My favourite weft yarn is wool, a very ‘green’ fibre since the sheep provides food for survival, fleece to make cloth or felt for warmth, and it feeds the land for future generations. I have used wool as a warp yarn but she is inclined to cling to her neighbour and will result in a very soft tapestry.

The latest amazing wool fact is that mixing it with Kevlar makes bullet proof vests lighter and more resistant to bullets, especially when wet. I suspect those of us who have accidentally felted their favourite wool jumper, or owned a very old wool coat will not be totally surprised by the stopping power of wool.

Linen has very special qualities, in the heat of summer she absorbs moisture, in cooler weather she retains body heat and as she ages, she develops into a soft and comfortable friend. She can be temperamental, get your linen warp in a damp atmosphere and she will go baggy, warp up in the damp and when she dries out, she will tighten to such an extent she will cut your fingers. Put linen into a weft blend and if you don’t treat her carefully, she will tighten and there goes your tension.

Cotton is a tricky one, the least environmentally friendly of all the yarns, thirsty beyond any other yarn plant and often treated with chemicals. Organic is available at a price and she treads more lightly on this earth than her chemical fuelled sisters. Sometimes I can get recycled but I have to be careful and make sure it is strong enough. Cotton makes the best warp as she behaves better than linen and is less clingy than wool. She stands tall and straight under tension with some give but doesn’t stretch. She’s a good girl.

I always expect more of Silk than she is willing to give. She never quite shines through as much as I expect, so she does tend to get left on the shelf a little.

Sometimes if you want shine the only thing to use is Lurex. If you want bling then she is your girl, the name comes from the English 'to lure' and she certainly does. The type I use is real gold coated over a silver core. It performs well when woven but then you would expect that of her wouldn't you? She likes the spotlight does lurex and doesn't take well to being left on the shelf with the silk.