Crafting for Sanity
Purls of Wisdom
Check out the information below for tips, tricks, and handy bits of information
Yarn Weights
General Information
General Information
General Information
Yarn comes in different "sizes" which are commonly called weights. The Craft Yarn Council developed a size numbering system that you will often see on the labels of commercially manufactured yarn. Yarn weight is also often referred to by a descriptive terms such as fingering or worsted. This can seem like a whole new language when you are getting started. Here are some helpful terms, going from the thinnest yarns to the largest.
Cobweb (0)
General Information
General Information
This yarn, is as it's name implies, very thin and lightweight. It typically falls into the size 0 yarn. It is most commonly used in shawls or held double with other yarn for effect.
Lace (0)
General Information
Fingering (1)
Also as its name implies, this yarn is very thin. It is commonly used for shawls.
Fingering (1)
Fingering (1)
Fingering (1)
A lightweight yarn used for socks, shawls, and some clothing items.
Sport (2)
Fingering (1)
Sport (2)
Slightly heavier than fingering, sport weight yarn is commonly used for baby items, summer items, and accessories of all types.
DK (3)
Fingering (1)
Sport (2)
Literally an abbreviation for double knit, DK weight is the equivalent of holding fingering weight yarn double. Commonly used for sweaters and lightweight scarves.
Worsted & Aran (4)
Worsted & Aran (4)
Worsted & Aran (4)
Worsted is the most common weight of yarn used for sweaters and blankets as well as outdoor gear such as hats, scarves, and mittens. Aran is slightly heavier than worsted.
Bulky & Chunky (5)
Worsted & Aran (4)
Worsted & Aran (4)
Bulky and chunky yarns are commonly used for blankets, rugs, some hats and scarves. Chunky is slightly heavier than bulky yarn.
Super Bulky (6)
Worsted & Aran (4)
Super Bulky (6)
Used primarily for blankets.
Yarn Ply
What is ply anyway?
Ply refers to the individual threads that make up yarn. Ply can impact the thickness of a yarn, after all, if you you have yarn that has 4 plies, it is going to be thicker than a yarn with just 2 plies. Ply can also impact the characteristics of yarn, including durability and "springiness".
When multiple yarns are spun together they create a twist that can be more or less pronounced depending on the fiber content of the yarn. Some patterns will specifically call out what ply yarn you should use, others leave it up to you.
Yarn Types
Natural fibers, acrylic, combinations? How do you choose? One of the wonderful things about yarn is the variety out there. If you have something in mind, chances are you can find it.
One of many yarn decisions you have to make is what kind of yarn you want to use. Yarn is made up of natural or synthetic fibers and both have their pluses and minuses.
Acrylics
Many beginner knitters start knitting with acrylic based yarns. They are not only less expensive, but they are easy to find in stores such as JoAnne's and Michael's. They vary in price and softness but are very affordable. Colors are very consistent throughout the skein of yarn. Additionally, acrylics are very durable and can usually be tossed in the washing machine and dryer with no issues.
That being said, although acrylics have come a long way, they are often not as soft as natural fiber yarns, and many prefer the feel of natural fiber yarns. Additionally, many prefer the subtle (or not so subtle) variations in colors that come with natural fiber yarns.
Natural Fibers
There are a lot of options for natural fiber yarns. Natural fiber yarns are frequently more expensive than acrylics. They also vary in price. Some of these yarns can be found in craft stores and are the favored yarns of independent yarn dyers.
- Wool - Usually referring to yarn made from animal fibers, wool comes in many different forms and softness. For knitting yarn, you will commonly see a reference to merino wool. Merino wool is wool that comes from merino sheep, it is known for its softness.
- Silk - Made from protein fibers, usually produced by insects. Silk is known to be very strong when spun.
- Cotton & Bamboo - made from plant fibers, cotton and bamboo are absorbent and can vary in softness.
Blends
It is common for yarn to include a blend of fibers. Some yarns blend natural fibers, such as a merino/silk blend, others blend natural and synthetic such as merino/cashmere/nylon (MCN). Frequently the addition of synthetic fibers to natural add durability.
