Yarn weight does not refer to how much the skein of yarn weighs in ounces or grams. I do know that two strands of #4 worsted weight yarn are similar in thickness to a #5 bulky yarn. (See this post for more info on Knitting & Crochet Gauge.). Learn all you need to know about yarn weights and categories, with an infographic. Aran, however, weighs slightly more than worsted yarn – so they are not exactly the same weight. How do you know if your yarn is the right thickness? Knit on 7 to 12mm needles. Or, if you prefer ounces, you can divide the number of yards in the skein by the number of ounces to find the number of yards per ounce for each skein. If you’ve ever been yarn shopping, you know that there are loads of different types of yarn out there. Worsted yarns are medium thickness and knit up on 4-5½mm needles, making them a good choice for beginners and winter knits such as jumpers and blankets. Oct 25, 2018 - Yarn weight guide and conversion chart. Addi Express Knitting Machine Tips and Techniques, Addi Express King Size Knitting Machine Projects, Addi Express Professional Knitting Machine Projects, How to Make the Hexagon Flower Afghan on your Addi Express Professional Knitting Machine, Speckled Stripes Infinity Scarf – Free Knitting Pattern, Dots & Dashes Cowl – Free Crochet Pattern, Moss Stitch Hat – Free Knitting Pattern in Worsted or Sport Weight Yarn, Convertible Diamond Wrap – Free Knitting Pattern, Simple Slouchy Sweater – Free Knitting Pattern, Afternoon Stroll Cowl – Free Knitting Pattern, Shortcut Brioche Pom Pom Hat – Free Knitting Pattern, Easiest Knitted Hat – Free Knitting Pattern for Beginners. Here’s our at-a-glance guide to the most common yarn weights in the UK and US, and the needles to use with them: If you’re new to knitting, patterns can look like they’re written in another language. Try 6 issues of Simply Knitting magazine for £9.99. The Yarn Weight Chart below gives a handy comparison of different knitting and crochet yarns along with needle and hook sizes, approximate meterage to the 100g and WPI, using UK, US, German and Australian terminology. This weight of yarn is usually crocheted using the US hook size of 6/7/8 (steel) and B-1 of regular. For example, let’s say I’m following a pattern that calls for #3 DK weight yarn. The Craft Yarn Council has a page on their site with a chart (here), showing the recommended hook and needle sizes to use with each yarn weight, as well as the recommended gauge. From ‘alt’ to ‘yo’, it’s all there…. However it’s not as complicated as you might think. Learn all you need to know about yarn weights and categories, with an infographic. That might not seem like a big deal, but sometimes, the weight categories are called by different names. We've got all the information you need right here! These yarns make any project work up quickly. Knit on 3½ to 4½mm needles. Knit on 3 to 4mm needles. Want to know the difference between DK and aran weight yarn? Discovered some unidentified yarn … Knit on 9 to 20mm needles. Hi Becki. Yarn weight conversion chart and beginner’s guide. About to buy some yarn? Thread Weight vs. Yarn Weight: A Guide to WPI and Yarn Substitution. The thickness of a yarn can have a huge effect on how your project turns out. The standard yarn weight system on our website is a handy chart that provides the size needles and hooks you should use for each weight yarn, as well as suggested gauge. How to Check Gauge in Crochet. May 25, 2019 - Yarn weight guide and conversion chart. Weight #0 or Lace includes yarn type fingering 10-count crochet thread. Now that you’ve mastered yarn conversions find a project to work on with our knitting patterns collection, and see our guides to the best knitting kits for beginners and knitting books for more inspiration. In the USA you would probably see this called a medium weight yarn or DK yarn, in the UK DK yarn or 8 ply and in Australia also 8 ply. Industrial counts. This keeps the yarn wrapped around the ruler with as little tension as possible, so you can get an accurate measurement. The term ‘yarn weight’ refers to the thickness of the thread, not the weight of the ball or even of the thread itself. I hope this helps! If you’re following a pattern, using yarn that is the correct thickness is very important. When it comes to the thickness of a yarn, the industry will talk about its weight. What's the difference between sock yarn and fingering weight yarn? These categories help us know how thick a yarn is, and whether it will be suitable for use with the pattern we want to follow. While using a yarn weight guide is extremely helpful, remember that these are guidelines and estimates, always test and confirm your own gauge. Understanding yarn weights can be a little confusing for crocheters of all skill levels. Aran yarn is a medium weight yarn that can be known in the US as worsted weight yarn listed in the medium weight category. The standard yarn weight system goes from a range of 0 to 7, with size 0 (or lace yarn) being the smallest weight (or thickness) and size 7 being the largest weight. Great for baby clothes, heavier socks and lightweight tops. If you love this Guide to Yarn Weights, you might also like to check out these other great crochet tutorials. Your email address will not be published. Knitting and crochet are my passion, and I love helping others create beautiful things from yarn. Yarn weight