Hey there, young busties. Jeff from Hopi here and you are
listening to skiing until the podcast that unravels it all in
today's. Episode We.
Are getting. Twisted.
Literally. Ever had a yarn?
That just wouldn't. Behave.
Or maybe you're crocheting away and it's splitting.
You know it's snagging, it's somehow unraveling backwards.
While plot twist. It might not be you, it might be
your. Yarn's twist today we are.
Diving into the fascinating world.
Of the Z twist versus the S twist.
And what that means? Why it matters?
And how it affects your experience as a crocheter or
knitter. Yes, we are.
Going full on yarn CSI on this one.
Okay, what is? A yarn.
Twist. Let's start.
At the spindle, so when yarn is spun.
Fibers are twisted together to give.
Them, you know, strength to give them.
Structure this. Twist can go into two
directions, right, to the right and to the left now.
The Z Twist The Z twist is twisted to the right.
It's like the. Central line in the.
Letter Z. OK, so imagine the letter Z and
that line in the middle it's leaning towards.
The right that is AZ. Twisted yarn so when you look at
a strand, if it's leaning towards.
The right that's AZ twist. Now the S twist.
Bam bam bam. That's twisted to the left.
OK, so it's the the the. Diagonal line in the letter.
S. It's not random.
It is very. Intentional.
So the direction of the twist. Influences super.
Super super super. Much in how the yarn.
Actually behaves. When you work with it.
So here's the kicker. Most commercial yarn is fun.
With an S twist. And that.
Is absolutely great. For knitters because when you
knit the movement on of of your needles.
It actually tends to reinforce the S twist.
It tightens. The S twist.
But when you. Crochet, especially if.
You're right-handed. Your hook motion tends to
untwist it, which means that yarn that behaves beautifully
for knitting can actually start. To split, to fray, or to
actually? Even go limp in crochet.
We hate that crocheters if you've ever felt.
Like a yarn was just I don't know, man, it's splitty.
It's. It actually it's not you.
You know, it actually might have been an S.
Twist yarn that's just. Rebelling against your hook.
So you didn't? Lose that yarn game, it was just
pretty much rigged from the start.
What about? The Z Twist yarn The Z twist
yarn is spun obviously in the opposite direction and when a
right-handed crochet. Uses it it.
Reinforces the twist, not unravels it.
Now the Z twist yarns. Are rare, but they do exist.
Chef's kiss for crochet and bestie.
I have to confess this whole episode.
Was spun, pun intended of course, from something.
Extra special that. We've been working on behind the
scenes and I'm talking about. Our.
Dreamy, dreamy, dreamy new merino.
Z. Twist Yarn created in
collaboration with the One, The Only Bella Cocoa now.
It is soft. It is bouncy and.
Obviously, the kicker. It is designed with crochet in
mind, and I mean, that is already in itself incredible.
It's launching on. July 31st It is twisted the
other way, as we call it at the office the other way around.
It's twisted in AZ twist. So your stitches will
absolutely. You know your stitches are going
to dance, they're going to sing, they're not going to split
anymore. And because I know my fellow
fiber bestie nerds. Love the why?
Just as much as the. What I really, really wanted to
dive Very, very. Deep into the twisty.
Tail of how? Yarn gets its spin.
And why it? Actually, really, really
matters. It matters way more than we
think so. Yeah, let's just.
Deep dive into it. We interrupt this episode for a
special. Segment that.
Explores the history. Of yawn.
Yes, that is correct. It is the archaeology of yawn.
Oh my God, honestly, why do I keep doing this?
This voice at. At this point.
But it is still. Brought to you by our special
correspondent, Yandiana Jones. All right, so once again, this
is your Indiana Jones. And yet today, we are not
hunting for golden. Idols or ancient artifacts.
But we are. Chasing the.
Papery threats of history through.
Forest temples and. Fiber factories.
That's right, we are. Unraveling the legacy of one of
the world's strangest but most sustainable yarns.
Paper yarn. Now let's go.
Back. 17th century Japan. Pictured us.
OK, monks meditating, samurai training and women spinning.
Shifu, a traditional. Textile meant from paper.
Yeah, you heard that right. Wearable Paper.
I mean the process incredibly delicate.
Artisans would take sheets of handmade washi paper.
Cut them into strips, twist them into threads, and weave or knit
them into garments. Now, despite being made
literally from paper, these. Fibers were prized for their.
Strength their breath. Ability.
And eventually their terminal properties, you know, I mean,
they're cool in the summer, cozy in the winter, and who knew
that? Cellulose could be so.
Seasonal, you know, so. Shifu wasn't just practical, but
it was also beautiful. It was.
