Stitches from the Heart collects knit booties, blankets and hats for premature babies. Can you knit or donate yarn? If you can, you can make a huge difference to a tiny baby, and her/his family. A low birth-weight baby is born every two minutes.

Patterns and info are available on Stitches from the Heart's website.
www.stitchesfromtheheart.org

Mailing Address:
Stitches from the Heart
3316 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Thank you

A little yarn history since there is such a wide choice of yarns in multitudes of colors from so many countries now.

All yarn is made of spun fiber (except chenille), whether man-made such as acrylic, a blend, or natural such as wool, cotton, or silk.

Selecting the proper fiber for your knitted project can be overwhelming.

Man-made (manufactured) fibers - were developed after World War II.

Synthetic fibers - derived from coal and petroleum includes nylon, acrylic, and polyester. Rayon, acetate, and triacetate are regenerated cellulose fiber, usually from wood chips. Less known man-made from mineral are glass and metallic.

Nylon is best for elasticity and wrinkle recovery.
Polyester, strenght and wrinkle recovery.
Nylon, triacetate, acrylic, and polyester, for dimensional stability.

However, acrylic grows when heated; avoid steaming.
Man-made fibers are popular for children's apparel due to its endurance and easy care.

The popular "fun" scarves of fun fur, ribbon, and other novelty yarns are man-made.

Natural fibers are of plant (cellulose) and animal (protein) origin. Cotton, flax, ramie, hemp, jute, sisal, raffia, soy, and bamboo are popular plant fibers. Flax is known for its strength and dimensional stability.

Scotsman John Mercer developed a process for mercerized cottons (named after him) which are silkier and stronger than untreated cottons.

Cotton does shrink vertically; knitting a stitch pattern elps stabilize the shape from shrinking as well as strtching.

Knitters have used wool, hair, down, and silk - all of which are animal fiber. While silk is known for its strength, wool is known for its elasticity and warmth. Both resist mildew, rank high in wrinkle recovery, and relax when washed. Careful attention needs to be paid to their care and storage. Some knitters have learned the hard way that wool shrinks when washed in water too hot. Hot water and agitation produces felted wool which may not be the result desired. Since wool is a living fiber, it should be stored in open containers; hence; wool cannot breathe in plastic bags. If your area has a moth problem, include a cedar bar in with the wool. Rejuvenate the cedar scent annually by sanding the cedar far.

So understanding the different fiber will ease your yarn selection for your next project's use, geographic area, and care. Include a laundry label with each project so proper care will preserve your beautiful handwork.