Tamil Calender

The Tamil calendar is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Tamil Nadu, India. It is also used in Puducherry, and by the Tamil population in Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. It is also used by Telugu speaking people in Tamil Nadu. It is used today for cultural, religious and agricultural events, with the Gregorian calendar largely used for official purposes both within and outside India. The Tamil calendar is based on the classical Hindu solar calendar also used in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Nepal, Odisha, Rajasthan and Punjab.

There are several festivals based on the Tamil Hindu calendar. The Tamil New Year follows the nirayanam vernal equinox and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. 14 April marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and this remains a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Tropical vernal equinox fall around 22 March, and adding 23 degrees of trepidation or oscillation to it, we get the Hindu sidereal or Nirayana Mesha Sankranti (Sun's transition into nirayana Aries). Hence, the Tamil calendar begins on the same date in April which is observed by most traditional calendars of the rest of India - Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Odisha, Manipur, Punjab etc. This also coincides with the traditional new year in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Nepal and Thailand. The 60-year cycle is also very ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China, and is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter according to popular belief, or to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras (stars) as mentioned in Surya Siddhanta.

The traditional Tamil year starts on 14 April 2013, Kaliyuga 5115. Vikrama and Shalivahana Saka eras are also used. There are several references in early Tamil literature to the April new year. Nakkirar, the author of the Nedunalvaadai writes in the 3rd century that the Sun travels from Mesha/Chitterai through 11 successive Raasis or signs of the zodiac. Kūdalūr Kizhaar in the 3rd century refers to Mesha Raasi/Chitterai as the commencement of the year in the Puranaanooru. The Tolkaapiyam is the oldest surviving Tamil grammar that divides the year into six seasons where Chitterai marks the start of the Ilavenil season or summer. The 8th century Silappadikaaram mentions the 12 Raasis or zodiac signs starting with Mesha/Chitterai. The Manimekalai alludes to the Hindu solar calendar as we know it today. Adiyaarkunalaar, an early medieval commentator or Urai-asiriyar, mentions the 12 months of the Tamil Hindu calendar with particular reference to Chitterai. There were subsequent inscriptional references in Pagan, Burma dated to the 11th century CE and in Sukhothai, Thailand dated to the 14th century CE to South Indian, often Vaishnavite, courtiers who were tasked with defining the traditional calendar that began in mid-April.

The days of the Tamil Calendar relate to the celestial bodies in the solar system: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, in that order. The week starts with Sunday.Week

This list compiles the days of the week in the Tamil calendar:

No.	Kizhamai (Tamil)	Weekday (English)	Vaasara (Sanskrit)	Lord or Planet	Gregorian Calendar equivalent
01.	ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை	ñayiṟṟu-kizhamai	Ravi-vaasara	Sun	Sunday
02.	திங்கட்கிழமை	tingat-kizhamai	Soma-vaasara	Moon	Monday
03.	செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை	cevvāi-kizhamai	Mangala-vaasara	Mars	Tuesday
04.	புதன்கிழமை	putan-kizhamai	Budha-vaasara	Mercury	Wednesday
05.	வியாழக்கிழமை	viyāzha-kizhamai	Guru Vaasara	Jupiter	Thursday
06.	வெள்ளிக்கிழமை	veḷḷi-kizhamai	Sukra-vaasara	Venus	Friday
07.	சனிக்கிழமை	Shani-kizhamai	Shani-vaasara	Saturn	Saturday

For Tamils the each day begins at the sun rise.

Months

The number of days in a month varies between 29 and 32.

The following list compiles the months of the Tamil Calendar.

No.	Month (Tamil)	Month (English)	Sanskrit Name *	Gregorian Calendar equivalent
01.	சித்திரை	Cittirai	Chaitra	mid-April to mid-May
02.	வைகாசி	Vaikāci	Vaisākha	mid-May to mid-June
03.	ஆனி	Āni	Jyaishtha	mid-June to mid-July
04.	ஆடி	Āṭi	Āshāḍha	mid-July to mid-August
05.	ஆவணி	Āvaṇi	Shrāvaṇa	mid-August to mid-September
06.	புரட்டாசி	Puraṭṭāci	Bhādrapada/Prauṣṭhapada	mid-September to mid-October
07.	ஐப்பசி	Aippaci	Ashwina/Ashvayuja	mid-October to mid-November
08.	கார்த்திகை	Kārttikai	Kārttika	mid-November to mid-December
09.	மார்கழி	Mārkazhi	Mārgaṣīrṣa	mid-December to mid-January
10.	தை	Tai	Pausha/Taiṣya	mid-January to mid-February
11.	மாசி	Māci	Māgha	mid-February to mid-March
12.	பங்குனி	Paṅkuni	Phalguna	mid-March to mid-April

Note: The Sanskrit months above would start one month ahead of Tamil months since the Tamil calendar is a solar calendar while the Sanskrit calendar is a lunisolar calendar

Seasons

The Tamil year, in keeping with the old Indic calendar, is divided into six seasons, each of which lasts two months:

