Supplies of yarn on their way from the Conditioning Room to the Knitting shops

Supplies of yarn on their way from the Conditioning Room to the Knitting shops.

Woollen yarns are made in the same way as those of cotton but from the wool of sheep. One of the great advantages of wool is its natural elasticity, which keeps throughout its life; and despite the thickness of most woollen stockings, because of this elasticity they will usually give a perfect fit.

Any two or more of the various yarns mentioned may be built in to the construction of one stocking, although it is usual to knit the “leg” panel of the stocking—that is the part from just above the knee down to the ankle—from one type of yarn only, and to restrict the use of additional yarns to those portion of the stocking which need reinforcing to take additional wear and strain—for example, the welt, the heel and the toe.

Yarn is received into the hosiery factory in various convenient forms, pirns, bobbins and cones, and great care is taken to check the condition of the yarn on its receipt. The first process that it undergoes is that of very careful sample weighing. This is to check the moisture content. If the yarn were to contain too much moisture the stocking manufacturer would find himself paying for water, and if it contained too little moisture it would indicate that the supplier of the yarn was, in fact, giving away a certain portion of his product. By ensuring that all yarn received into his factory is carefully checked, the stocking