CHAPTER IV WOOLEY BALL TELLS SOME YARNS
MARY FRANCES opened the bag on the sewing table.
“Is this the whole family?” she asked as she lifted the Yarn Baby, Wooley Ball and Crow Shay out.
“Oh, no, indeed!
Oh, no indeed!
Wait till the rest of us
You’ve see’d,”
spoke up Crow Shay.
Up flew the Yarn Baby’s hair.
“‘See’d,’ indeed! ‘See’d,’ indeed! Do be more polite, Crow Shay!” she exclaimed. “Use correct grammar and give some one else a chance to speak!”
Then she explained to Mary Frances about the large family of Crocheting and Knitting People who were so anxious to help her.
“Oh, I can’t wait to begin!” cried the delighted little girl. “What do I do first?”
“First you will a slip knot make;
Then in your right hand me you’ll take—”
began Crow Shay.
“Now, now,” exclaimed the Yarn Baby. “There you go again!”
“Oh, he loves to crow—” said Wooley Ball, laughing.
“You mean that I love to crochet, Wooley Ball!” Crow Shay turned toward Wooley Ball.
“Well, I think that Wooley Ball means that you love to crochet so much that when you get a chance, you love to crow about it!” said the Yarn Baby. “You do not wait to give anyone else a chance to talk. Now, the very first person to explain lessons in crocheting and knitting is Wooley Ball.”
“Because she can tell so many yarns!” giggled Crow Shay.
Wooley Ball looked up at Mary Frances with a broad smile.
“Do not mind him,” she said. “If you are quite ready, we will have a little talk about—
Different Yarns
There are many different weights and sizes of woolen yarns. We shall need to know about only a few of these.
All yarns are made of twisted strands of thread. The weight depends upon the number and size of the strands that are twisted together.
If two strands are twisted together, the yarn is two-fold.
If three strands are twisted together, the yarn is three-fold.
If four strands are twisted together, the yarn is four-fold.
If you are uncertain of the “fold” of the yarn you have, untwist a little piece and count the strands.
Names of Yarns
Germantown Zephyr or Germantown Wool. A soft woolly yarn very much used where warmth is needed.
Germantown wool comes in four-fold and eight-fold weights. Four-fold is the weight generally used. The eight-fold is too thick and heavy for most purposes.
Knitting Worsted is somewhat like Germantown wool in weight, but is rather harsh to the touch, because the threads are made of long twisted fibers of wool. Garments made of knitting worsted will stand hard wear and usage.
Saxony Wool. A soft yarn made of light-weight strands. Comes in two-fold, three-fold, and four-fold weights.
The four-fold and two-fold are the weights most used. Saxony wool is much used for making garments for babies.
Woolen Knitting Floss. A light-weight, loosely-twisted yarn. Comes in single and double threads.
Teazle Yarn, or Teazle Wool, resembles knitting floss, but is rougher and harsher in finish. It is more often used for trimming than for making garments.
Angora Wool is a hairy yarn used for trimming. It is made entirely of the soft silky hair of the Angora goat, or of a mixture of wool and Angora hair. It is so expensive that Teazle yarn is much used in its stead. After the trimming is made, the Teazle yarn is usually brushed until it is quite furry and fuzzy.
There are many different makers of yarns. Each firm manufactures a variety of yarns under various fancy names. All manufacturers, however, make Germantown Wool, Knitting Worsteds, Saxony Wools, Woolen Flosses, and Teazle Wool.