Season in Tamil	English Transliteration	English Translation	Season in Sanskrit	Season in English	Tamil Months	Gregorian Months
இளவேனில்	ila-venil	Light warmth	Vasanta	Spring	chithirai, vaigāsi	Mid Apr - Mid Jun
முதுவேனில்	mutu-venil	Harsh warmth	Grishma	Summer	āni, ādi	Mid Jun - Mid Aug
கார்	kār	Dark clouds, Rain	Varsha	Monsoon	āvani, puratāci	Mid Aug - Mid Oct
குளிர்	kulir	Chill, Cold	Sharada	Autumn	aippasi, kārthigai	Mid Oct - Mid Dec
முன்பனி	mun-pani	Early dew	Hemanta	Winter	mārkazhi, tai	Mid Dec - Mid Feb
பின்பனி	pin-pani	Late dew	Sishira	Prevernal	māsi, panguni	Mid Feb - Mid Apr

Sixty-year cycle

The 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar is common to North and South Indian traditional calendars, with the same name and sequence of years. Its earliest reference is to be found in Surya Siddhanta, which Varahamihirar (550 CE) believed to be the most accurate of the then current theories of astronomy. However, in the Surya Siddhantic list, the first year was Vijaya and not Prabhava as currently used. This 60-year cycle has also been adopted into the Chinese calendar.

After the completion of sixty years, the calendar starts a new with the first year. This corresponds to the Hindu "century." The Vakya or Tirukannitha Panchangam (the traditional Tamil almanac) outlines this sequence. It is related to the position of the planets in the sky with respect to earth. It means that the two major planets Sani/Saturn ( which takes 30 years to complete one cycle round the sun) and the Viyazhan/Jupiter (which takes 12 years to complete one cycle round the Sun) comes to the same position after 60 years.

The following list presents the current 60-year cycle of the Tamil calendar:

No.	Name	Name (English)	Gregorian Year		No.	Name	Name (English)	Gregorian Year
01.	பிரபவ	Prabhava	1987–1988		31.	ஹேவிளம்பி	Hevilambi	2017–2018
02.	விபவ	Vibhava	1988–1989		32.	விளம்பி	Vilambi	2018–2019
03.	சுக்ல	Sukla	1989–1990		33.	விகாரி	Vikari	2019–2020
04.	பிரமோதூத	Pramodoota	1990–1991		34.	சார்வரி	Sarvari	2020–2021
05.	பிரசோற்பத்தி	Prachorpaththi	1991–1992		35.	பிலவ	Plava	2021–2022
06.	ஆங்கீரச	Aangirasa	1992–1993		36.	சுபகிருது	Subakrith	2022–2023
07.	ஸ்ரீமுக	Srimukha	1993–1994		37.	சோபகிருது	Sobakrith	2023–2024
08.	பவ	Bhava	1994–1995		38.	குரோதி	Krodhi	2024–2025
09.	யுவ	Yuva	1995–1996		39.	விசுவாசுவ	Visuvaasuva	2025–2026
10.	தாது	Dhaatu	1996–1997		40.	பரபாவ	Parabhaava	2026–2027
11.	ஈஸ்வர	Eesvara	1997–1998		41.	பிலவங்க	Plavanga	2027–2028
12.	வெகுதானிய	Vehudhanya	1998–1999		42.	கீலக	Keelaka	2028–2029
13.	பிரமாதி	Pramathi	1999–2000		43.	சௌமிய	Saumya	2029–2030
14.	விக்கிரம	Vikrama	2000–2001		44.	சாதாரண	Sadharana	2030–2031
15.	விஷு	Vishu	2001–2002		45.	விரோதகிருது	Virodhikrithu	2031–2032
16.	சித்திரபானு	Chitrabaanu	2002–2003		46.	பரிதாபி	Paridhaabi	2032–2033
17.	சுபானு	Subhaanu	2003–2004		47.	பிரமாதீச	Pramaadhisa	2033–2034
18.	தாரண	Dhaarana	2004–2005		48.	ஆனந்த	Aanandha	2034–2035
19.	பார்த்திப	Paarthiba	2005–2006		49.	ராட்சச	Rakshasa	2035–2036
20.	விய	Viya	2006–2007		50.	நள	Nala	2036–2037
21.	சர்வசித்து	Sarvajith	2007–2008		51.	பிங்கள	Pingala	2037–2038
22.	சர்வதாரி	Sarvadhari	2008–2009		52.	காளயுக்தி	Kalayukthi	2038–2039
23.	விரோதி	Virodhi	2009–2010		53.	சித்தார்த்தி	Siddharthi	2039–2040
24.	விக்ருதி	Vikruthi	2010–2011		54.	ரௌத்திரி	Raudhri	2040–2041
25.	கர	Kara	2011–2012		55.	துன்மதி	Dunmathi	2041–2042
26.	நந்தன	Nandhana	2012–2013		56.	துந்துபி	Dhundubhi	2042–2043
27.	விஜய	Vijaya	2013–2014		57.	ருத்ரோத்காரி	Rudhrodhgaari	2043–2044
28.	ஜய	Jaya	2014–2015		58.	ரக்தாட்சி	Raktakshi	2044–2045
29.	மன்மத	Manmatha	2015–2016		59.	குரோதன	Krodhana	2045–2046
30.	துன்முகி	Dhunmuki	2016–2017		60.	அட்சய	Akshaya	2046–2047

Celebrations

The months of the Tamil Calendar have great significance and are deeply rooted in the faith of the Tamil Hindus. Some months are considered very auspicious while a few are considered inauspicious as well.

Some of the celebrations for each month are listed below. Dates in parentheses are not exact and usually vary by a day or two. Underneath (or beside) the months of the Hindu calendar are their Gregorian counterparts.

