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The reason wool can sometimes feel itchy, even if its micron count is close to or lower than that of fibers like cotton or cashmere, is due to several factors beyond just its diameter. Wool fibers, especially those with a higher micron count (above 20 microns), have a scaly surface. These scales create friction when they come into contact with the skin, causing an itchy or prickly sensation. Even fine wool fibers like Merino, which can have a micron count as low as 14 to 19.5 microns, still have these scales, and though they’re less likely to cause irritation, sensitive...

Jacquard Stitch and Fair Isle Stitch are two techniques that knitters use to create colorful patterns, but they have their own unique styles and approaches. What is Jacquard Stitch? Jacquard knitting is all about creating intricate, multi-colored designs in fabric. You can do it by hand or on special knitting machines (WvG typically uses Stoll or Shima Seiki machines) , and it involves working with one color at a time while carrying the other colors across the back of the fabric. These "floats" are strands of yarn that hang out on the reverse side until you need them again. The...

Intarsia knitting is an insanely cool and specialized technique used to create beautiful patterns by combining multiple colors within a single piece of fabric. Unlike other colorwork methods, such as jacquard, intarsia relies on knitting separate sections of color with individual yarns, eliminating the need to carry unused yarn across the back. This results in bold blocks of color and gives the garment a smoother and lighter feel. However, the intricacy of intarsia comes at a cost. The process is labor-intensive, requiring each color section to have its own yarn bobbin or skein. As the knitter works through the pattern,...

Chambray is a lightweight, plain-weave fabric made from cotton, linen, or synthetic fibers. It resembles denim but is softer and has a finer weave. Chambray is typically woven with colored yarn in the warp (vertical threads) and white yarn in the weft (horizontal threads), creating a subtle, heathered look.The plain weave is the most basic and common type of fabric weave. It’s created by interlacing warp and weft threads in a simple crisscross pattern—one over, one under. Each weft thread goes over one warp thread, then under the next, forming a checkerboard-like structure. This gives chambray its smooth, breathable texture,...