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What Is Merino Yarn?

What Is Merino Yarn? thumbnail
Merino yarn comes from the fleece of Merino sheep.

Merino yarn is a wool fiber produced from the fleece of Merino sheep. These sheep are known for their luxurious wool coats that offer extra softness in a wool fiber.

  1. Weight

    • Merino yarn is available in 2-ply and 3-ply strands in all weights ranging from lace to bulky. It is usually sold in twisted skeins that the knitter winds into balls before using.

    Colors

    • Merino yarn can be found in its natural color, a creamy off-white, or some manufacturers will dye it during the spinning process, so it is available in a rainbow of colors.

    Care

    • Merino yarn is 100 percent wool and should be hand washed in warm to cool water and laid flat to dry. Hot water, or machine washing and drying, will shrink the wool fibers and cause them to felt.

    Benefits

    • Merino wool designated "superfine" is exceptionally soft and appropriate for even baby clothing. Merino wool is a renewable resource that can be made into garments with fire-retardant properties for children or adults.

    Yarn-making Process

    • After Merino sheep are shorn, the fleece is compacted and shipped to a washing facility, then on to a mill for spinning into Merino yarn. A byproduct of this process is lanolin, a natural oil the sheep excretes, which is extracted for use in cosmetic products.

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  • Photo Credit Image by Fotolia.com, courtesy of Jens Se

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