Loops, Threads, Holes, and Spaces

The next thing we need to learn about ruffle yarns is how to refer to their internal structure.

When we look at ruffle yarns, we often look at them like we looked at sewing cards as children -- that is, we see specific holes into which we are supposed to insert our knitting needles and crochet hooks to make a scarf, shawl, or fancy trim.

Depending on who you talk to and the type of ruffle yarn you are talking about, these holes may be called "loops", "spaces", or "holes". Specifically, since fabric-based ruffle yarns have regular round holes punched in the manufacture of the yarn, the place-to-put-your-needle is very definitely a hole.

Tecido Trico (Sky Blue) by Knitting Fever

Most ruffle yarns are constructed several mutiple-ply threads that are connected to each other at evenly spaced intervals, alternating between the left-neighbor and right-neighbor threads.

Starbella by Premier Yarns

For ease of navigation, I propose numbering these threads, starting from the working edge, like thus:

Sashay by Red Heart

Starbella Flash by Premier Yarns

Most patterns for working ruffle yarns ask the needleworker to work with the portions of the working edge between its connections to Thread 2, asking her to place her needle through the "loop" or "space" created between two adjacent connections.  

My next post will deal with describing the yarn across its width.