refers to the thickness of the yarn. The photo below shows examples of 7 out of the 8 weight categories. You might also see it referred to as ‘sock’ or ‘baby’ weight because – you guessed it! This category is one of my favorites! There are 7 categories which yarn weights fall into. Fine weight yarn is 12 wpi. As a result you can generally use it as a substitute for both weights, but make sure you swatch, swatch, swatch first to check that your tension is a good match! Good for furnishings. As different fibres have different densities, a metre of a fluffy aran wool may weigh less than a metre of 4ply cotton, even though the aran is the ‘heavier’ yarn. Name Ply (UK, NZ, AU) Wraps per inch Knit gauge (4 in / 10 cm) Crochet gauge Yarnstandards.com; Thread: 0 : Lace: Cobweb: 1 ply 0 : Lace: Lace: 2 ply 32-34 stitches Please be kind enough to explain this to me. This popular yarn weight (it’s reportedly the most-used yarn in the US) is equivalent to UK aran. Yarn count Approximate thickness: 2/48000 to 2/60000: super very fine 1 ply: 2/36000: very fine 1- ply: 2/34000: fine 1 - ply: 2/30000: full 1 - ply: 2/28000: 1-ply: 2/24000: 1 1/2 - ply: 2/20000: 2 - ply: 2/16000: Full 2 - ply: 2/14000: 3 - ply: 2/10000: Fine 4 - ply: 2/8000: 4 - ply Footer menu. If it’s too thin, your stitches will be too small, and your project won’t be big enough. However, if you want to be even more precise with your yarn substitution, you can look at the ratio of yarn length to skein size. Along with checking your gauge, this will help make sure your project comes out the right size! These yarns are a bit thicker than Superfine / Fingering yarns, but still create a lightweight fabric. Worsted weight and Aran yarns fall into the #4 Medium category, but some Aran yarns tend to be slightly thicker than Worsted. These standards (among others) were put in place by The Craft Yarn Council, an organization that represents the leading yarn companies in the yarn industry including Bernat, Caron, Lily … Getting a yarn that is the wrong thickness can throw off your gauge and ruin your project. I would recommend holding the two yarns together and using the wraps per inch test to figure out what yarn weight it is now equivalent to. Yarns come in a standard range of sizes, but the names can vary from country to country. How do you know if your yarn is the right thickness? A 2ply yarn has two strands, a 3ply has three and so on. The thicker the yarn, the heavier it will be. – it’s an ideal weight for socks and baby garments. The #2 yarns are often labeled as Sport Weight. These yarns may be labeled as DK weight or Light Worsted, but both terms refer to yarns of the same thickness. Note that the term ‘worsted’ can also refer to the way the yarn is processed – it can either be worsted spun or woolen spun – so you may see it used in the context of yarn manufacturing and spinning as well. However, if the yarn I want to use only has 105 yards in a 50 gram skein, even if it is still #3 DK weight, that yarn will be slightly thicker than the yarn called for in the pattern. A great weight for beginners, as it produces quick results. These yarns are great for socks, shawls, scarves, clothing, and just about any project where you want a light, drape-y fabric. Happy Yarning! If squeezing yarn, collecting yarn, or making stuff from yarn is your thing, you’ll feel right at home here. Here are the yarn weights you’ll most commonly encounter in the UK, and our recommendations for what to knit with them. The thickness of your yarn (among other factors) has a huge impact on the look of your knitted or crocheted fabric — and certainly the amount of time it takes to complete it. So, how do you compare the thickness of a yarn? For instance if two of #1 weight is equal to #3 weight and so on. Perfect for outdoor or warm clothing. All rights reserved. Digital Assistant, Simply Knitting and The Knitter. Crochet Stitch Heights // 2. You want to wrap it around without pulling it tight (tutorial here). In most cases, as long as the yarn you want to use is in the same category as the yarn used in the pattern, it should be okay to substitute. In the US, fine weight yarn is referred to as sport, while in Australia and New Zealand, it is called 5 ply. Yarn Weight (Thickness) Knitting and crochet yarns come in different weights, or thicknesses. Take care not to mix different weights of yarn in one project, unless it’s a novelty look you’re after! Historically, yarn weights were named after these numbers, so the higher the ply the heavier the yarn, but today it’s more complex than that. And a singles (1ply) yarn could be lace weight, big or somewhere in between. It's a range, from super fine to super bulky. Use the Standard Yarn Weight System to find out! Yarn Weights and Yarn Types Go Hand in Hand. I hope this helps! Parts of a Crochet Stitch // 3. Use when DK isn’t heavy enough, and chunky is too bulky. You can find all the Getting Started posts here. As well spending her working life thinking about yarn, Sarah designs knitting patterns in her spare time, too! Plies are still commonly used as names for yarn weights, particularly in the UK and Australia, even though weight and ply are no longer always related! The metric equivalent is 1.6-1.4mm for steel and the regular metric hook size of 2.25mm. If you’re looking at US yarn brands or patterns, you might see sport weight yarn mentioned. The names