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LEARN MORE ABOUT TEXTILES IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF WORLD OF WONDER© 2013 Triefeldt Studios, Inc.Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

At a bookstore near you: Two full-color World of Wonder compilations: “Plants & Animals” and “People & Places.”

By Laurie Triefeldt

TEXTILES

Cut and attach to Part Four SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc.; www.carpetandrugpedia.com; www.keepthefleece.org; www.classiccrossstitch.com; www.peaceofyarn.com

PART THREE OF FOUR — COLLECT ALL FOUR AND MAKE A GIANT POSTERCut and attach to Part Two

Many animals, from the popular Merino sheep to more exotic creatures such as the guanaco and vicuna, produce fibers that are easily spun into yarn. Even the

fur of Persian cats can be made into yarn or felt.

ANIMAL FIBERS A revolutionThe 19th century saw enor-mous leaps in technology. Machines began to dominate the production of textiles.1801: The Jacquard punched card loom is invented. This machine used a punch card to operate the loom and is cred-ited as the basis of modern computer science.1806: The first latch needle (for use on knitting machines) is patented.1814: The Boston Manufactur-ing Co. builds the first power loom in the U.S.1825: The first American calico fabric made by roller printing technique begins in Philadel-phia.1828: The leather belt and pul-ley power transmission sys-tem is developed, eventually becoming the U.S. standard.1830: Barthélemy Thimonnier of France develops the first functional sewing machine.1842: The Lancashire loom, a semiautomatic power loom, is developed.1844: The mercerization pro-cess is patented. The chemical treatment is applied to cotton to increase affinity for dyes and luster.1849: The variant latch needle, the most widely used needle in weft knitting machines, is patented.1856: The first synthetic dye is invented.1857: A multihead knitting ma-chine called the Paget machine is patented.1859: A warp knitting machine working with vertical position latch needles is invented.1864: The straight bar knitting machine is patented.1865: The flat knitting machine using latch needles is pat-ented.1865: The double-headed latch needle is invented, allowing machines to create purl stitch knitting.1866: The circular knitting ma-chine is invented — perfect for socks with heels and toes.1892: Viscose is invented.1889: The first automatic bob-bin changing weaving loom is placed in production (selling more than 700,000 worldwide).

KnittingMost textiles are made by weav-ing or knitting. Knitting is a technique that pro-duces fabric from a strand of yarn or wool. Unlike weaving, knitting does not require a loom. The earliest known examples of knit-ting have been found in Egypt, where fragments of complex and brightly dyed wool stockings have been dated to the 11th and 14th centuries A.D.Early socks and stockings were knitted in a process called Nåle-binding, which uses multiple knots or loops made with a single needle and thread. The earliest known knitted items in Europe were made by Muslim knitters for the Spanish court. The Industrial Revolution took wool spinning and cloth manufac-turing from the home to factories. Factory-spun wool was more consistent and uniform.Today, knitting and crocheting at home are popular hobbies.

Sheep were being bred to produce fine-quality wool around 6000 B.C. By 3500 B.C., sheep rearing was a major industry in the ancient world.

Carpets and rugsPeople have been making car-pets and rugs since the Neo-lithic age (7000 B.C.). Nomadic peoples in Asia are thought to be the first to create rugs in quantity (using the wool of their sheep) as a way to keep warm. The most elaborate rugs were made by skilled artisans in Asian and Islamic cultures — Turkish and Persian rugs are famous for their quality and beauty. There are many methods of making rugs. Some are woven, some are braided and others are hooked.

Silk Silk is a natural fiber obtained from silkworms. The most popular kind of silk is obtained from the mulberry silkworm. China, India, Nepal and Europe have been traditional pro-

ducers of good-quality silk on a large scale.

The Merino sheep is prized for its fine, soft wool.

Llamas, gua-nacos, alpacas and vicunas are New World camels prized by the people of Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Ecuador.

Child with baby llama

A micron (micrometer) is the measurement used to describe the diameter of a wool fiber. The lower its microns, the finer the fiber.

The fur of the brushtail possum is mixed with Merino sheep wool to make soft, lightweight and very warm clothing. This creature is considered a serious pest in New Zealand.

In the wilds of the arid, mountainous regions of South America, the guanaco (pronounced gwah-NAH-ko) is a rare and elusive animal. The guanaco’s soft wool is comparable to cashmere.

Guanacos face extinc-

tion in many regions due to poaching.

The Angora rabbit is bred for its long, silky, soft wool, which may be removed by shear-ing, combing or plucking.

Any goat that produces cashmere wool (the goat’s fine, soft, winter undercoat) may be called a cashmere goat. China is one of the largest producers of cashmere down; millions of goats are bred there for the production of cashmere yarn.

Camel down has a fiber structure similar to cash-mere.

The fleece and down of different animals may be blended to make exotic and special yarns.