www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/fashion/article4364206.ece
Bobbly pullovers occur with poor quality yarn when short fibres work their way to the surface during wear due to to friction. Anna Murphy’s recent article didn’t mention this so I emailed her and she sent this reply
On 27 Feb 2015, at 09:14, Anna Murphy <anna.murphy@thetimes.co.uk> wrote:Dear Pam Austin,Thank you for your fascinating email. I only wish I had known the detail about carding when I wrote the piece. Certainly I will use this information in the future.Your husband sounds like a lucky man in terms of both his wife and his knitwear!
With best wishes,
Anna
On 26 Feb 2015, at 11:45, SM – Times, Times Letters <timesletters-sm@thetimes.co.uk> wrote:
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Pam <pam@spinningschool.org>
Date: 25 February 2015 at 19:04
Subject: Anna Murphy and bobble-free Cashmere
To: letters@thetimes.co.ukDear Anna,
Thank you for your welcome article on cashmere. I think bobbling, also called pilling, is due to short fibres working their way to the surface of knitted garments during wear- it happens with wool as well as cashmere. Yes, a firm twist helps, but for a top quality garment only the longer fibres are spun into yarn; short fibres need to be discarded. My husband still wears a pullover made in 1990, there is no pilling; each lock or fibre was carefully pulled through hand-carders to remove the troublesome short fibres before I spun the yarn. It is time-consuming but, alas, essential if you want a quality garment.
Kind regards, Pam Austin, www.Spinningschool.org
P.S. I do not know the origin of the word discard…)
With best wishes,AnnaOn 26 Feb 2015, at 11:45, SM – Times, Times Letters <timesletters-sm@thetimes.co.uk> wrote:———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Pam <pam@spinningschool.org>
Date: 25 February 2015 at 19:04
Subject: Anna Murphy and bobble-free Cashmere
To: letters@thetimes.co.ukDear Anna,Thank you for your welcome article on cashmere. I think bobbling, also called pilling, is due to short fibres working their way to the surface of knitted garments during wear- it happens with wool as well as cashmere. Yes, a firm twist helps, but for a top quality garment only the longer fibres are spun into yarn; short fibres need to be discarded. My husband still wears a pullover made in 1990, there is no pilling; each lock or fibre was carefully pulled through hand-carders to remove the troublesome short fibres before I spun the yarn. It is time-consuming but, alas, essential if you want a quality garment.Kind regards, Pam Austin, www.Spinningschool.orgP.S. I do not know the origin of the word discard…)