What is “Laster” wool?
The source of raw materials for the production of Laster wool are various animals: rabbits, goats, llamas, camels and dogs. After shearing, the wool goes directly to the spinning mill. Since the yarn contains blades of grass, sticks and dirt, it is processed using ripping machines. At the next stage, repeated washing is carried out, which allows you to remove even the most minor stains.
After this, dyeing occurs at a temperature of 120 degrees. For 3 hours, the resulting raw materials are kept in a special solution with paint. Only after this the wool is sent to a carding machine, from which thin sheets of products emerge, from which bobbins are formed and placed in an airtight container. At the next stage, the wool is coated with artificial resins. During the processing process, the resin is wrapped in a thin film of fibers.
This yarn is most widely represented by the German brand Vita, which is produced in factories in India, China and Turkey.
- Vita Cassandra - 100% Laster wool, 100 g - 400 m.
- Vita Luster Wool - 100% Luster wool, 100 g - 336 m.
- Vita Sapphir - 45% Laster wool, 55% acrylic, 100 g - 250 m.
- Vita Brilliant - 45% Laster wool, 55% acrylic, 100 g - 380 m.
- Vita Smily - 30% merino wool "Laster", 5% silk, 65% acrylic, 50 g - 225 m.
- Vita Caprice Lux - 100% Laster wool, 100 g - 400 m.
Other manufacturers have Superwash wool in their collections:
- Alize (Turkey) SW 100 - 75% SW wool, 25% polyamide, 100 g - 420 m.
- Vita Candy - 100% SW wool, 100 g - 178 m.
- Fibranatura Lima (made in Turkey for an Italian brand) - 100% SW wool, 100 g - 260 m.
- Fibranatura Inca - 100% SW wool, 100 g - 97 m.
- Fibranatura Dona - 100% SW Exstra Fine Merino, 50 g - 115 m.
Main classification
Experts classify yarn depending on length, strength, ductility and color. Many ordinary consumers believe that the characteristics of wool depend on certain animals. Alpacas are distant relatives of camels. The fur of these animals is very durable, thin, long and light. This material is often used to make children's clothing. The palette has more than 20 colors, and synthetics and the wool of other animals are used for production.
This is due to the fact that the wool of this animal is very expensive. Merino sheep wool is very elastic and very durable. Therefore, it is the most expensive raw material for yarn production. These threads are used to create hypoallergenic items for children, as well as thermal underwear. In order to reduce the cost of products, they are mixed with different types of yarn. This article will tell you what Laster wool is and what advantages it has.
Types of yarn
Since merino fleece has a high cost, yarn from it is made with the addition of synthetics or the wool of other animals. This also increases the wear resistance of the products.
Extrafine
Extrafine (very fine) is the most expensive premium yarn. To make it, wool is taken from the withers of young animals and specially processed “SUPERWASH”. Thanks to this, the yarn becomes soft and tender. Knitting with such threads is a pleasure! This treatment also facilitates subsequent care of finished products. This link will tell you how yarn is made from nettles.
Exclusive Extrafine yarn is made from the wool of Australian sheep. It is of the highest quality - it has a snow-white color with shine, is thin and very durable.
Carded
Carded yarn is produced by carded spinning. This is the most common type of wool thread. It is made from short fiber by twisting. Carding is carried out in a cardan machine. It differs from combed in a more fluffy, but less smooth and durable structure. Used in weaving.
Wool specifics
During spring molting, you can comb out about 200 grams of fluff from one individual. Such products are famous for their incredible comfort and are also durable. The woven thread has a high degree of strength, and at the same time it turns out to be very thin. Users note that such items often develop tussiness where they come into contact with other items of clothing. Also, things made from this type of wool are afraid of high humidity.
The fur of Angora rabbits is very fluffy and soft. Angora is often used with other fibers that provide stabilizing properties. Angora goats are sheared from a special type of wool called mohair. This raw material is mixed with other types of threads, which strengthen the yarn and make it durable. The maximum mohair content is no more than 83% in items that are on sale.
For many people, the material from which the clothes are made is of fundamental importance. If wool is indicated on an item, it means sheep. This material requires careful care, as it can shrink and fall off when washed. Also, such yarn is in the low price segment, and at the same time it is very durable and warm. Therefore, it has gained wide popularity among buyers.
How to properly care for fiber products
Items made from merino fabric do not require any special care. They are washed in the same way as products made from any other wool. Do not use a washing machine when washing. It is also advisable not to twist or rub. Washed clothes are not wrung out, but blotted, wrapped in a terry towel. There is no need to hang it, as it can stretch and become deformed. Dry as follows: spread a terry towel or flannel diaper on the floor or table, and lay out the item without stretching it. Iron through damp gauze. To restore color, the product is placed in a bowl of water, to which sliced lemon is added. Keep it for 24 hours.
Is it possible to wash merino wool blankets?
Since animal fur is very thin, light and airy, blankets made from it are not washed using washing machines, but are done by hand in water at a temperature of 30 degrees. Products made from Merino and Virginia wool are not soaked or rubbed, but simply dipped in and taken out. Also, you can’t squeeze it, you just need to let the water drain. Dry by spreading on the surface.
Features of wool
Many beginning needlewomen are interested in what Laster wool is and what properties it has. Wool is the hair of various animals, suitable for woolening and spinning. In order to understand what Laster wool means, it is necessary to get an idea of its chemical and physical composition. The main characteristics of wool are determined by the chemical composition and structure of the hair shaft. The curdling process is carried out due to the adhesion of the scales that are located on the surface of the rod. If washing conditions are not met, this leads to the formation of pellets and subsequent shrinkage of the product.
