Amy's Curly Elastic Yarn
For my project, I wanted to make an elastic yarn that can function as a full length of yarn when stretched, but can curl up when not in use so that it doesn't get in the way. I was inspired by the stretchy, spiral shoelaces that all the cool kids used to have - because of the shape, you don't need to tie them, and because they're elastic they stay out of the way. Also, anyone who has ever tried to machine sew stretchy fabric probably knows that it can be incredibly annoying, since the fabric will stretch out and lose its intended shape. I decided to exploit this property in order to "mold" my fabric into a useful shape.
Raw Materials
nylon/spandex in two different colors and knits cotton/polyester sewing thread
The nylon/spandex was taken from some old pairs of tights. The material is very stretchy and flexible, so the shape can easily be changed just by pulling on it. This is the main component of the yarn, and the thread serves as the molding material that gives the yarn it's twisted, curly shape.
Properties
diameter: 3 cm (30,000 micrometers)
total length: 2 m
ply: 2
fiber length: raw material is knit nylon, so probably the full length of the yarn
twist direction: alternating
turns/inch: variable, but ~1
elongation: about 4x original length
Construction
I constructed the yarn by sewing together the edges of two 1-inch wide strips of nylon. I stretched the yarn as I sewed, and I used a closely-spaced zigzag stitch so that the edges of the yarn would stay stretched and curl up. Because the middle of the yarn is not sewn, it remains elastic, causing the stretched-out edges to curl up:
Results
The finished yarn is relatively curly and stretchy, but not quite as functional as it could be. It's a little too wide, so it's kind of bulky, and doesn't totally fulfill its function of being springy and staying out of the way. It's also not as stretchy as it could be. It could be made more functional by altering the width of the strips and playing with the stitch settings to make it curl up more, or by using a stretchier fabric to start out with. One interesting property of this yarn is that it's actually a tube, so it could potentially be used to cover wires, cords, etc. (probably only for aesthetic purposes).