Often combined with. Silk.
Combined with. Cotton it was used for.
Everything you know from Obi. Belts.
To kimono linings and today you can still find weavers in Japan
continuing this tradition making.
Shifu for art books. Textiles and yes.
Obviously, of course. For experimental fashion, now
fast. Forward to the. 18th century in
Europe, where paper made its debut in a more decorative form.
You know, think fancy trims and braids and ornamental flourishes
on everything from curtains to military uniforms now.
These early uses were quite flashy.
And not very functional. But then comes the late 19th
century. Enter Germany as the Industrial
Revolution revved up. So did the.
Yarn innovation, and I mean, we've known this.
We've covered this so much in so many yarn Indiana Jones
segments. So German engineers.
Developed the 1st. Machines to mass.
Produce paper. Yarn rolling and twisting it
into threads strong enough to be woven during the first.
World War. And the Second World War paper
yarn made its way into emergency textiles, into uniforms when.
Other fibers were scarce. So insert dramatic music.
Here the scene. Where yon Diana?
Jones dashes through. A Berlin.
Textile factory. Dodging spinning bobbins of
wartime paper. Threat Today paper.
Yarn is having a bit of a renaissance, and it's not.
Just about the aesthetics, it's also about sustainability,
because we know. That modern paper yarns are
often. Made from recycled materials.
You know, they're made from post consumer paper, they're made
from bamboo pulp blend and they're made from other blends
like blending paper with hemp and with linen.
So you will. See it in Woven.
Totes in summer. Hats in placemats, even the tops
with a crunchy cool linen like feel.
It's biodegradable. It's.
Plan based of course. And obviously surprisingly
durable. So yeah, if you are, you know.
Wondering, well, how? Am I going to wash it?
Well, just just a gentle. Cycle, you know that's.
That's all it takes. So would.
Would Yarn Diana wear it, You know, absolutely.
Baby yarn aid is. Definitely.
One of those. Rare fibers that.
Fuses innovation with tradition and IT.
Is beautifully eco conscious so it's kind of like.
A Testament. To how cultures across.
Time have turned everyday materials into extraordinary
textiles, So next time you crinkle open a skein of paper
yarn, remember you are holding centuries of ingenuity in your
hands. And maybe, you know, just maybe
a tiny piece of ancient scroll in there somewhere to.
So let's look a little. Bit into how yarn.
Actually gets the. Twist, you know.
Fiber Factory Edition. So picture this.
You are in a spinning mill and it's loud and it's greasy.
Or a little greasy. And somewhere in the background.
There's a Bale of wool. Just waiting to.
Glow up now, once the raw. Fiber has been cleaned in the
process. Called.
Scouring. It goes through a few key steps
before it becomes, you know. The yarn we love to pet.
So we actually have a whole. Episode on how.
Wool is. Made.
So do have a listen to episode 3 if you'd like to.
Hear the entire process from sheep to skeen.
But, you know, let's sum up. The process after.
Scouring fibers are aligned and they're.
Separated in a process. Called carding, it's like
brushing out, you know, tangled hair after a nap and then in
combing the next process, the. Shorter fibers are.
Removed and the. Rest is basically.
Smooth into long, even strands called rovings.
These basically. Look like giant.
Fluffy ropes of fiber. And now comes the.
Twisty part these. Rovings are fed.
Into high. Speed Industrial spinning
machines. Now these machines pull and.
Twist the fiber. Simultaneously locking the.
Fibers together. Into a stable.
Strand of. Yarn.
And here's the magic. The direction of the twist like
we just talked about. Determines the yarns hand feel
and how it behaves when it's worked and the amount of twist
determines the yarns. Durability.
Bounciness and softness and also how much.
It will split. Or how much it will hold.
Together. Also when you're crafting.
The S twist versus the Z twist. The Great.
You know, direction D bait if you want.
So once again the S. Twist twisted to the left.
Most commercially. Yarned is twisted.
In an S twist. Because it works well.
Like I said, with knitting and then the Z.
Twist. It is twisted to the right like
the bar. In the letter.
Z. And it works.
Better for crochiers. Especially the right-handed
ones, because the hook movement can unintentionally be basically
twist and S twisting yarn, so AZ twist yarn resists that
unraveling and Z twists yarns are Once again, I cannot stress
enough how. Actually, sadly rare these are.
And obviously we know that because knitting dominates the.
Market. Why is that?
Well, probably. Because machines can replicate
knitting whilst. Crochet or crochet?
Cannot be replicated in a machine, so obviously it makes
more sense. For the factories to.
