yarn
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yarn
A thread made of spun-together fibers such as wool, cotton, or synthetic material, used for knitting, crocheting, or weaving.
Für diesen Schal benötigst du zwei Knäuel von dem blauen Garn.
For this scarf, you need two balls of the blue yarn.
to spin a yarn
Colloquial for telling fantastic, exaggerated, or untrue stories; also called a sailor's yarn.
Mein Opa kann stundenlang dasitzen und unglaubliches Garn spinnen.
My grandpa can sit there for hours and spin incredible yarns.
The two meanings are easy to distinguish. When 'Garn' (yarn) is used together with the verb 'spinnen' (to spin), it almost always has the figurative meaning 'to tell stories'. In other contexts, it refers to the thread.
Er spinnt schon wieder sein Garn über seine angeblichen Abenteuer.
He's spinning his yarn again about his supposed adventures.
As a material, 'Garn' (yarn) is usually uncountable. When referring to a specific amount, you use units of measurement such as 'ein Knäuel Garn' (a ball of yarn) or 'eine Rolle Garn' (a spool of yarn).
Für den Pullover habe ich drei Knäuel Garn verbraucht.
I used up three balls of yarn for the sweater.
The idiom 'Garn spinnen' (to spin a yarn) means to tell incredible or made-up stories. It is often expanded to 'Seemannsgarn spinnen' (to spin sailor's yarns), which alludes to the fantastic stories told by sailors.
Glaub ihm nicht alles, er spinnt gerne mal ein bisschen Garn.
Don't believe everything he says; he likes to spin a bit of a yarn sometimes.
wool
When knitting, both Wolle and Garn can be meant because both are used as thread. Wolle usually refers to yarn made from animal hair or synthetic fibers, while Garn can also be made from cotton or plastic. Wolle is appropriate for animal fibers, while Garn is the more general term for thread.
Für den sommerlichen Schal kaufe ich leichtes Baumwollgarn.
I’m buying lightweight cotton yarn for the summer scarf.
Für den warmen Schal kaufe ich weiche Wolle.
I’m buying soft wool for the warm scarf.
