What is plush yarn and what is it used for?

Yarn in stores is presented in a wide variety of options. In recent years, plush threads have been in high demand.

Everyone knows about the high performance of wool yarn. But there are situations when you need a special fiber, for example, for people with allergic diseases, asthma, as well as for children. In this case, the wool has to be replaced with a polymer analogue. However, such a product may cause tactile sensations and discomfort.

In that case, chenille, better known as plush yarn, would be a good choice. It is distinguished by velvety, and you can work with it both with knitting needles and crochet. In this case, the texture turns out to be decorative even when using the simplest knits. That is why plush yarns are the number one choice for beginners who are just taking their first steps in knitting. Such threads allow you to quickly and easily create a truly original and beautiful thing.

The benefits of chenille include:

• a gentle warm surface that is pleasant to the touch and comfortable;

• hypoallergenic - the material does not cause unwanted reactions from the body, even in children and people prone to allergic diseases;

• ease of care for the finished item;

• durability, wear resistance, resistance to fading and abrasion;

• variety of colors - from muted to bright and juicy; in stores you can find both monochrome and multi-color options, including the popular gradient colors.

Depending on the composition of the fibers, plush threads for knitting are divided into acrylic, cotton, and viscose. Each option has its own application characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Let's dwell on each of them in more detail.

Acrylic is the most popular. It retains the shape of the product for a long time during wear and does not shrink after washing. Acrylic is a man-made polyacrylonitrile fiber also known as polyamide. The raw materials for its manufacture are obtained from natural gas.

According to its operational properties, acrylic is as close as possible to natural wool, it is even called "artificial wool". Among the advantages of the material, they distinguish good coloring - modern technologies make it possible to achieve rich and colorful colors.

Nevertheless, in practice, pure acrylic is rarely used. Typically, it is mixed with some other fiber. Blended threads are used to create products that are pleasant to the touch and beautiful, which serve for a long time, while retaining their original shape and are not covered with spools.

However, acrylic items have a drawback, in particular, low hygroscopicity. The hygienic characteristics of such a yarn are not up to par. That is why plush polyamide thread is used mainly for making toys.

Another artificial fiber, viscose, is not behind acrylic in popularity. This material was obtained by people at the end of the 19th century and has not lost its popularity to this day. The raw material for its production is a natural material - cellulose, therefore, of all synthetic types of plush yarn, this can be called as close to natural as possible. Viscose is often used to create mixed fibers, however, spectacular and original things can also be knitted from pure yarn.

The advantages of viscose include its hygroscopicity - it allows air to pass through well. In addition, the yarn is pleasant to the touch and is dyed in bright, intense colors. The undoubted advantages of viscose can also be attributed to the fact that this material does not accumulate static electricity.

At the same time, washing finished viscose yarn products requires the utmost delicacy.

Cotton yarn is of natural plant origin, it is obtained from cotton. It was first used in India in the 7th century BC. e., but only after 24 centuries, the manufacture of cotton threads began to be engaged in Europe. This yarn has a good warming effect. It is stronger than wool, but slightly less strong than silk and linen. In addition, cotton threads by themselves are not elastic enough, so they are rarely used in their pure form.

The advantage of this yarn is its hygroscopicity and breathability. Ready-made things made from it are resistant to tearing, they resist abrasion, do not tear or crumble. Cotton almost does not fade. The disadvantages include a decrease in strength when exposed to direct sunlight.

Let's take a closer look at the ranking of the most popular plush yarn manufacturers.

These threads are 100% polyester. They are very soft, tactilely pleasant and have a beautiful appearance. Suitable for creating baby clothes, toys and blankets. The finished products are warm, they do not prick and do not cause unwanted allergic reactions. Of the shortcomings, only the high price can be distinguished.

These threads include microfiber. The yarn is very delicate to the touch.The material is optimal for creating the simplest patterns - front surface or garter stitch, complex patterns are not suitable for it. The threads are very thick, so you can knit any product, for example, a toy, in a couple of hours.

There are also disadvantages. Such threads are not suitable for sewing together elements. In addition, the yarn is quite fragile and if it is unrolled several times, it can break. In addition, the loops on it are difficult to distinguish, so these fibers are not recommended for beginners.

It is a 100% polyester synthetic fiber. Its main advantages include a wide range of colors; the most interesting is the pastel palette. However, many people note that such material crumbles quite a lot, so it is advisable to knit the product the first time without blooming.

This is a blended plush yarn that contains 60% acrylic, 35% viscose and another 5% spandex. The thread is quite pleasant to the touch and stretches a little. However, it is thin, so it is better to knit toys from it in two threads. The downside is the overpriced and monotonous color palette. In addition, the yarn is not recommended for knitting children's clothes and items for allergy sufferers.

