Category: Tips and Techniques

The question we are most often asked is “what does the count mean on your yarns?”

Let’s try and answer that, taking our most popular cotton yarn as an example, Garnhuset Cotton 8/2NeC.

First we check the abbreviated unit, in this case Ne, which is sometimes also written NeC. It stands for Number Cotton but is usually just called “Cotton Count” and is a traditional unit going back to the days when cotton was spun as a cottage business. A price had to be agreed for the length of yarns that had been spun from a given amount of fibre, and 840 yards of cotton spun from a pound was defined as 1 count. So the cotton used to make this yarn was spun out to a thickness such that one pound yielded 8 x 840 = 6720 yards.

But if we unravel this cotton we find that there are two ends, twisted around each other to make a two ply yarn. Plying, also called folding, gives strength to the yarn. The “2” in our yarn’s count tells us that there are two plies.

A one pound weight of 8/2 Ne yarn therefore measures 6720 ÷ 2 = 3360 yards.

Tip

• The higher the count, the thinner the yarn. A 16/2NeC is approximately half the thickness of an 8/2NeC, and you will get twice the length for the same weight of yarn.
• But remember, each ply adds to the thickness. So an 8/4Ne yarn would be roughly as thick as two ends of 8/2Ne.

Here are some other yarn count systems:

Count	Abbreviation	Description
Cotton	NeC or Ne or ECC	Number of 840 yd lengths per lb. This count is often also used for man-made cellulose fibres, e.g. Bamboo, Tencel.
Metric	Nm	Number of km per kg (or 1000m per kg) Can be used for any fibre
Woollen	YSW or NeS	Number of 256 yd lengths per lb Yorkshire Skein Weight.
Worsted	NeK or NeW	Number of 560 yd lengths per lb
Linen	NeL or LeA	Number of 300 yd lengths per lb This count is used for Flax, hemp and baste fibres.
Jute		Number of lb per 14,400yds
Dewsbury		Number of yd lengths per oz

Tip

If you look at the “Additional information” section of each of our products you will see that we show information about its count. “Traditional Count” will be cotton count, worsted count or linen count, as appropriate. We also show the metric count which is a useful means of comparing yarns made of different fibres.

Comparing and converting

Comparing yarns with the same count system is easy, but what if your yarns are labelled using different counts? You need to compare apples with apples, not apples with pears! The quickest way for our yarns is to look at the “Additional information” tabs and find the metric count for each yarn.

Converting between yarn counts is complicated, but we have a Yarn Count Converter on this website. Put in the count using the system you know, and the converter tells you the equivalent in seven of the most common yarn count system.

Our yarn count converter also allows you to enter the weight you have of the yarn to calculate its approximate length!

More help with counts

We’re happy to offer help with yarn counts and conversions, use the contact us form or send an email to [email protected] – if you have a label for your yarn include a photo!

Garnhuset fine linen is wet spun from long fibres. We stock this lovely range of line linen in finer counts in 3 weights.

Smooth and strong; both the singles and plied yarns in these finer counts are suitable to use as warp and weft. Consider these yarns for weaving heirloom pieces such as napkins, tablecloths or runners, as well as cloth for lightweight summer clothing. The effort will be worth it, linen will last for several lifetimes if stored properly and never put away damp.

Try using the finer counts as weft with a thicker warp if you want more of a warp faced piece. The finer counts make beautiful bands and braids too!

Linen does produce some fluff during weaving.  Taking care to keep an eye on this lint so it doesn’t build up into little ‘doughnuts’ around the threads or stick ends together, which help reducing the likelihood of broken threads. If something feels tight when winding on – investigate!

Linen doesn’t cope with abrasion and will fluff and break if subjected to too much of it. It’s always good practice to make sure your warp is never narrower on the beam as it is in the reed.  Wind on frequently, the closer you get to the beater the more the warp will splay in the reed and the same threads will be subjected to more abrasion.

Singles linen whether line or tow is more delicate than plied, consider using a plied linen, cotton, or cottolin for the selvedge. A temple is considered a must for many linen weavers, but the width should be set correctly at the reed, not at the fell of the cloth.

Linen has a reputation for being difficult but when woven with care, you produce beautiful cloth.

Tow Linen is made from the short fibres left after the long flax fibres have been removed to be spun into line linen. The resulting yarn has a more textured appearance and feel and is not consistent in thickness as slubs are made with the shorter fibres as it is spun.

Tow linen can be used for both warp and weft but is much more commonly used as weft on line linen, cottolin or cotton warps.  Towels are the obvious choice for weaving with this yarn as the variation in texture and slubs mean that the absorbency is increased. Weaving doesn’t have to be limited to towels though, these yarns will make interesting cloth with their added texture, and although not as shiny as long line linen there is still a subtle shine to see.

When used in the warp the shorter fibres do produce some fluff whilst weaving, but so does line linen!  Taking care to keep an eye on this lint so it either doesn’t build up into little ‘doughnuts’ around the threads or stick ends together will pay dividends in reducing the likelihood of broken threads. If something feels tight when winding on – investigate!

Linen doesn’t cope well with abrasion and will fluff and break if subjected to too much of it. It’s always good practice to make sure your warp is never narrower on the beam as it is in the reed.  Wind on frequently, the closer you get to the beater the more the warp will splay in the reed and the same threads will be subjected to more abrasion. Singles linen whether line or tow is more delicate than plied, consider using a plied linen, cotton, or cottolin for the selvedge.

Linen has a reputation for being difficult but when woven with care produces beautiful cloth. Using tow linen as a weft can be a good introduction to weaving with it.

We are now stocking a range of Tow Linen colours in three counts.

Our Garnhuset product labels are written in Swedish, so here is a quick guide to what they mean.

1 Product name

Vävgarner	Weaving yarns
från	from
GarnHuset i Kinna	The Yarn House in Kinna*
16/2 Lingarn	16/2 linen

*Kinna is a town in Sweden.

2 Colour information

Parti	Dyelot
Färg	Colour number

3 Specification

16/2 Lingarn	16/2 (linen count) Linen
100% linne färgad	100% linen dyed
x-rulle 125 g +-5%	(Reel size) 125g +/-5%
650 m +-5%	(Length) 650m +/-5%

4 Product Facts

Varufakta		Product facts
Färghärdighet	Högsta värden	Colour fastness score	From a possible score
Mot tvätt 60° 4-5 Mot ljus 6-7 Mot gnidning 4-5	5 8 5	When washed at 60°C: 4-5 Lightfastness: 6-7 When rubbed: 4-5	5 8 5

Other fibres

Here are the other fibre names you may encounter:

Bomull	Cotton
Bomull-lin	Cotton – Linen (Cottolin)
Lingarn	Long fibre (line) linen
Lintow	Short fibre (tow) linen
Ullgarn	Wool

When working with a new yarn, or in any situation where a dye not being fast would be a problem, it is essential to weave and wet finish a sample to test both the yarn behaviour once off the loom and its colour fastness.

The Garnhuset cotton linen yarns are dyed using reactive colours, which get their final resistance during washing at 60°C. Before the first washing it is recommended to soak the fabric overnight in clean water. Afterwards squeeze out the water and without drying machine wash separately at 60° Celsius with normal detergent but without bleaching agents.

We always use a couple of colour catcher sheets when first washing a piece of work.

What does the label say?

Swedish regulations for yarn labelling are very strict. Garnhuset include the following performance ratings on the cotton linen yarn labels:

Product facts
Colour fastness washing at 60°C 4-5 of a possible 5
Light fastness 6-7 of a possible 8
Rubbing 4-5 of a possible 5