Month	Approx Dates	Notes
சித்திரை -Chithirai(April)	14 April - 14 May	Chitra Pournami & Varusha pirappu are the most important festivals in this month. Famous Chithirai thiruvizha is ceiebrated in Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple.
வைகாசி -Vaikaasi(May)	15 May - 14 June	Vaikaasi Visaakam is the most important day in this month.This month is most favorable month of Lord Subramainya (Murga Kadavul). Thirumangalam[Madurai] Shri Pathrakali Mariamman Temple 13day Vaigasi Festival starts at Sunday followed by vaigasi ammavasai[no moon day].
ஆனி - Aani(June)	15 June - 14 July	Aani Thirumanjanam or Aani Uttaram for Lord Nataraja is the most famous day in this month.
ஆடி - Aadi(July)	15 July - 14 August	A most important month for women. The most auspicious days are Fridays and Tuesdays in this month, these are called Aadi Velli and Aadi Chevvai and the Aadi Amavasya. Aadi Pooram is also a special day.18th day of adi is the most important day for the farmers (delta region) they prepare paddy seedlings.during this month "kanchi varthal" is famous in amman temples
ஆவணி -Aavani(August)	15 August - 15 September	An important month with many rituals. Brahmins change their sacred thread on Aavani Avittam. Each Sunday of the month is dedicated to prayers - Aavani Gnayiru.
புரட்டாசி -Purattaasi(September)	15 September - 15 October	An important month for Vaishnavas. Purattaasi Sani(Saturday) is an auspicious day for Lord Vishnu. Navarathri & Vijayadhashami or Ayuda Pooja is celebrated to invoke Goddess Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi.
ஐப்பசி -Aippasi(October)	15 October - 14 November	The monsoons typically start over Tamil Nadu in this month. Hence the saying, "Aippasi Mazhai, adai mazhai" - meaning "Aippasi rains are persistent rains". Also Annaabishekam for Lord Shiva is very famous in this month. The most famous Hindu festival "Deepavali" is celebrated in this month. The Fridays of this month - Aipassi velli - are dedicated to religious observance.
கார்த்திகை -Karthikai(November)	15 November - 14 December	Another auspicious celebration for Shiva devotees is Thirukaarthigai. The Krithikaa Pournami is the special day of the full moon in the month of Kaarthikai, and the star is Krithikaa. Each Monday of this month is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. Every Monday is called "Somavaaram" when 108 or 1008 sangabhishekam are offered to Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga.
மார்கழி -Maargazhi(December)	15 December - 14 January	This is another special month in the Tamil Calendar. Temples open earlier in the mornings and Devotees throng the temples early for puja and prasadam - the offering made to the deity which is later distributed to the devotees. Arudra Darisanam (Thiruvaadirai star in Tamil) is the most auspicious day in this month. This is also a very popular festival in Kerala, where it is called Thiruvaadira. The offering made to Lord siva is the Thiruvaadira Kali. Mukkodi Ekathesi is called "Paramapadha vaasal Thirappu" for Lord Vishnu. The Tiruvembaavai and Thirupaavai fast takes place in this month.
தை - Thai(January) (pronounced Thy)	15 January - 14 February	Pongal, which is the harvest festival, is celebrated on the first day of this month. Thai Friday is a popular day among Telugu speaking peoples settled in Tamil Nadu. Thaipusam is also a special day for Murugan devotees, who carry Kavadis to one of the Aarupadaiveedu (Literally meaning "six abodes").
மாசி -Maasi(February)	15 February - 14 March	Maasi Magam is the special day of which comes in this Month. Shivaratri is an important festival widely celebrated by Hindus in this month.
பங்குனி -Panguni(March)	15 March - 13 April	Panguni Uthiram, the last month of the year, is a famous festival and special to Murugan and Siva devotees.

Significance

The Hindus developed a system of calendrics that encapsulates vast periods of time. For computing the age of the earth and various geological and other epochs, as well as the age of mankind, they still employ a Tamil calendar derived from ancient astronomical data, known as the Tirukkanida Panchanga (cf. The Secret Doctrine, 2:49-51).

• This calendar contains a calculation of something over three hundred million years for the age of the present earth since sedimentation occurred, and a period of somewhat more than eighteen million years since the first appearance of our mankind.(?)

• The 10th Tamil month, called Thai, falls in mid-January each year. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm within the Tamil Community all over the world. Thai is marked by gifts of new clothing for family members and prayers to God for prosperity in the coming year. Thai and the fifth month Aavani are considered very auspicious for marriage and most marriages occur during these months.

• The fourth month Aadi is considered inauspicious, so weddings do not often fall in this month. Aadi is also the month of preparation for the next crop cycle by farmers. Therefore, farming communities avoid major events like weddings in this month. Those members of the Tamil community who don't actively contribute/participate in farming take advantage by having important functions like wedding in this month. For example, the business community prefers this month for weddings. Aadi is usually the worst month for business, although when businesses recently initiated Aadi discounts, this situation has changed significantly. Each Friday of this month is set aside for prayer and worship.