Produce an S twist yarn. Instead of AZ Twist.
I mean when a crochet specific yarn appears like.
The Bellicoco. Marino and the Bellicoco.
Marino print. It is, honestly.
A very big. Deal.
So we've checked. The direction.
Let's talk about the magic of the amount of.
Twist we apply. To the yarn.
We have obviously a low twist and a high twist, so a low twist
also called. A shallow angle it.
Is basically super soft. It's.
You know. Lofty.
It's great. For garments and for cozy
projects. But it can.
Split easily, however, it is ideal for drapey shawls for
cowls. And for everything that needs to
have a beautiful drape and that flowy.
Vibe so think low twist fluffy bread.
And then we have. A high twist also.
Called a sharp angle a high. Twist is tight.
It's, you know, sleek. Snappy.
It's super super. Durable and it holds up tension.
Beautifully. It is amazing for stitch
definition. So it's great.
For, you know, making cable. Projects or textured projects.
Where you really? Need to see the stitches.
And I don't know, I mean think. About a high twist as a.
Noodle a spaghetti. It's weird.
Your Monday. Today we're rolling out a yarn
that's here to make headlines. You know, literally say hello to
newspaper yarn. Yeah, you.
Heard me right. That's right, bestie, Today's
weird. Yarn Monday Fiber.
Used to deliver the weather obituaries.
And your horoscope but now is here to become your next
crochet. Coaster, what a plot twist.
Can you even believe it? Though that there's.
Such a thing called newspaper yarn because.
When I first found out about it, I was.
Like huh, interesting. Because it's very.
Specific, I mean, yeah. Recycled.
Paper yarn, OK. I get it.
But recycled newspaper? That's so niche.
So how does? One make yarn out of new Sprint.
Well, it starts with shredded recycled paper, preferably, of
course. Newspaper and.
They prefer the. Uncoated kind.
That's why newspaper works so well.
And this is also because making it out of magazines is a little
bit more. Tricky because the glossy pages,
they're a little bit too slick. For spinning so.
That's why the. Uncoated kind, like the
newspaper kind. They're just like so so good for
this. Anyway, they shred those bad
news up. They.
Wet it so that they turn it into this kind of pulpy gooey.
Mix. That actually gets.
Pressed down then. Gets dried.
Into these long, long, thin strips, and then those strips
are spun into. Thread like.
Filaments. Those filaments are then.
Twisted. And it's just, you know, it's
just like traditional yarn, but. With a.
Lot more crinkle and the result well.
A slightly stiff, but surprisingly strong.
Matte finish yarn that feels. Like paper Craft had a baby with
basket. Weave.
And what I'm saying is please don't make a baby blanket out of
The Sunday Times. Don't do that.
No, no, but. I do.
Kind of love. The idea of.
Turning yesterday's headlines into tomorrow's coasters.
You know I like the sound of that.
Making something out of newspaper yarn mates sound like
a craft. There but I.
Think you know and maybe it's. Just a little positive basting.
Me speaking out loud here, but I.
Think actually. Think that.
It is a. Surprisingly versatile.
Material if you have obviously the right expectations.
I think that it's a great yarn for sturdy.
Sculptural projects like baskets.
I think that you can also. Pair it with.
You know, other thick yarns like a ribbon and yeah, I mean, there
you go, thick cook and you got. Yourself a very.
Beautiful rustic container. For fruit or for.
Yarn. Plus it rattles.
When you dig. Through it like.
So that's kind of cute, the texture and the stiffness.
I think it will make a very. Beautiful.
Killer visual impact in wall art and you know you can think mixed
media, weaving, oversized fringe and macrame.
Style Decor. You can even.
Let a little. Snippets of text speaking
through for very niche messaging like.
Crochet is love. Page 6.
So making yourself some textile art, that could be kind of fun,
right? Then you can of course also
make, you know, notebook covers and and journaling accessories.
So you can make a really really nice.
Bookmark as well. Why not?
You can.
Wrap it. You can stitch it.
You can glue. It, I mean, it's a great way to
make these handmade journal covers, you know, and of.
Course bracelets. Necklaces.
Even earrings just keep them away from rain, because crafty
warnings it is not. Washable, so stick to decorative
or dry used items. It has 0.
Stretch and it can break if. You pull too.
Hard on. It but it is surprisingly
durable. When you work with it, you know.
Slowly and with. Love and yes, you might not be
crocheting cozy socks out of the New York Times, but you can
turn, you know? Yesterday's.
Headlines into tomorrow's. Treasures.
Trash to treasure? Sure.
Bestie, that is. Indeed, fiber magic.