Micropolyester based fiber. These are velvety threads, presented in bright and delicate colors with a slight shimmer. However, the yarn is coarse and begins to crumble when unfolded. Therefore, as in the previous case, it is better to knit the product in one go, without dissolving in the process.

The yarn is 100% polyester. This is a high quality plush thread that allows you to create beautiful, warm and voluminous things. However, the loops are difficult to see, so the work can be difficult for beginners.

And also the company from Germany Vita Fancy offers PLUSH and PIGTAIL yarns. It is cheap, high quality material.

Usually, when it comes to the prospects of using plush fiber, the very first thing that comes to mind is knitted jumpers. However, many other original items and accessories can be made from this yarn:

• soft toys - they can be both very small and large, in any case they will be a good gift for a child or a close friend;

• snoods, scarves, hats;

• bedspreads, capes, soft blankets;

• outerwear for children and adults.

Knitting from loose, thick plush yarn is a snap. To do this, use hooks or knitting needles of a large size from No. 4 and above. Hand knitting has become very popular in recent years - in this case, large loops are strung on fingers instead of knitting needles.

If knitting is done with knitting needles, then the purl and front stitch will be the optimal pattern. It can be used to create adult clothing, rugs and bedspreads. Crochet funny toys. In this case, the schemes are also used the simplest - ordinary double crochet or without it.

Regardless of the tool, plush yarn products are created quite quickly and easily, since the threads are bulky and thick. The only caveat is that it is best to burn the tip. This will prevent it from shedding and blooming.

Adult clothes and hats made of plush yarn look very impressive - jackets, sweaters and jackets. However, dresses and skirts made of these threads are not knitted, since the villi will begin to crumple when sitting. Dressing gowns made of velor thread are not bad. Cardigans, boleros, vests are invariably relevant - this list is endless.

The advantage of plush is that such a thread allows you to tie oversized models that have been steadily in trends in recent years.

Plush clothing is no less in demand in men's wardrobe. In this case, she is represented by vests and sweaters. Velor visually makes the male figure heavier and thus favorably emphasizes the width of the shoulders and chest. At the same time, women usually like bright colors, men prefer more muted ones.

Products made in the combined technique look very stylish. In this case, any other yarn is used for the main fabric, for example, woolen, and plush is used to create decorative elements.

Most often, plush yarn is used to create clothes for toddlers. From such threads you can knit soft blouses, original overalls with funny ears, delicate booties, socks and mittens.

When creating children's clothing from such threads, it must be borne in mind that the large thickness of the yarn makes it difficult to choose the size. However, typical schemes and descriptions accompanying them are usually used. It is best to do the work with knitting needles, because when crocheting, the fabric turns out to be coarser, although for booties this will only be a plus.

Plush yarn is often used to knit discharge envelopes for newborns. Mothers-to-be and young mothers note that the process of creating baby clothes helps them to relax and calm down, and the use of chenille makes work especially pleasant. In addition, it greatly reduces the time to create each item.

Please note that clothes made of plush threads are worn in the temperature range from +5 to +16 degrees. If you correctly select the shade palette of the future product, and correctly measure the yarn and tools, you can get a beautiful, convenient and very practical thing.

Plush wicker ornaments look very impressive. These threads are used to knit velvety clutches and cozy backpacks. But these threads were most popular when creating snoods - this accessory has been among the trends for several years and does not go out of fashion.

Plush threads are often used in interior design. Blankets, blankets, pillows, poufs and rugs created from them look soft, cozy and bring special comfort to the atmosphere of the room. Such things fit perfectly into the Scandinavian style, which is so popular these days. And if you have enough time and patience, you can even knit a comfortable beanbag chair using knitting needles and threads.

Plush blankets are often knitted for babies. In this case, you can use not only knitting needles, but also a hook. The threads fit perfectly during knitting. In this case, it is not at all necessary to use complex schemes - the simplest loops will be enough. The use of chenille to create blankets and capes allows you to quickly and easily transform the interior of the bedroom, bring a special atmosphere of peace and tranquility into it.

Probably, all babies, without exception, love soft toys made of plush threads. However, not only kids will like them - many adults collect them. Small animals can be a good gift for a loved one.

In Japan, there is even a whole direction of creating miniature toys with knitting needles or crocheting, it is called amigurumi and is considered a real art. This is a very curious technique, its essence lies in the fact that the more natural the toy looks, and the smaller its size, the higher the skill is evaluated. Due to its velvet pile, plush thread is indispensable for creating such masterpieces. By the way, knitted toys are often used as amulets.

Ideas can be very diverse.

Images of animals are invariably popular - kittens, bunnies and dogs.

If you wish, you can use the image of your favorite characters, or create a hypoallergenic plush doll in the form of a girl or a boy.

Hand toys are very popular among children, which are used for numbers with ventriloquism. The velvety texture of such gizmos contributes to the development of fine motor skills. In addition, parents do not have to worry about their baby - it is impossible to get hurt with such a toy.