Buying yarn for knitting is excellent because there are many different kinds and colors to choose from. It can be challenging to walk into a yarn store and pick between all the available yarns and weavings. Selecting a color to work with is the most fun decision to make—however, the question of what to knit with specialty yarns that appear to be delicate remains.
Tips for Beginners on Choosing the Best Yarn
Keep in mind that the sensitivity of the yarn alone may not always be enough for the project to look long-lasting if you only knit with one of the many fun fur, boucle, super-bulky, suede, mohair, or fun-fetti yarns.
Yarn Weight
One of the most complicated knitting terms to grasp is yarn weight. The yarn weight (or strand thickness) is a great place to decide what to make. Thicker, bulkier yarn is better suited for thicker, bulkier projects, while finer yarn is better for lighter garments and accessories. If you want your finished product to have a certain density and drape, learning about yarn weights can help. You can get yarns from indie dyers.
Lace Weighted Yarn
Shawls and other delicate items that require a very fine yarn (any yarn thinner than fingering weight is acceptable) are perfect candidates for this material. Because blocking techniques significantly affect the size and structure of the finished piece, lace weight yarns have a more forgiving gauge. If you want your knitted fabric to look like open gossamer, use large needles (US 6 or larger).
Fingering Weight Yarn
Fingering weight yarn is commonly used for knitting socks, lightweight sweaters, accessories, Fair Isle, and colorwork patterns. This yarn, also known as baby yarn or sock yarn, is roughly twice as thick as lace yarn. Using US needle sizes 1-4, knitters can create fingerless gloves and other small accessories with fingering weight yarns.
Sport and DK Yarn
Despite common belief, there is a difference between sport weight and DK (double knitting) weight yarn. Sports weight yarn is slightly thinner than DK weight yarn. Knits with these yarn weights produce socks, shawls, wraps, and sweaters with a moderate fabric thickness. As a rule of thumb, US size 3–5 needles are used for knitting with sport weight yarns, while US size 7–9 are used for knitting with DK weight yarns.
Worsted Yarn
Among yarn weights, worsted is by far the most common and accessible option. Weaving yarn, which is twice as heavy as fingering yarn and can be manipulated into any knitting pattern, is recommended for knitters of all skill levels. Yarns of the worsted weight can be knitted with US 6-9 needles and are great for medium-density projects like sweater accessories and sweaters. You can also get Mirasol and Ancient Arts yarn.
Bulky Yarn
Worsted yarn is roughly two times thicker than bulky and four times bigger than fingering yarn. Quick knits requiring structure and warmth, like cozy sweaters, felted items, throws, and home decor, are perfect candidates for bulky yarns and large needles. Needles in the US size 10 or 11 are most commonly used for knitting with bulky weight yarns. You can ask the seller if you are looking for Ancient Art Yarns from the brand you like.
Very Bulky Yarn
Incredibly thick yarn is excellent for speedy knitting projects. Knitting at a gauge of fewer than three stitches per inch is quick enough for small accessories and other household projects. Super bulky yarns, with their thicker strands, produce knitted items that are densely knitted and feature large stitches, making for a unique look and providing extra visual interest. Super bulky weight yarns are knit with US 15 needles.
