There are numerous fabrics that you can use for knotting. But Cotton remains the best of all. However, Cotton has specific features that make it a bit problematic for knitting.
Here comes the best guide about knitting with cotton yarn and making it useful. So let’s get started.
Different Types of Cotton Yarns
There are different types of cotton yarns that different artists use for knitting. The material used depends upon the quality and the type of material needed for specific purposes. An example is that we cannot use Mercerized cotton for cleaning because it is receptive to dyes.
The list below shows different types of cotton yarns
- Mercerized Cotton Yarn
- Recycled Cotton Yarn
- Organic Cotton Yarn
- Pima Cotton Yarn
- Egyptian and Sea Island Cotton Yarn
Mercerized Cotton Yarn
Mercerized cotton yarn is usually used for products or clothing that need soft fabric. So we make summer tops, shawls and kid’s clothing. This special type of cotton yarn is produced by acting it with the process of mercerization. It involves a textile finishing treatment for cellulose fabric and yarn, mainly Cotton and flax. It improves dye uptake and tears strength and reduction in fabric shrinkage. This technique also makes the fabric impart a silk-like luster. In mercerization, the experts submerge the Cotton in a soda solution. This process causes the fibers to condense closer to one another. This property makes the fabric cooler and airier. Many mercerized Cotton also has a sheen or noticeable luster. Sadequain Enterprises provides the best Mercerized Cotton Yarn in UAE.
Recycled Cotton Yarn
Recycled Cotton is also known as regenerated, shoddy, or reclaimed Cotton. It is the best source of removing excess waste from the globe. It is a technique for promoting green chemistry. The technique involves converting cotton fabric into the cotton fiber. It makes it usable in textile products. However, it is also used in manufacturing garments, industrial cleaning cloths and paper. Paper made from cotton yarn is more durable and quality than wood pulp. That is why it is frequently used for banknotes and other essential papers.
Along with many advantages, it has the main advantage of saving water. Normal Cotton takes a lot of water. But if we use recycled Cotton, our cost decreases as it does not require much water. Sadequain Enterprises uses the best methods for producing recycled Cotton. So the Cotton produced by them is 97% pure.
Organic Cotton Yarn
Organic Cotton Yarn is another type of cotton yarn. But the difference is that this Cotton is pure. It is free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The farmers cultivate this Cotton in a specific way. They cultivate and clean the Cotton by the traditional methods, which makes it more natural and organic. This process ultimately reduces pollution and promotes traditional methods of cultivating Cotton. Organic Cotton is also known as mercerized Cotton. Organic cotton yarn is softer in touch and also a bit priceyer than other cotton yarns. But it is worth the price because it is the safest and best Cotton you can use for crochet making. Sadequain Enterprises emphasizes largely on making as much organic cotton yarn as possible.
Pima Cotton Yarn
Pima cotton yarn is a synthetic and cloned type of Cotton. It traces its roots to the Cotton grown on the farmed sea islands of South Carolina in the 1790s. But later on, through selective cross-pollination with Egyptian varieties throughout the 19th century, the experts obtained a new and unique technique. This type of Cotton produces American extra-long sepals. The best thing about Pima cotton yarn is that it is more durable than other types of cotton yarns. It makes it more resistant to fraying, tearing, and wear and tear. You can make coasters, doilies, tablecloths, lace shawls, curtains, scarves, cowls and light garments through this type of Cotton. In short, Pima cotton is best for all sorts of next-to-skin projects.
Egyptian and Sea Island Cotton Yarn
The Egyptian and Sea Island Cotton Yarn is the finest Cotton. The Egyptian cotton plant produces extra-long fibers. Due to this, the material becomes stronger than regular Cotton. The plant for Egyptian Cotton comes from the mallow family. Egyptian Cotton is also highly-priced Cotton. People use it for making luxurious items. It includes the manufacturing of bedding and towels. People also use it for making bedding because it is long-lasting and durable. Alongside these advantages, it is still soft and good to feel.
Tips and Tricks for Knitting with Cotton Yarn and Making it Useful
You must follow these tips and tricks to make your knitting useful and durable. Those are as follows:
Take Special Care of Your Cotton Knits
We know that products made of cotton knits are usually used in warm weather. You might feel cozy, and do not wash your cotton knits that much. But you should wash them frequently. You can machine wash them but washing them by hand is still on high preference. After washing, you should dry them properly. You must also take care while ironing the cotton yarn products gently. Please do not put your iron steam at a high temperature. It will cause the fabric to deteriorate and lose its properties frequently. It may also burn the cloth, so be cautious.
Use a Wooden Needle to Avoid its Slipperiness
Cotton yarn is slippery. So you must use a wooden needle to have a more profound grip on it. Otherwise, it will cause you problems. Using a wooden needle will also help you eliminate frogging and focus so much on your hands, wrists and arms that you will end up aching them.
Use Light Weight Cotton Blend
When we compare Cotton with other fabrics such as wood or acrylic, we find Cotton to be the heaviest. Due to this, it may not be easy to handle and knit through it. So if we knit with cotton yarn next time, we should choose a lightweight cotton blend to make it handier. Pima cotton is one of the lightweight and soft cotton blends.
Block Your Cotton Gauge Swatches
We know that Cotton is a tricky fabric to spin. It has a natural twist. The fibers become more twisted by going through a spinning process. So we should make sure that we block our cotton gauge swatches. To make the fabric more manageable, you must also avoid bias in your cotton yarn. Sadequain Enterprises provides bias-free cotton yarn. So you must choose it for choosing your fabric if you knit with cotton yarn.
Block the Garment Immediately if You Find Stretches
Cotton fabric has the capability of stretching in whichever direction it is pulled. So if you don’t put it correctly for knitting, it must drool downwards and causes abrupt stretching. You must put it appropriately to avoid any stretches. If you still find it problematic, you must block the garment immediately and settle the stitches back to normal conditions. It will help you a lot.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cotton Yarn
Following are some advantages and disadvantages of Cotton yarn and knitting through it:
Advantages
The advantages of cotton yarn are as follows:
- It is the softest and the strongest fabric when used.
- It is a non-allergic, breathable and durable fabric for making your clothing and bedding.
- It has the capability of absorbing moisture and drying quickly.
Disadvantages
If anything has advantages, it has its disadvantages too. So the disadvantages of cotton yarn are as follows:
- Cotton is more prone to stretching.
- It is non-elastic and can easily be torn into pieces when we apply force or stretch it.
- Cotton is a bit heavier than other fabrics.
