not for all yarns. Silky yarns with ing can cause damage to protein fibers, sink plunger and vigorously plunge the low crimp and a loose twist can felt very particularly wool. A wool cell is very yarn. This technique can be taken one easily and are not recommended for use fragile when it’s wet, rather like a bal step further by plunging the skein into with this technique. loon full of water. Putting weight on it cold water and then back into the hot, can cause it to rupture and damage the soapy water several times. In some in Blocking wool. Start out gently using a minimal stances, a top-loading washing machine Blocking puts a wet skein under amount of pressure, and increase it if and a dryer can be used to full yarn (see pressure while it dries. The amount you need to. below). Rinse the skein well in warm of pressure can vary from that applied No matter what technique you think water, and remove the extra water by by a damp towel placed on the skein will best suit your project, always sam gently squeezing down the skein. Hold to drying the skein with heavy weights ple before you commit all your yarn the skein firmly by one end and give it hung from it. You can also use a yarn to the process. Whenever possible, try a sharp smack or two against a table or blocker for drying multiple skeins of several methods before you decide what counter. Turn it around and give the yarn under pressure. Blocking is used works best. It is time (and yarn!) never other end of the skein a smack. Hang when the crimp structure is meant to wasted—as you try different approaches, it up to dry. be kept under tension and can produce a your understanding of fiber and twist will continue to increase, helping you create the fabrics you want.

Judith MacKenzie McCuin of Augusta, Mon- tana, has been a textile artist for over thirty 1 2 years. Her love of textiles has led to many fascinating jobs including leading a National Research Council grant to investigate industrial silk dyes and the repair of the king of Afghani- stan’s carpet. A teacher in the United States and Canada, her work appears in private and public 1) Before and 2) after samples of yarn tex- collections. ture created by differential fulling in a plied yarn—the silk singles buckles to create a loop because it doesn’t full, and the Corriedale singles does full, and in doing so it gets Fulling a skein of Rambouillet in hot, soapy shorter and wider. water with a plunger for extra agitation.