So. I mean, yeah.
Let's write a. Funky coaster pattern for it.
I'm I'm ready for it. I'm totally down.
Ready when you are next week. Yarn made from jellyfish?
Probably not. FDA approved, but still squishy.
I'm just kidding. Or am I?
What is the ideal twist for crochet?
Like I have mentioned 1000 times before.
It's obviously a high twist. So that it.
Helps prevent the yarn. From going fuzzy or splitting
mid stitch and does. The Z twist.
Because it then stays intact while.
Crocheting rather than. You know, unravelling so when
you. Get both.
It is definitely. Chef's kiss.
Your stitches are going to be super.
Crisp. They're going to be smooth.
And the yarn. Will it will?
Flow like a dream, and I mean, we all know.
That crochet is. A bit more spirited, you know,
with all of the yarn overs and the pull throughs and.
I feel like. You know, all of those twisty
emotions, I mean, they can really, really benefit from from
a. Higher twist.
And and. AZ twist so that the whole
project actually. Stays intact and you don't.
Have to fight. Against the against the clock.
Right. And I mean identifying an S.
Twist versus AZ twist baby. I got a really really good
trick. For you unless.
You bought unless you bought a. Yarn from somewhere, that is.
Specifically stated, this is AZ. Twist yarn then well.
Most probably. It's an S twist and.
Yeah. I feel like when the stars align
and then you find that beautiful high twist and Z twist yarn.
If you're a crocheter, then wow. You are lucky.
And and that's why I actually think that it is definitely.
A. A.
Huge thing for us.
It's a huge thing for us to now have finally a yarn that is.
Specifically. Specifically.
Designed for crocheters. I feel like it is such a big.
Game changer. So do try it out.
Try it out because you will. See what I mean?
It's, it's, it's incredible. It's, it's insane.
So you know. Let's play detective.
OK, if you if you do. Have yarn near you.
Take a single strand or or or. Look at the strand of yarn and
then hold it up. Vertically.
And look at the lines in the. Ply are they?
Going to the left or to. The right because if it's
twisted top left to. Bottom right.
Like the letter? S You know the diagonal in the
letter S Then it's an S twist. But if they go.
From. Top right to.
Bottom left, then it's AZ twist. It's kind of like the diagonal
in the letter. Z.
From zebra, zebra, zebra in a snake, Is it a snake yarn or is
it a? Zebra yarn.
You can also, I mean try. To twist.
Test SO. Crochet a few.
Stitches and you see if the yarn.
Splits phrase or. It look almost looks like it's
untwisting and if it. Falls apart.
Then it's likely the wrong. Twist for your for your hook
style. And that is I mean.
Yeah, it is what it is, right? But bestie to.
Twist doesn't define you. It might explain a.
Lot why? Certain yarns are just, you
know, they're not the vibe, right?
So if you've. Ever abandoned A skein?
Or if you got. Pissed off that Oh my God, this.
This yarn is splitting. It's so annoying and this yarn
is not good quality and this yarn is this and that.
Well, it's actually not the IT. It doesn't determine the quality
of the yarn itself. It doesn't determine your
skills. It's just not the right yarn.
So next time you're choosing yarn, do think beyond color and
fiber contents. Peek at the.
Ply, you know. Peek at the twist, pat it a
little bit, give it a. Little spin test.
Spin it around and. Yeah, if, if.
If the yarn feels like butter but never splits, you might have
found your, you know, twist soulmate.
But that's not to say I mean, I don't want to scare you off, OK?
Don't be scared. Don't be don't be scared for for
centuries as crocheters have been crocheting with with yarns
that have that have. DS twist, so that's also.
Fine. That's also totally.
Fine, but we definitely don't think about the twist of a yarn.
We think about color, we think about weight.
And that's pretty much. It right so.
Busty, I mean. That's the.
Twist on twist, you know whether you're working with AZ or an S.
High or low? Twist.
Remember that your yarn should work.
With you. Not against you.
And if a yarn makes you feel like you're wrestling a fibre
snake and put it down, it's not you.
It's a twist. And yeah, I mean, share this
episode with your fiber fam. Tag me in your.
Favorite Z? Twist yarns and until next time,
keep your yarn spun. Right, your hook.
Steady and your heart. Soft remember hashtag.
Skiing and sell. Hashtag Hobby Podcast.
Or my e-mail. Is Jaya at hobby dot?
Com all the info is in the description of this episode and
remember. You.
Have a full running SO answer it have.
You ever tried a Zeet Quest yarn before?
And yeah, leave a comment what you think about it on this, on
this. Episode All right, love you,
bestie bye.