The core inside is completely empty, which explains the lightness of the yarn. The fibers have a porous structure, so they perfectly retain and absorb moisture from the air. Therefore, moisture evaporates very slowly from clothing and does not allow the body to cool down. Wool fibers are highly elastic, so such products are not subject to deformation. Answering the question of what “Laster” wool is, we can say that it is a yarn that has an increased shine, does not pill, does not shrink and does not prick. In addition, products made from this material have advantages that are characteristic of ordinary wool.
Differences between “Laster” wool and classic wool
After coating the product with polymer resins, the color becomes more saturated and rich. Regular wool has a matte effect, so it rarely comes in bright colors. When knitting, Laster wool glides a little on the knitting needles because it is silky and very soft. Classic wool has low hygroscopicity and thermal conductivity, which is due to the low porosity of the fibers. The price of Laster wool is higher than regular wool, since during the processing of the material about 3% of the original weight is lost. Regular wool fibers are covered with a large number of scales, which form pellets and irritate the skin.
User reviews
Many users say that working with such material is very convenient and comfortable. When choosing yarn, you need to focus on what properties the finished product should have. There is an ideal Laster wool for every occasion. Reviews from many customers report that the yarn is not scratchy and does not form pellets when rubbed. Also, users note that woolen products do not shrink and retain their original shape perfectly. Most needlewomen claim that this yarn is pleasant to work with, since it is ideal for creating relief patterns. Also, Laster wool perfectly retains its volume after washing.
Many women recommend using this wool to create children's clothes, since the material does not cause an allergic reaction and does not irritate delicate skin. These threads can be used to knit all types of clothes that are extremely comfortable and warm. Merino wool "Laster" allows you to create beautiful patterns not only with knitting, but also with crochet. Things made from this material have a beautiful shine, have a long service life and look great. This article contains comprehensive information about what it is - “Laster” wool.
Yarn Alize wool superwash. She has only one drawback.
I have been knitting with Alize wool superwash yarn for many years. I remember it very well, at 98 rubles per skein. Eh, where is the golden time?
Now Alize wool superwash is sold at 180 rubles per skein of 100 g.
This yarn is thin, 420 m/100 g, composed of 75% superwash wool and 25% polyamide. This composition immediately indicates that this is yarn for socks.
What is superwash wool? This is wool that has been treated in such a way that it can be machine washed on a normal cycle. It will not mat or shrink.
Of course, you don’t need to wash it at high temperatures, however, a couple of times I mistakenly washed socks made from Alize wool superwash at 60 degrees, and nothing bad happened to the socks.
Polyamide is a synthetic fiber that is added to yarn for extra strength. Usually sock yarn contains 25% polyamide, but sometimes 30-35%.
And, indeed, socks made from Alize wool superwash yarn are very wear-resistant. I have already knitted dozens of pairs of socks from it. Children's socks never wear out at all: children outgrow them faster than their heels wear out.
But my husband wore out 2 pairs on his heels, but he worked in those socks at a construction site, and they wore out after 3 seasons of active wear.
Alize wool superwash yarn is available in a wide palette, and new colors appear all the time. Just the other day I bought a new color.
There is Alize wool superwash plain, tweed, sectional. The sectional, in turn, is also different. There is one that gives smooth transitions, there is one that lies in stripes, and there is one with interesting prints such as “animal” or imitation jacquard patterns.
And this is a huge advantage of such yarn, because it is interesting to knit, and the work progresses faster. Every time you wait with curiosity to see what section will be next, so time flies by.
I knit socks on circular needles No. 2, starting from the toes, 2 socks at a time, because I can’t bear to knit the same thing a second time, and stocking needles cause me irritation.
The Alize wool superwash thread is well twisted and springy, so it is easy to knit, the loops lie evenly. You can knit it on knitting needles No. 2.5, but thick socks wear better.
One skein makes 2 pairs of socks per adult or high socks (one pair).
However, if you knit 2 pairs from a skein, the socks turn out a little short for my taste. Still, for adult socks you need 60-70 g of yarn. Therefore, so that there is no yarn left over, I either knit a pair of adult and a pair of children’s socks from one skein, or I make an elastic band on the sock from a single-color yarn, fortunately, Alize wool superwash provides a wide selection of solid shades. Sometimes I knit a plain toe. Looks very nice.
However, if you have leftover Alize wool superwash lying around, you can combine socks from several types. Now there is a whole trend of such socks on Instagram, sometimes they look very interesting.
In the photo I show men's knee socks, the same ones whose heels were worn out. Knitting long men's socks is a long task, so I simply cut off the “legs” of the socks and tied on new ones. And since I didn’t have the same yarn, I used the remains of two types from the same collection, but in different colors.
Socks made from Alize wool superwash are soft, warm and thin enough to be worn under shoes, and there is no need to buy boots 3 sizes larger.
And now about the disadvantage of this yarn (there is only one!)
Alize wool superwash becomes coated with pellets quite quickly. In the photo, the socks and knee socks are well worn, and the pilling is visible. But there is good news: the longer you wear it, the less pilling there is. The socks are about 6 months old, but the socks are over 3 years old. It can be seen that there are fewer pellets on the knee socks.
However, I can say that many more expensive types of yarn roll just as well.
Alize wool superwash yarn is used to knit not only socks, but also gloves, hats and even sweaters.
I knitted the gloves, but added a fluffy thread, otherwise they would blow out. And for hats and sweaters, in my opinion, Alize wool superwash is a bit harsh.
So if you're looking for a yarn for socks that's not too expensive, easy-to-wear, durable, and you like cheerful colors, you'll love this yarn.