• Aadi is an inauspicious month for newlyweds to sleep together because a woman who conceives in this month will have a difficult delivery in May, the hottest month in Tamil Nadu (Agni natchathiram - ['pinezhu'] the last 7 days ofChithirai and ['munezhu'] the first 7 days of Vaigasi). 'Aadi' is also the windiest month in Tamil Nadu, and hence the phrase 'Aadi kaatru ammiyai nagatrum' (literally, 'the strong winds in the month of Aadi can even move a stone grinder')

• Purattaasi is when most of the non-vegetarian Tamil people fast from meat for a month. Each Saturday of this month is set apart to venerate the planet Saturn.

• Deepavali, is celebrated on the new moon day, in the seventh month Aipasi. The month of Aipasi is usually characterised by the North-East Monsoon in Tamil Nadu, which has given birth to a phrase, Aipasi adai mazhai meaning the "Non-stop downpour".

• Maargazhi falls in winter in Tamil Nadu, and is considered unauspicious for unmarried women to find a groom. The Shaivite fast of Thiru-vembaavai and the Vaishnava fast of Thiru-paavai are also observed in this month.

• The total number of days in a Tamil Calendar is an average 365 days and the days of the week are named similarly to those of the western calendar. The Vakiya Panchangam is employed for both sacred and civil calculations. TheTrikanitha Panchangam is employed for astrological calculations.

Festivals

The Tamil Calendar is so important to the life of Tamil-speaking people that most of the Festivals of Tamil Nadu are based on it. Some of Festivals include Tamil New Year or Puthandu in mid-April, Thai Pongal, Deepavali, Panguni Uthiram, Thirukaarthigai, Aadiperukku, Navaratri etc.

Ruler can do anything, so Born to rule the Galaxy

Textile Yarn size/substance

If one wants to be very precise and accurate we must send yarn samples to a laboratory to do an analysis, but it involves time and costs money. Thus we want to tell the size of yarn quickly then following method can be used and get the size in less than 5 minutes. First keep some yarn in your possession of confirmed sizes, such as 7s,10s,16s,20s, 40s, 45s which are very popular size yarns of 100% cotton or T/C Now pull out 1- pcs of yarn from the fabric that you wish to know the size of. You twist the yarn in 4 steps as follows and compare the thickness visually and you can determine what size of yarn it is. Pull out 10 pcs of warp threads and 10 pcs of weft threads. Prepare 10 pcs of yarn that you already know of what size they are. Hook up the yarn. Now twist the yarn and see that the yarn of unknown size is bigger or smaller than the 10 count yarn. D. If you find the yarn from the fabric to be smaller than the confirmed size yarn, you use a smaller confirmed size yarn to compare. When the thicknesses the same then you can determine what size of yarn it is. The theory is it is very difficult to tell the size by looking at one piece of yarn but one can do so by looking at 20 pieces together in comparison with another 20 pieces that you know what size they are . DISPLAY OF POPULAR TEXTILE YARN SIZES: With respect to yarn sizes, following chart will show what yarn spinners usually make in 100% cotton, TC and CVC: Most popular sizes (usually available from stock) Less Popular sizes (sometimes available from stock) COTTON TC/CVC COTTON TC/CVC 6s 7s 8s 8s 10s 10s 12s 13s 14s 14s 16s 16s 17s 20s 20s 21s 21s 24s 24s 30s 30s 32s 32s 33s 40s 42s 45s 60s 60s If you want to develop a new fabric, you should not resort to yarn sizes that are not popular (unpopular sizes of yarn if obtainable are usually more expensive). If you need a special size yarn and try to order it from spinner, he may need 100000 pounds or more as a minimum to set up the production for you.

The techniques to identify the substance of textile yarn:

To determine what substance is of the yarn that you are looking at sometimes is difficult. It requires good knowledge and experience to make a good judgment. If you want to be very accurate you have to send it to a lab for a scientific analysis. However, there are some techniques to get the answer quickly. These are the methods which you can use to analyze the yarn ourselves without the help of any equipment. Yarn type Description Cotton When you untwist the yarn and pull out the staples from it, you will see that all the staples are less than 2”. When you burn it, it burns to grayish white ash like residue of burning paper. Silk When you untwist, unravel the yarn and pull out the fibers from it you will see the fibers are too much longer than 2”. They are very fine and soft. When you burn it, it burns to dark grey hard ash (like a bubble). You can crush it by hand into dust. Ramie When you untwist, unravel the yarn and pull out the fibers from it you will see that the fibers are much longer than 2”.They are thick and stiff, not too pliable. When you burn it, it burns to grayish white as similar to cotton. Wool When you untwist, unravel the yarn and pull out the fibers from it you will see the fibers are longer than 2” and they are not very straight and not very fine and pliable. You would suspect either it is wool or synthetic. When you burn it, it gives you a very strong smell like burning human hair. During the process of burning it does not melt. Synthetic Unless you go for a sophisticated analysis by a laboratory, you cannot tell what kind of synthetic fiber it is other than separating rayon from other synthetic materials. Polyester, Nylon,acrylic All These are from petroleum, therefore when we untwist, unravel the yarn and pull out the fiber from it you will see that the fiber length is very long and even in thickness. When you burn it, it melts first. When it catches fire the smoke is black. Rayon Rayon is made of pulp which comes from mashed wood and that is why it burns like paper or cotton. Polyester, nylon, acrylic etc are side products of petroleum and they burn like plastic or petroleum. It if is rayon, then when you untwist, unravel the yarn and pull you will see that the fiber length is very long, very soft and even in thickness. When you burn it, it burns like paper or cotton to grayish white ash. In the process of burning you do not see anything melting. The above is the guideline to find out approximately what substance it is. It needs good experience and skill to do it. If you practice often you can tell what it is without much difficulty. If you need to know the percentage of the blended yarn, you have to use a laboratory to do an analysis. If you only wish to know what they are, you can use the above methods.