How much yarn to buy
The final yarn dilemma is how much to buy for a project. Most projects will tell you how much yarn is needed to for a project. That amount is based on the gauge needed to the project. Gauge is essentially the number of stitches per inch, or number of inches. This can vary depending on the weight of the yarn and needle size used. I am always worried about running out of yarn so I usually buy extra, especially when purchasing yarn from an independent dyer since I may not be able to get it again.
If I am buying yarn because it caught my eye, I usually by at least two hanks of yarn.
Knitting Types/Styles
English (Throwing)
English (Throwing)
There are a few different types or styles that people use when knitting. Although many of these styles are named after geographic locations, it is really more about how you were taught rather than where you live. These styles frequently have variations. Below is a quick summary of some of the most common.
English (Throwing)
English (Throwing)
English (Throwing)
Knitters using the English style hold their yarn in their dominant hand, next to their working needle. It is one of the most common styles of knitting. It is sometimes referred to as throwing because you "throw" the yarn over the needle.
CONTINENTAL (Picking)
CONTINENTAL (Picking)
CONTINENTAL (Picking)
Continental knitters hold the yarn with their non-dominant hand. This method is often the easiest for those who learned to crochet first. Sometimes called picking and often requires less hand and wrist movement. Continental kitting also has a number of variations such as: Norwegian, and Russian.
PORTUGUESE
CONTINENTAL (Picking)
CONTINENTAL (Picking)
In Portuguese knitting tension is not controlled by the hands, instead the yarn is looped around the back of the neck or through a pin.
Needle Sizes
Needles come in a variety of sizes, materials and types. Sizes are often noted in either US sizes (0-19) or Metric.
Straight
Straight needles are the traditional knitting needles that most people think of when they think of knitting. They can be different lengths and are typically used for flat pieces and smaller sized projects because of the limitation of the length of the needles. That being said, many prefer straight needles.
Circulars
Circular needles are needles that are connected by a cable. They can be used for the same types of projects as straight needles. They have the advantage of being lighter and able to accommodate larger projects because of the lengths of cable that can be between the needles.
Additionally, circulars can be used for patterns that are worked in the round such as hats, cowls, mittens and the like.
INTERCHANGEABLES
Interchangeables are circular needles that you can swap out between cables. This allows you have flexibility in choosing needles and cable length combinations. I also love that I can swap out needles if needed when I have more than one project going at a time that require the same needle size.
Double Pointed (DPN)
Double pointed needles (DPN) are needles that have points on both ends. They are typically used for projects that need to be knit in the round such as socks.
Needle Materials
Needles can be made of metal, plastic or wood. Some needles are even combinations of materials such as those that have metal tips and wooden shafts. Everyone seems to have a different preference for what they prefer to knit with.
When I started knitting, I preferred wood needles because they were more grippy which helped keep the yarn on the needle when I was learning. I eventually switched to metal.
If you are using interchangeable needles you may also want to consider the material used for the connecting cable.
Knit Companion
Knit Companion is an app that can run on a smart phone or tablet. You can load PDFs from Dropbox or Ravelry into the app. Depending on the level of Knit Companion that you have you can use it to track rows, stitches, counters, and more. It is my go to knitting tool.
Free vs. Paid
Knit Companion has a free version (kCBasics) and two tiers of paid features (Essentials & Setup + Essentials). The features in each can be found at the Knit Companion website in the Feature List.
iOS VS. Android
There are a few differences in the features available on iOS and Android. One of the major differences is that none of the Setup features are available in Android.
Tutorials
There are quite a number of tutorials available on how to use Knit Companion found on their website.
Tips from Our Needles
- Don't try to master all of the features, be familiar with what is available so that when you find a need for them you know it exists.
- Set things up to highlight the row you are working on and dimming out the rest of the pattern. It helps keep you focused.
- For sections that repeat, use the row repeat feature (paid feature).
- Combine sections where it says things like repeat section 2, so you don't have to flip back to that section.