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What is Angora Yarn?

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

Angora yarn is a textile product that is made from the coat of the Angora rabbit. Many people think that angora yarn and mohair are synonymous. This is not true. In fact, the animal that produces the fibers that are used to make mohair yarn couldn't be much more different from the Angora rabbit. Mohair comes from a goat, the Angora goat in particular.

Many knitters prize angora yarn for a number of its features. The yarn is incredibly soft and has a fluffiness that is the result of how thin its fibers are. It also has a very silky texture. Angora yarn is often used to make clothing for the winter, especially outerwear accessories such as gloves, mittens, hats, and scarves. It is also sometimes used to make sweaters.

A sweater made with angora yarn.
A sweater made with angora yarn.

The angora fibers are not particularly elastic by nature. For this reason, angora yarn is sometimes a combination of angora and another kind of fiber such as wool. The texture and quality of angora yarn fluctuates depending on what it is blended with and the percentage of angora in the blend.

One of the reasons that angora yarn is used more often for accessories than for full garments is that the yarn can be rather pricey, much more expensive than basic wool or cotton yarn. This is especially true if the fiber content of the yarn has a high percentage of angora fibers. Accessories usually require far less yarn than full garments. Of course, those who love angora and the way it feels will say that an angora sweater is worth the cost.

An Angora rabbit's hair is used to make angora yarn.
An Angora rabbit's hair is used to make angora yarn.

Angora yarn can be found in most craft stores and specialty knitting stores. There are also a number of web retailers that sell yarns for knitters and people who like to complete crafts. The yarn can be purchased in almost any color of the rainbow. Some yarns are even dyed to fluctuate slightly in color. This can create a beautiful brindled hue in the finished product.

Angora yarn may be used to create clothing.
Angora yarn may be used to create clothing.

Yarn that is dyed one color is usually less expensive than yarn that is dyed a variety of colors or dyed to fluctuate in tone. This is because the process of dying yarn one color is simpler than dying it a number of colors. For this reason, yarn that fluctuates between a few tones or even includes a variety of colors is often more expensive. However, these multi-colored yarns can yield a very beautiful and striking garment.

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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Discussion Comments

DentalFloss

Another really soft fiber is silk yarn. While you might not expect it, because most silk things are very airy, when silk is knitted as a yarn, the effect is both very soft and very warm, not to mention extremely lightweight compared to many wool fibers.

FernValley

Even a little bit of angora mixed into a blending of fibers can add a nice softness to a wool or even acrylic yarn. This can also be good for someone who wants to work with angora but cannot afford to spend as much as angora knitting yarn tends to cost.

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    • A sweater made with angora yarn.
      By: Myrtille MLB
      A sweater made with angora yarn.
    • An Angora rabbit's hair is used to make angora yarn.
      By: mrslevite
      An Angora rabbit's hair is used to make angora yarn.
    • Angora yarn may be used to create clothing.
      By: beachlane
      Angora yarn may be used to create clothing.