Ruler can do anything, so Born to rule the Galaxy

TYPES OF YARN FIBERS

 Animal-based fibers provide great insulation, keeping you warm when it's cold outside and cool when it's hot. They are also very absorbent. Some animal fibers are warmer than others, but even a light mohair yarn can knit into a warm sweater. 

SIDE NOTE on WOOL:  The most widespread as far as use is Wool and the best known is Merino Wool, which takes up 40% of the total wool yarn produced.  The longer the fiber the better the yarn and it is called "worsted" wool.  There has been a Wool Products Labeling Act in place since 1939 and the manufacturer must let you know what kind of wool you are buying since the quality can vary greatly.  More information about "Worsted Wool" later in this section as it can mean different things in different countries, so be careful when this term is used.
-  New or Virgin Wool has never been used in manufacturing that I know of.
-  Reprocessed or Reclaimed Wool is made from mill ends or scraps from the cutting room.
-  Lambswool is from baby sheep less than 7 months old.
-  Reused is fiber recovered from used garments and then re-spun, like the Sari Silk Yarn out of India.

Now back to the types of fibers out there: 

• Wool: All wool comes from sheep but can range from very rough and scratchy (from Icelandic sheep) to superfine fleece as soft as cotton (from Merino sheep). Merino yarn is fairly inexpensive versus all other types of animal based yarns in the luxury category, and feels great against your body. Wool is the most common fiber to knit with.  The thing about Wool is that it can be worn in both cold and hot climates, as it will insulate and keep you warm in cold climates and cool in hot climates.  Kind of strange I know, but it actually does work that way since it is "insulating".
• Merino Wool: Merino Wool comes from the "Merino" sheep.  It is a very high end wool and more expensive than other types of wool, but still very affordable and one of my favorites.  When I make anything out of wool, it is 99% of the time out of Merino Wool.  It is very soft and smooth and feels great against the skin.  It does have a tendency to pill though, and care should be taken when you hand wash items made from this wool.  I love this type of wool as it is warm, so very soft and cozy.
• Super Wash Wool: Specially treated wool so that you can throw it in the wash and dry in the dryer.  Great for children clothing.  This wool does not felt at all.

                           SHEEP

• Mohair: Mohair comes from the fleece of an Angora goat. It is fuzzy and glamorous but can be itchy when worn directly against your skin and it sheds like crazy.  Kid Mohair is softer but not as lustrous as hair from adult goats.  This type of yarn is especially pretty with lace work and in lace shawls as the distance between the stitches allows the yarn to fluff out.

                                   ANGORA GOAT

• Cashmere: This is the most wonderful soft, fluffy yarn and is a Wool Yarn. Cashmere is combed from the belly of cashmere goats, the back of the legs and throat during molting season.  It is VERY expensive so if you want the feel of cashmere without the huge expense you can buy a yarn that blends cashmere with something else (like wool), or try Merino Wool, very lovely to the touch.  Also in my opinion, Soy Silk and Bamboo yarn are great substitutes for this yarn as far as softness only, as they knit up differently and have more stretch.  Cashmere also pills easily and is loosely spun, so best for items worn for special occasions, unless off course you are independently wealthy, then you can even have socks made out of cashmere. LOL

                            CASHMERE GOAT

SIDE NOTE on ALPACAS:  Alpaca fiber has softness like no other natural fiber. Huacaya alpaca is crimpy and soft. Suri alpaca is silky and lustrous. It is also very lightweight, yet warmer than wool. Each individual strand of fiber is hollow or some have said semi-hollow.  This gives alpaca a tremendous thermal capacity that allows for a breathable fiber with an insulating nature.  Alpacas come naturally in 22 color variations; the spectrum includes white, fawn, brown, gray and black, with all the natural shades in between. Most of the Alpacas in the USA are sheared once a year. The fiber is sorted from blanket, leg and neck and belly, and many Alpaca raisers are sorting the blankets for grades as well.

There are different uses for the fiber based on the animals microns:

• Ultra fine : 20 microns and under - Makes nice next to the skin items.
• Superfine : 20-23 microns - Gently used items such as shawls and specialty baby items.
• Fine : 23-25 microns - Most versatile and the microns we see most.
• Medium : 26-30 microns - Socks, throws, outer wear and felt if little guard hairs, rugs. This is also the average micron for the American Alpacas.
• Coarser : 30+ microns - Batt's, insulation and rugs some people like this yarn to make purses and outerwear, felt for slippers, etc.

• Alpaca: Alpaca fibers come from a llama-like animal and when used in clothing it is very, very warm. Useful for hats and scarves but potentially too hot for a sweater.  Alpaca yarn typically comes in earthy, natural tones and is considered a "luxury fiber".  You can also purchase blends of this yarn.  This yarn fiber comes mainly from South America in Bolivia and Peru.  It stretches quite a bit so mainly used for light garments.
• "Suri" Alpaca: Only 3% of Alpacas as "Suri" hence making this a luxury yarn and is usually blended with wool.  Usually is not dyed. It is the HARDEST yarn to find and is usually blended with another yarn otherwise it would be too costly to make and no one would buy buy it, but you can find 100% Suri Alpaca yarn.

