"This funny thing called
yarn? Just who can solve its
mystery? Why should it make a
fool of me?"
Oh, I could go on and on singing
Cole Porter's hit
song, but you get the picture!
You can substitute the word
"yarn" for
"love" and feel just as confused. Knitting can
do that to you; "yarn flew
in through my window, I was so
happy then".
Been in a yarn shop lately?
Leafed through a knitting
magazine? Got your heart set on
the perfect pattern for
you, only just why is it telling
me to use a sport-weight
yarn and, what is that anyway?
Just like material,- cotton,
wool, knits, blends,
silk, taffeta, linen, - yarn
comes in a variety of
different styles and types. Some
yarns are great for
certain projects, other yarns
will be disastrous. With all
of the yarns available today,
either in yarn shops or
online, it's a good idea to arm
yourself with a little
knowledge. After all, a little
knowledge goes a long way!
The following is a list of the
most popular yarns that
you will encounter with patterns
today. Whenever you choose
a knitting project, there will
always be a suggested yarn to
use. This information will be at
the top of the instruction
page, under "materials"
along with needle size, length or
size, gauge, and sometimes a
manufacturer's specific yarn
brand.
Please keep in mind that yarn
doesn't grow on trees
looking like that. Yarn comes
from fibers; anyone who uses
a spinning wheel can tell you all
about how yarn is spun
from rough fibers. One strand of
spun yarn is called a
single. When singles are formed
together they create a ply
or plied yarn. Two-ply yarn is
formed of two singles, and
so on. Most yarn used for
knitting comes in 4-ply.
Just look at the label around any
skein or ball of
yarn, and you will find the ply
number there. When you
knit, you use the yarn as is; in
other words, you don't
separate plied yarn, as you would
in needlepoint or crewel
work. (In fact, some patterns
call for using more than one
strand of yarn at a time.)
So without further ado, here is
the list:
Worsted weight yarn - this yarn
is the most popular you
will see! It can be used for just
about anything you have
in mind. Sweaters, scarves,
afghans, shrugs, vests, all do
well with worsted weight yarn.
Sport weight yarn or DK (double
knitting) - this yarn
is a tad bit thinner than worsted
weight, but again it is
used for many projects; usually
you will see the DK
abbreviation in British
publications. You can knit afghans,
baby projects, or a whole host of
other items with this very
popular yarn.
Sock, Fingering or baby yarn -
this sounds just like
it is. Very soft, pliable, this
is also great for any baby
or toddler pattern. Great for
delicate items, too.
Cotton yarn (also mercerized) -
cotton yarn is easy to
knit with. I use it for placemats
or other kitchen or bath
items; you can knit vests, or a
more sturdy outer garment
with it. If cotton yarn says
"mercerized" this just means
it has extra strength &
shine.
Fisherman or Aran yarn - this
yarn is thicker than
worsted weight, and is used in
heavier sweaters or even
afghans. The word
"Aran" is from the Aran Islands, which
are just to the west of Galway
Bay in Ireland. Aran
patterns abound, and they are
most beautiful.
Chunky or bulky yarns - these
yarns are, you guessed
it, chunky and bulky! They are
often a challenge to knit
with and require strong fingers.
They make for wonderful
outer garments, such as shrugs,
vests, even sweaters, and
will keep you warm.
These are just the most popular
yarns you will run
across in knitting projects.
There are many, many more. In
fact, many untraditional
materials are now being utilized;
you can knit with string-like
yarn, eyelash yarn, ribbon
yarn, as well as delicate,
thread-like yarn for more
intricate, or openwork patterns.
Yarns can often be combined with
each other, for
unusual effects; a strong yarn
can be paired with something
wispy and the results are
fantastic! The absolute explosion
of yarn texture, color, and
variety are unlike anything from
the past.
No matter what you're knitting,
there is a yarn for
you! So, just like ol' Blue Eyes,
you can say "you gave me
days of sunshine, you gave me
nights of cheer, you made my
life an enchanted
dream".......
And you know what, - you will
have discovered this
thing called yarn!!Visit https://www.knitmustache.com/
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