What to know about knitting yarns

You’ve got your needles and chosen your pattern but before you jump into your knitting project, you need to understand yarn.

Consider the weight

Yarns range from ultra-fine lace weight to super chunky. To get the best results, it’s essential to pick a yarn that’s the right weight, or thickness, for your knitting project.

For those starting out, it’s smart to choose a yarn on the thicker end of the scale. This will make it easy to see your stitches and avoid mistakes, and it will also make projects a lot quicker to complete.

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More advanced knitters can progress to finer fingering weight yarns (also known as 4-ply or sock yarns) which are ideal for shawls with plenty of drape. You can even twist two threads of yarn together to create a fun marled colour effect or add a halo of fuzzy mohair for a cosy feel.

A good knitting kit from a specialist site such as www.woolcouturecompany will usually give you everything you need, including the right-sized needles to go with your yarn. This takes away the worry of getting it wrong. Beginner knitting kits will usually feature chunky or super chunky weight yarns that make it easy to get to grips with this new hobby.

Fibre options

Of course, wool is a fantastic and often highly sustainable choice for many knitters, and you can learn more about different types of wool here: However, nowadays you aren’t limited to wool yarns, which is great news for those who are allergic to this fabric, or who would prefer a vegan option.

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There are plenty of other natural fibre yarns to choose from, such as cotton, bamboo, and linen, which also offer benefits such as breathability, making them ideal for summer knits. Or, if you want to make practical items that will likely get washed often, an acrylic yarn can be an affordable option that’s perfect for children’s knits. Often, yarn will be made of a blend of different fibres, and many natural fibre and wool yarns include nylon for extra durability.