                                     SURI

• Lama:   You can buy pure Lama wool but it is VERY expensive.  The great thing about Lama is that it is hypoallergenic, it is lighter and warmer than Alpaca and is stronger than wool.  The Lama hair is dehaired, or the course hair is removed, and what is left is the soft and fluffy stuff and this yarn rivals cashmere to the touch.  Because it is in high demand but hard to come by, it is usually mixed with other fibers. 

                                       LAMA

• Vicuna:  This is an animal from the camel family and their hair is warmer, more insulating and softer than any other animal.  At one point the Vicuna were on the Endangered Species List, but now are slowly coming back into numbers that hopefully, one day will take them off this list.  Since they can be shorn only once every three years, this is a precious and very expensive commodity.  They live only in very high altitudes.

                                                VICUNA

• Guanaco:  This is from the same family as Vicuna and are also endangered, but have been classified as threatened.  Along the same lines as Vicuna, it is a very expensive fiber to use and it's softer than cashmere.

                                      GUANACO

• Camel:  Finally to the actual camel!  This yarn is made from the under coast of the Asian or Bacterian Camel.  Because there is a high demand but limited in quantity annually, it is very expensive and considered a luxury yarn.  It is not usually dyed and comes in it's natural color.
• Angora: Angora yarn is very fine and fluffy and comes from the Angora Rabbit.  It sheds very badly so it's best used for accents rather than an entire item of clothing.  It is very pretty with lace work since the stitches are far apart and allows this yarn to fluff out.

                                   ANGORA RABBIT       

• Quivet: This comes from a Musk Ox and is a lot warmer than wool, is very soft and very expensive.  It does not felt.  I personally have not used this yarn yet.
• Possum: As per the name this yarn is made from Possum hairs that are hollow and as such is thermo regulating.  I have not used this yarn yet.  Possum is usually mixed with another yarn, such as merino which produces a hard wearing yarn with superior heat retaining qualities.  In knitwear, possum fur, unlike angora, resists pilling and is a lot fluffier.  Possum is now a National Pest in New Zealand, it was introduced to the environment and is not a native animal.  Since 1936 Possums have and are causing a lot of damage in their forests.  Also, possum hair is hand plucked and not machine plucked as the fiber is destroyed by the machine and makes for a much inferior yarn, so make sure you know how this yarn is made before you buy it.

                            POSSUM

• Mink:  Mink yarn is a very expensive, some what new yarn on the market as of 2010 in the USA.  From what I can gather this yarn had been introduced in the market in Europe in the 1970's, but evidently without much success and today is a hard yarn to find.  Do not expect it to look like "mink", as it looks like a wool type yarn.  Mink Yarn DOES NOT look like mink, if it does it is NOT Mink Yarn. It is very pretty and very warm.  As far as I know Great Northern Yarns is the only manufacturer of this yarn and make a 70%/30% and a 90%/10% mink and cashmere blend.  You cannot have 100% mink yarn as it is impossible to spin without using a stabilizing fiber, such as cashmere, if it says 100% mink IT IS NOT YARN. The mink fibers are just long enough when blended with a slightly longer stabilizing fiber like cashmere for these two luxury fibers to be spun and plied into an extremely soft and lightweight knitting yarn. The mink and cashmere fibers have similar micron thicknesses and are wonderfully compatible.  The resulting yarn has been compared to the finest luxury knitting yarns in the world.  Great Northern Yarns also sell other types of hard to find luxury yarn such as Camel, Yak and Cashmere, and a Mulberry Silk/Merino blend.  No animals are harmed in the way Great Northern Yarns produce their yarn and also are in a stress free environment.

                                       MINK 
             

 Plant Fibers are not as insulating as the animal-based fibers but they absorb moisture very well and are strong and very breathable.  Another benefit of plant fiber is that it is all hypo-allergenic so if you are allergic to wool you should still be able to wear clothes made of cotton or linen yarn.

                                      

• Silk: Silk comes from the long fibers of unraveled silkworm cocoons. Each cocoon can have one (1) continuous filament over a mile long! Controlled breeding produces the best silk called "Bombyx Silk" and Wild Silk Worms create "Tussah Silk".  There is a difference between the two as far as quality, so make sure you understand what you are buying. Silk yarn is a very strong yarn, is shiny, silky, light and beautiful.  Silk yarn can also have a not so shiny and courser look, depending what it is made with and how. Silk yarn is one of the more expensive luxury yarns.  Reeled, or filament silk is the highest quality yarn and is very white and shiny.  A ball winder should not be used with reeled silk yarn as the silk yarn will slip off, making a tangled mess. High quality spun silk yarn is an easier silk to work with though it is more slippery than cotton or wool and anyone working with silk should try a small amount first, as most knitters do not like working with silk, because it is difficult to work with and a novice to knitting should never start out with knitting silk yarn.  A lot of recycled silk yarns have a smell to them so be careful when buying.  I personally do not buy recycled silk unless I can trust that it will not stink, and it does stink.  Items knitted with some types of silk also have a tendency to catch on things, so take care when choosing a silk yarn.

