All About Yarn: Tips for Knitters and Crocheters

As a knitter or crocheter, one of the things that you begin to become an expert on as time goes on is yarn. Different weights of yarn are required for different types of projects, and different material will give your finished project varied texture and appearance. This is a guide to help you read yarn labels, as well as learning your own preferences when concerning yarn material.

An Introduction

The material that yarn is made from is placed into two categories—synthetic and natural fibers. Synthetic fibers, which are man-made fibers, include nylon, acrylic, polyester, and other fibers. Natural fibers are yarns that are derived from animals and plants. Some popular natural fibers are wool, mohair,  cotton, and bamboo.

Another category that yarn is organized in is weight. Yarn is produced in different thicknesses, and it usually indicates on the label what weight it is, with 0 or 1 being the lightest, and 6 being the heaviest. Yarn is organized into weights so a knitter or crocheter can have choices when picking brands or materials for their project. More information on how to read a yarn label can be found here: www.craftyarncouncil.com/label…

Yarn Weights

As stated before, yarn weights are important for any project and are usually always on the label of the yarn that you buy. Here are what the weights are and what projects they are usually used for:

0: Lace/Crochet Thread. This is the absolute finest yarn, and is usually used by crocheters and knitters to make doilies and other lace items. The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 1.5 to 2.25 mm (US size: 000 to 1) and crochet hook size recommended is steel 1.4-1.6 mm (US 6, 7, 8).

1: Super Fine. This yarn is a little thicker than lace. Projects that are usually made with this yarn are baby items, socks, and other items that need thin thread. This kind of yarn is usually known as fingering or sock yarn. The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 2.25-3.25 mm (US 1-3) and crochet hook size recommended is 2.25-3.5 mm (US B-1—E-4).

2: Fine. This yarn, one up from super fine thickness, is also usually used for baby items, lighter afghans, and lightweight sweaters. The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 3.25-2.75 mm (US 3-5) and crochet hook size recommended is 3.5-4.5 mm (US E-4—7).

3: DK Weight/Worsted. DK stands for “double knitting,” which is the UK/Australian name for this weight of yarn. This type of yarn is also used for baby clothing and other lightweight items. The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 3.75-4.5 mm (US 5-7) and crochet hook size recommended is 4.5-5.5 mm (US 7—I-9).

4: Medium Worsted Weight.The most popular weight for knitters and crocheters, worsted weight yarn can be used to knit or crochet a variety of adult garments and other items. This weight of yarn is called “Aran” in Europe and Australia.  The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 4.5-5.5 mm (US 7-9) and crochet hook size recommended is 5.5-6.5 mm (US I-9—K-10).

5: Bulky. A heavier yarn than worsted weight yarn, bulky knits or crochets garments and projects faster and can also be used for rugs. The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 5.5-8 mm (US 9-11) and crochet hook size recommended is 6.5-9 mm (US K-10—M-13).

6: Super Bulky/Roving. The heaviest yarn weight on the weight scale, super bulky is twice the weight of worsted weight yarn. Super bulky yarn can be used to quickly knit up warm sweaters, hats, and rugs. The knitting needle size recommended for this weight is 8 mm and larger (US 11 and larger) and the crochet hook size recommended is 9 mm or larger (US M-13 or larger).

Types of Yarn

As stated in the introduction, there are many types of yarn, but they are classified into two categories, synthetic and natural fibers. Let's start with the synthetic.

Synthetic Yarn

Synthetic yarn, especially acrylic yarn, is very popular in the United States, with many brands producing synthetic yarns. Acrylic is a versatile yarn which can be used for all kinds of projects from simple to difficult. However, acrylic can be very scratchy and uncomfortable to work with, especially in warmer weather, and it can also be of poorer quality. Despite this, it is one of the most inexpensive yarns, so it is a good yarn to work with as a beginner. It is also an useful yarn to use if you are making a garment that needs to be washed often, such as baby clothing.

Natural Fibers

Animal Based Natural Yarn

There are many types of animal derived natural yarn. The most popular, of course, is wool. Wool is more popular than any kind of synthetic yarn, especially in most parts of Europe. Sheep is the most common animal that wool is produced from, but wool is also produced from llamas, alpacas, mohair (young goat) and angora (rabbit). I've even heard of yarn produced from buffalo hair. Another more expensive type of yarn produced from animals is silk, produced from the silkworm. Silk is one of the most luxurious yarns that produces extremely soft garments.

Animal based fibers are natural, so they are naturally very warm and give “breathing room” at the same time. Unlike synthetic fibers, however, animal fibers generally need special care and sometimes cannot be thrown in the wash as easily as, say, acrylic garments.

Plant Based Natural Yarn

Probably the most popular plant based fiber is cotton, but there are other yarns that are plant based as well, including bamboo, hemp, and linen. Cotton yarn is relatively cheap, and can be used for items that other yarns can't be used for, such as dishcloths, potholders, and other small projects. Cotton is also cooler, both to craft with and to wear—a cotton sweater wouldn't be half as warm as a wool sweater, for example.

Blends and Variegated Yarn

Sometimes, a manufacturer will create a blend of synthetic and natural fiber—for cost reasons, or to negate the negative aspects of natural and/or synthetic yarn. Sometimes other material, such as nylon, elastic, or metallic flecks, will be integrated into the material for a specific appearance or use-value.

Variegated yarn is also useful for knitters and crocheters to know. This is when the manufacturer dyes the yarn in different colors, creating a patterned striped look. With finer yarn, it is also called “self-striping sock yarn.” This gives the finished product (generally socks) a striped look that looks as though it was done by hand.

Novelty Yarn

Novelty yarns are yarns that are made in a unique way or are generally made for a specific item, such as scarves. They can be fuzzy or textured in a special way. Some examples of these yarns are boucle yarn, ribbon yarn, ruffle yarn, and furry yarn. The difficulty of working with this yarn varies, and sometimes it can take some time to get used to working with these novelty yarns.

Make Your Own Yarn

Lastly, some knitters and crocheters make their own yarn out of different materials, often recycled material. The two “make your own” yarns that I know of are t-shirt yarn and plastic yarn, also known as “plarn.” Making your own yarn generally involves cutting the material you are planning on knitting or crocheting into strips, then tying these strips together. T-shirt yarn is often used to knit or crochet rugs, while “plarn” can be used in amigurumi, laundry bags, and other projects.

Conclusion

When beginning a project or writing a pattern, yarn is one of the biggest factors involved. Choosing a yarn can be difficult, especially if there are many fibers or weights to choose from. This guide was created to help clear up the confusions that come with picking a yarn, and to make your decision a little bit easier.

Resources

www.jacobsreward.com/2013/06/5…
www.favecrafts.com/Knitting/Ty…
www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/yarn…
www.craftyarncouncil.com/weigh…
www.dummies.com/how-to/content…