A no-nonsense guide to yarn weights and fibres

Walk into a yarn shop and the labels are half the battle. Here's what they mean and how to choose.

Weights (thickness), UK names first

• Lace / 2 ply: cobweb thin. Shawls.
• 4 ply / fingering / sock: socks, baby things, fine shawls. Roughly 26–28 sts per 10cm.
• DK / light worsted: the all-rounder. Cardigans, hats, toys. About 22 sts.
• Aran / worsted: jumpers, cables, quick hats. About 18 sts.
• Chunky / bulky: beanies, cowls, fast blankets. About 14 sts.
• Super chunky / jumbo: arm knitting and statement throws.

The reliable way to compare two yarns is metres per 100g, printed on every ball band. DK is usually 220–260m per 100g.

Fibres

• Wool: warm, elastic, forgiving, blocks beautifully. Superwash can go in the machine; non-superwash felts if you look at it wrong.
• Merino: soft wool, pills more than coarser breeds. Lovely next to skin.
• Alpaca: very warm, drapey, no elasticity. Great scarves, saggy ribbing.
• Cotton: cool, heavy, no stretch, hard on hands. Dishcloths, summer tops.
• Acrylic: cheap, machine-washable, huge colour range, doesn't breathe. Excellent for toys, blankets and learning.
• Blends: wool/nylon for socks, cotton/acrylic for summer, wool/alpaca for luxury without the sag.

Substituting

1. Match the weight using metres per 100g.
2. Match the fibre behaviour: elastic for ribbing and fitted things, drapey for shawls.
3. Swatch anyway. Two DKs can knit up a stitch apart.
4. Check the total metres, not the total grams, when working out how many balls to buy.

Reading a ball band

Look for: weight category, metres per ball, recommended needle size and tension, fibre content, care symbols, and the dye lot. Buy all your balls from the same dye lot for a garment, and buy one more than you think you need. Most shops will take back an unused ball.

Got a yarn question? Ask in the comments; there's always someone here who has knitted with it.

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