for the different yarn weights are a bit chaotic. Worsted yarns are medium thickness and knit up on 4-5½mm needles, making them a good choice for beginners and winter knits such as jumpers and blankets. So, whether you’re a newbie or you’ve been yarning for years, stick around and check out some of my FREE patterns & tutorials! See our disclosure for details. Associated with outdoor wear and winter jumpers, great for oversized garments. Knit on 5½ to 7mm needles. Size 3 yarns is the typical end of the Baby Yarns spectrum. Especially when reading patterns from around the world. Need to choose yarn for a project? Light worsted is the same as DK in the UK. So when you want to follow a pattern, and you go to buy yarn for the project, make sure the yarn you’re getting is in the same weight category as the yarn used in the pattern. Size 4 Medium Weight Yarns Hook Range: I-9 to K-10.5 (5.5-6.5 mm) As a yarn’s weight is determined by its thickness, a thin yarn such as lace is described as ‘light’, while a thick yarn such as super-chunky is ‘heavy’ – regardless of the overall weight of the ball. Knit on 4 to 5½mm needles. #1 Superfine yarns include sock yarns and fingering yarns, and make a lightweight fabric. You can interchange yarns within the weight. Buying yarn can be a tangly business. Yarns are made from many different fibers and come in different thicknesses; otherwise known as Yarn Weights. #4 yarns are very common in stores, and I think they are probably the most popular. Tension is measured as the number of stitches and rows per 10cm/4inches. However, the UK, Europe, and Australia use a different classification method for labeling yarn by its thickness. You may also share one photo from each post, as long as the photo is not altered or changed in any way. Yarn plies are confusing as they can … Posted on Sep 16,2018. by Oscar Jones. Although beautiful pieces for babies have been made in nearly every size and type of yarn, traditionally, baby items are made with Size 1, 2, and 3 yarns. Suitable for most garments and quick to knit up. The Craft Yarn Council of America has developed a system that seeks to standardize the labeled weights of yarn. Standard Yarn Weight System Downloads of these graphic symbols are available at no charge. Yarn Weights demystified! As different fibres have different densities, a metre of a fluffy aran wool may weigh less than a metre of 4ply cotton, even though the aran is the ‘heavier’ yarn. Search; News; Stay in touch. While every yarn isn't perfect for every project, learning about yarn weights will allow you a lot more creativity in your choices. Think of it as how much do 100 yards of yarn weigh. Be sure to purchase enough yarn to complete your project. If you’re yarn shopping in another country, you’ll want to check into the yarn weight system that is used there. Aran weight is more commonly used than worsted weight if you are visiting UK stores or websites to buy yarn. There are so many different colors, textures, and fibers that if you don’t know what to look for, it may be a bit overwhelming to choose just one yarn for your project. Light worsted is the same as DK in the UK. Need to choose the right needles for the yarn you've bought? Specifically, fi… Yarn weight is important in achieving the correct gauge or tension for a particular project and can help with yarn substitution. There are all kinds of numbering systems to describe and compare yarns. What exactly does DK mean, after all? Yarn labels are required to list the weight category of the yarn, as well as the fiber content and the amount of yarn in the skein. Ply refers to the number of strands that are plied, or twisted together, during spinning to create a single strand of yarn. If the yarn my pattern calls for has 127 yards in a 50 gram skein, and the yarn I want to use has 123 yards in a 50 gram skein, those two yarns will be very similar in thickness. My mission is to share the joy of yarn crafts with makers of all skill levels by creating clear, thoroughly-explained video tutorials and modern, approachable projects. Notice how the yarn gradually gets thicker as the category number goes up. Therefore, treat it gently to avoid tangling or breakage. If you’ve ever untwisted or split your yarn while knitting, you’ll have seen these individual plies. What weight of yarn to use for which garments. When you wrap the yarn tightly, or put a bit of tension on it as you wrap, that stretches the yarn a bit and causes it to measure thinner than it actually is. SAVE up to 78% on US shop price and pay in $$! This is why it’s important to know the other names used to denote yarn weight, so you’ll know which category a yarn falls into, even if the number symbol is not given. Yarn weight guide. We’ll explain why a yarn’s weight has nothing to do with grams or kilos, reveal what is meant by fingering, sport and worsted weight, and help you choose the right yarn for your project with our yarn weight conversion chart. It’s generally knitted on size 3-4mm needles and is a popular choice for lace shawls as it knits up into a light but cosy fabric. #5 yarns may also be labeled as Chunky, Craft, or Rug yarns. The number and the category name below the symbol tell us what weight the yarn is. Color varieties and find a stockist near you to WPI and yarn types Go Hand in Hand Craft, making... 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