Angora Yarn: Part Of The Recent Knitting Trend

If you've been left out of the loop you may not have noticed that knitting has become a very popular trend in the past few years. Online and physical yarn stores are popping up everywhere, not to mention the fact that novelty and traditional yarns have become readily available in a variety of textures, thickness, and colors.



One type of traditional yarn that has recently become quite popular is angora yarn. Angora wool can exclusively from angora rabbits unlike mohair than comes from Angora goats. Their names may be the same, but each animal produces very different products.



A Bit of Information about Angora Wool



Angora yarn is revered for its low micron count. A micron is the measurement used to express the diameter of a wool fiber. The lower the micron count the finer the wool.



As a point of reference, merino wool ranges from 10-25 microns. Mohair has a micron count of 25-45 microns. Angora wool, however, maintains a micron count of 12-16 microns.



Angora wool is also noted for its halo or fluffiness. Fluffy angora yarn is what gives garments its light, downy appearance. In fact, another reason angora wool is so sought after is because it is also one of the warmest types of yarn.



Angora strands are hollow which is the reason why it has the insulating properties that make it seven times warmer than sheep's wool.



Some people don't like the halo effect that surrounds this type of wool, however it can be spun together with other wools to make it less irritating and also less expensive.



In fact, it may be easier to get hold of angora knitwear that also contains some percentage of other wools, even acrylic fibers. This also goes for angora sweaters, mittens, scarves and caps, all of which are made from 100% angora wool.



Luckily, if you're a do-it-yourselfer then you can get hold of 100% angora and make your own project. Since it is a natural fiber, you can dye angora wool with a variety of different dyes. You can also purchase dyed wool.



Angora Rabbits



Just like sheep's wool, the angora wool is removed from the rabbit by one of two processes. The rabbit will be either sheared or combed to remove the wool. Combing is often preferred over shearing because it doesn't lead to a cut strand of lesser quality.



Because rabbits are such small creatures, several people have taking the initiative to raise their own animals and spin their own yarn. However, this does require a certain level of investment, both in time and money.