                                      SILK PODS

• Bamboo: There are two common processes for making bamboo yarn frombamboo stalks, both developed in China, where large crops of bamboo are cultivated for many different uses. One of these processes involves physically crushing the bamboo stalks and then allowing natural enzymes to continue the process of breaking down the plant. Cellulose fibers are then combed out of the stalk in a process that is similar to the extraction of flax fibers from the flax plant. The second process produces a yarn that is more similar to rayon, and involves the application of chemicals such as lye and carbon disulfide, a type of chemical solvent. After the bamboostalks have been broken down by this chemical bath, the cellulose fibers are mechanically extruded.  Bamboo has been compared to silk and I agree, it is a beautiful yarn and items made from Bamboo Yarn are amazing since it has such a nice drape, but I would not recommend this yarn for any type of cabling, because of the drape.  Bamboo is a renewable, biodegradable and non-polluting resource that can grow without the use of pesticides, hence it is a "green" yarn. One of the outstanding features of 100% Bamboo yarn is its breathability and coolness.  The fiber structure of these yarns, enhanced by the spinning process, have microscopic holes that wick away moisture and facilitate it's evaporation, which render garments made from 100% Bamboo yarns among the most comfortable for warm-to-extremely-hot weather climates. These same qualities offer natural insulation as well.  100% Bamboo yarns have natural antibacterial, deodorant and non-allergenic qualities that remain in the fabric even after many washes, rendering this yarn ideal for socks and children’s wear but I use it for just about anything.  Also, do not confuse Bamboo Silk Yarn with Silk Yarn, it is not the same fiber.

                             BAMBOO FORREST

• Cotton: Cotton is typically planted in the autumn and harvested in the late spring in climates where the summers are long, hot and arid. There are many varieties of cotton.  During harvesting, each boll is picked by stripper harvester and spindle pickers, which are mower-like vehicles that sever and gather the cotton.  After the cotton is harvested, the fibers are separated from dirt, debris and seeds in a process called ginning.  When cotton bales arrive at the spinning plant they are opened and separated by quality. The wads of cotton are put through a carding machine, which straightens them, allowing the fibers to lie parallel to one another. Afterwards, they are combed and bleached with hypochlorite or peroxide before the fibers are spun. Spinning machines operate by first condensing fibers together, rolling them onto a bobbin in one long strand. Then the strands are twisted into yarn.  Cotton is light and absorbent, but not as stretchy as wool. It is a bit harder to work with (and shows uneven stitching) so better used for more advanced projects.  I always buy mercerized cotton, which is treated, and it is a much better yarn to work with.  Mercerized cotton is a special kind of cotton yarn that is more lustrous than conventional cotton. It is also stronger, takes dye a little more readily, makes the yarn more resistant to mildew and reduces lint. It also may not shrink or lose its shape as much as "regular" cotton.

                                     COTTON

• Linen: The long fibers used to make linen yarn come from the stalk of the flax plant. Growing flax plants takes about 100 days from seed to harvest. The plant produces blue or white flowers on slender stalks that grow 2 feet to 4 feet high. Flax plants with blue flowers produce the finest fiber.  As soon as the stalk turns yellow and the leaves wither, the harvest begins. Any delay in harvesting means the flax will produce a less lustrous fiber.  The stalks are soaked in water, acids or other chemicals to dissolve the woody bark that surrounds the fibers. This step, called retting, must be done properly or the quality of the linen yarn will be affected.  Once the fiber is ready, the long fibers, called line or dressed flax, can measure 12 inches to 20 inches long. They yield the finest yarn. The short fibers, known as tow, make a coarser yarn.  Once you have the fiber ready for spinning, the rovings go to the spinning frame, which draws out a few fibers at a time and twists them to make them into a strong, inelastic yarn.Linen is a cool breathable fiber, but can cause your clothing items to be stiff and wrinkle easily. When blended with cotton it is much easier to work with.  I rarely use this yarn since it does wrinkle so easily, but I have to say does make beautiful garments.  Ramie is also a type of Linen.

                        LINEN PLANTS

• Seacell: This is a new form of yarn made from seaweed and wood pulp and is very soft to the touch.  It is a blend of Sea Cell and cotton, silk, wool, or a blend of silk and wool. Sea Cell is a plant fiber created from seaweed and tencel or Lyocell. The yarn comes in several blends and can come in a 70-30 blend or an 80-20 blend, with Sea Cell always the lesser number.

                                        SEA WEED

• Soy Silk: This yarn is made from Soy and can be mixed with other properties or be 100% Soy.  Soy Silk is an environmentally friendly fiber made from tofu manufacturing waste. Soy protein is liquefied and then extruded into long, continuous fibers that are then cut and processed like any other spinning fiber.  It is very soft to the touch and feels like a cross between cashmere and a really soft cotton.  It is one of my favorite yarns to work with but does not do well with cabling since it has a very nice drape.  I think this one feels like Cashmere and is right up there as far as a luxurious feeling yarn at a decent price.

                              SOYA

• Banana Silk: This yarn is made from the leaves and stalk of the banana plant and is usually mixed with another fibre such as wool or even recycled Sari Silk but can be 100% banana fibre.  This yarn does not do well with knitting machines at all, believe me as I have tried because I like the texture it produces.  Most of this silk is made in third world countries (Nepal), by hand.  It is almost always a chunky weight yarn.  This yarn technically is a rayon.  If made well, this yarn has been compared to silk, but I would say it would have to be raw silk as it is very bumpy and thick/thin.  Below is a picture of banana tree in bloom.

