KPC Q&A

What does 'ultrafine' mean?

 

In technical terms, an ultrafine fibre measures less than 19.5 microns (μ) diameter. In industry terms, this measurement is referred as a ‘micron count’. A micron (or micrometre) is one millionth of a meter (0.000001).

 

Our Novomerino yarn uses fibres from sheep selectively bred in Gostwyck, New South Wales, to produce possibily the finest wool, with an average micron count of 15μ.

 

To give you a better picture of how fine this is, we prepared the below diagram.

 

KPC Ultrafine Diagram

 

My yarn plies often untwist and separate during use, is this normal?

If you’ve just started using KPC yarns you may experience occasional separation of the yarn plies on account of the unusually gentle tension used to twist our yarns.

 

 

KPC yarns are produced with the minimum amount of twist so that the fibres can breath and behave naturally. This means keeping the twist only just tight enough to hold the plies together without over-stretching them. This ensures a soft handle of the yarn and a soft drape of the finished fabric.

 

Here are a few tips on how best to avoid splitting plies:

 

Always start a new yarn from the middle of the ball:

This ensures that as you wrap and pull the yarn into stitches you are working with the twist by travelling with it rather than against it. This helps to hold the plies together.

 

Make sure the crochet hook or knitting needle you’re using is neither too sharp nor too blunt:

If the point on the end of your hook or needles is too blunt it can be difficult to navigate through a loop or stitch; if the point of your hook or needles is too sharp, you might pierce the yarn itself.

 

Finally, slow down!



Our yarn isn’t designed for those hoping to break the Guinness World Record for speed crocheting (which currently stands at 28 trebles per 60 seconds), it’s of a more delicate, considered quality.


We hope you’ll agree that the extra time and attention lavished upon your project is worth it for the spectacular end results.

 

How do I stop my yarn ball from unraveling and tangling?

 

Light twisting of the yarn as you use it is to be expected, but try and keep the length of slack to minimum to prevent the yarn twisting back on itself as you work.

 

When you’re not using a particular ball, the yarn can be kept secure by retying it with the KPC ribbon.

 

What do '4-ply', 'DK' and 'Aran' mean?

 

Lace, 4 ply, DK, Aran and Chunky indicate the weight, or thickness, of the yarn. Thickness is built up by adding plies to the yarn, so a 4 ply yarn is just that, four plies of yarn.

 

These weights are industry standards, but thickness can vary from supplier to supplier so it is always a good idea to make a 10cm tension square before you begin a new project.

 

What kind of dyes do you use?

 

All KPC yarn qualities are using reactive dyestuff.

 

Yarn fibres absorb reactive dyes through a chemical process known as covalent bonding, by which the pigment and fibre molecules join together.

 

This method of dying has two major advantages:

 

The colour is absorbed on a molecular level so maximum colour fastness is achieved, meaning KPC yarn can be washed repeatedly with no colour loss or transference.

 

Reactive dyes are safer and far more environmentally friendly than traditional textile dyes.

 

The dyes are chemically tailored to react to the specific types of fibre in the yarn (cellulosic in Gossyp and Glencoul, protein-based in Novomerino and Cashmere). This means there is no need for any additional acidic chemicals which have traditionally been used to help a dye penetrate fibres.

 

How many yarn balls do I need?

 

KPC - how many balls do I need

How much yarn is there in a single ball?

 

If you’re working from a published pattern, make sure to take note of the yarn ball weight and length specified as well as the quantity – yarns of the same thickness can vary in weight according to composition, and different yarn makers produce balls of different lengths.

 

Glencoul
4-Ply : 50g, 175m
DK : 50g, 116m
Chunky : 100g, 87m

 

 

Gossyp
4 Ply : 50g, 180m
DK : 50g, 113m
Chunky : 100g, 82m