What is Worsted-Spun?

The term worsted usually means a weight of yarn in knitter’s shorthand, but it is an old word that carries many meanings. Brooklyn Tweed’s Arbor is a deliciously worsted DK-weight yarn. Worsted can refer to a yarn weight (gauge), a way the fiber can be prepared for spinning, and a spinning style. Arbor is the latter two, spun from the fine fleece of the American Targhee.

The smooth surface of a worsted yarn

Knitter’s Taste Test

I knitted a quick swatch in Arbor using stockinette stitch and size 6 (4 mm) needles. After washing and laying flat to dry, the fabric is relaxed and retains the same stitch definition and smooth wooly surface it did in the skein. These are classic elements of a worsted yarn: smooth and crisp.

A classic worsted yarn should also be less likely to pill and shed, with short fibers and tangles removed. I dissected one ply of Arbor to take a look at the staple length of the wool fibers. A long, consistent staple length helps make a yarn more durable.