                                   BANANA TREE

Man-Made fibers, such as acrylic, are inexpensive and easily washable however, they are not very warm or absorbent. Using acrylic yarn in clothing items will give you a result that feels like store-bought clothing. But, once you try using animal-based or plant fibers you will realize that they are a LOT nicer!  Acrylic can be blended with other yarn fibers to make some interesting composite yarns and is almost always an ingredient in novelty or specialty yarns.

• Acrylic: This is the cheapest, easiest yarn to work with and therefore PERFECT for your first few easy knitting projects. It is great to use for projects intended for babies and pets since you can wash it easily. It is helpful to buy acrylic yarn with a little bit of wool blended in to make it nicer to work with and wear. Most of the fuzzy, furry, sparkly novelty yarns are made using acrylic so you will definitely want to check it out at least for those.
• Rayon:  Rayon is like cotton but softer.  It also has a lot of stretch, so be careful what you make out of it.  There are two types, but they are basically the same.  Rayon also scorches with heat.  It is made from the cellulose of wood chips or cotton lint.
• Synthetics:  These are made from coal and petroleum products and I am not a fan of them.  They include Nylon, Polyester and Acrylic.  They are hot to wear, hold a static charge, pill and do not hold moisture well at all.  I never use them unless it is used in novelty yarn, and then only in very limited amounts.

                                  

A WORD ON NOVELTY YARN:Novelty yarns are easy to recognize because their appearance is so different from traditional yarns and can be man made and/or synthetic fibers.  Below is a brief summary of just a few, as there are endless types of novelty yarn that is only restricted by your imagination.  Some novelty yarns can be tricky to work with, others can be downright difficult. Identifying individual stitches in highly textured yarns is difficult, if not impossible, making it hard to fix mistakes or rip out stitches which means you usually have to start over, which is a real bummer.

Ribbon: A knitted ribbon in rayon or a rayon blend but can actually be made from just about anything.  It looks just like ribbon and for me works better with hand knitting versus machine knitting due to the flatness and width.  Knitting this in a machine I think makes the item knitted with too tight of a stitch and you loose the look of the ribbon, especially if it is also curly.  There is another type of ribbon yarn that is like a ladder, I have used this yarn on the machine successfully in garments and shawls, on a looser stitch and it mimics a lacy type look.

                                     RIBBON

Bouclé: This highly bumpy, textured yarn is composed of loops.  It makes really cool looking garments but you need to take care when using it on the knitting machine.  It is really, really difficult to use on a knitting machines as it will catch and I would recommend you use use a 6.5mm mid or 9mm bulky gauge machine and not the standard 4.5mm.  Make sure to use the right guage and tension, the tension usually a very loose one, as that makes all the difference in the world. Keep making tension swatches until you feel comfortable with the result or if you want to use it at all.
                                    BOUCLE

Chenille: Although tricky to knit with as it rips easily, this yarn has an attractive appearance and velvety texture.  It is tricky as it will break when knitted on a knitting machine, so make sure that the chenille you use is strong rather than a softer chenille for hand knitting.  As you can see below, it has a velvet like feel and look to it.  Never machine knit with a tight stitch, it just will keep breaking.

                          CHENILLE 

Thick-thin: Alternates between very thick and thin sections, which lends a bumpy look to knitted fabric.  Makes a very interesting stitch pattern but it can be very difficult to work with on a knitting machine as it will jam the carriage. It is the more difficult yarn when deciding on gauge and tension since it is thick and thin, but with a little patience you can make a really pretty and different looking garment.  You must have patience with this yarn.
 
                                THICK THIN

Railroad Ribbon: Has tiny “tracks” of fiber strung between two parallel strands of thread.  Makes nice evening attire and shawls.  Has a lacy type effect and this yarn can work well on a knitting machine in the larger gauge category, like the 6.5mm or 9mm, and a loose stitch.

                                            RAILROAD RIBBON

Faux Fur: Fluffy fiber strands on a strong base thread of nylon resembling fur when knitted.  Great for accents and embellishments but take care when knitting this yarn because if you make a mistake you will need to rip out the whole area since seeing the mistake is impossible.  I have made entire sweaters out of this yarn, but prefer it as accents such as a fur collar and cuffs, otherwise looks a little costumey, but one of my favorite accent yarns to use on jackets.

SPECIALTY YARNS:  I also added a subcategory of Specialty Yarns and these types of yarns create a certain look when knitted due to the way the yarn is colored.

Tweed: Has a background color flecked with bits of fiber in different colors so when it is knitted you have a tweed look to you garment.  A very nice effect for fitted garments and with accents in faux fur, such as a "CHANEL" jacket style.

                                       TWEED

Heather: Blended from a number of different-colored or dyed fleeces, and then spun.  I think best in wool yarns and for sweaters, a really nice effect.

                                    HEATHER

Marled (rag): A plied yarn in which the plies are different colors.  This is the type of yarn you can make at home by winding (plying) different yarns together to make one yarn, which can be a lot of fun.  You can also purchase this yarn in all sorts of colors and some manufactures have dyed the yarn to even make a certain looking striped design.  You should try it and see if you like it, I do but mainly for child's clothing or socks for bright colors and great when the colors are muted for sweaters.
                       MARLED 
  
Ruler can do anything, so Born to rule the Galaxy