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Crochet Yarn buying guide – Part 2

crochet yarn buying guide

Crochet Yarn weights

Yarn weight refers to the size of the hair, and this will place any specific yarn into one of eight categories. This assists to guide the crocheter to pick the best yarn for a task, and the right size of hook to make the right sized stitches.

Yarn weight conversions

Different nations use differing terms to describe a particular yarn weight. This can make coordinating pattern recommendations challenging, however the chart below offers the most common comparable terms, and advised hook sizes for achieving the standard gauge with each yarn weight.

This conversion table gives a general guide to crochet yarn weights and hook sizes.

yarn weight table

international yarn weight conversions

* Lace weight thread or yarn is typically worked on bigger hook sizes, to create extremely light and open lacework. This makes it tough to determine a basic gauge. Always describe the pattern first.


A word about ply

Yarn is produced by spinning brief fibres together into long hairs, which is twisted into a thread called a ply. Numerous yarns are made from 2 or more hairs, which are also twisted, or plied, together.

In the UK we do not gauge the weight of a yarn by the variety of plies it consists of. A four-ply yarn might sound much heavier than a single ply, however this may not hold true. A single thread of loosely spun roving can fall into the chunky yarn weight classification, and many four-ply yarn is finer and for that reason falls into a lighter weight classification.

Always follow your pattern guidelines to ensure you acquire the proper type and weight of yarn for your task.


How to read the ball band

Industrial patterns will specify a particular yarn and how much yarn you require. When buying crochet yarn, you will discover great deals of information about the yarn on the ball band, consisting of just how much remains in each ball or skein.

Yardage/ Meterage: How long the yarn is in lawns or metres.

Fiber content: The fibre the yarn is made up of, or the portion of each various fiber in a blend.

Dye lot: All yarns are dyed in batches called lots, and each lot is appointed a number, to guarantee you can acquire a best colour match from the very same color lot.

Stress or Gauge and hook sizes: This is a recommendation for accomplishing a standardised gauge when working with the yarn. This may not match the hook size or gauge required for your pattern or task. Not all ball bands bring crochet gauge and hook information. Do not worry, simply stick to your pattern guidelines.

Tension or gauge along with hook or needle size: This may not be the very same as the stress or hook required by your pattern, so it ought to be used for guidance just.

If the ball of yarn does not supply particular suggestions for crochet, just adhere to the directions in your pattern.


Dye lots and colors

How to select colors

There is no one-size-fits-all service when selecting the best colour for a task. Handmade products take a great deal of effort and time to produce, not to discuss the expenditure of good-quality yarns. The ideal colour can indicate the distinction between a lovingly made product being worn or used once again and once again, or tucked quietly away in a sock drawer forever.

Colour choices are really individual choices: if you are making something on your own, pick a colour you enjoy or that works well with your closet. If you are making a gift for others, take a little time to observe the colours they choose for themselves. If you’re making homeware, particularly a significant task like a blanket, keep in mind to think thoroughly about colour schemes prior to you begin!

If you are especially interested in dealing with colour, the danwooc blog has a wide variety of posts and guidance on colour theory, how to pick shades, picking tones that work with any complexion, and discovering how to put a colour scheme together.


Dye lots explained

Passing away is a complex process, subject to numerous variables that are hard to control. This suggests that various color cycles of the very same colour might have very minor variations. Because of this, yarns and fibers are dyed in batches or lots, and each lot is offered an unique recommendation number, which is printed on the ball band. Lot numbering suggests clients can make specific colour matches by purchasing yarn from the same color lot.


Hand dying

There are numerous small craftsmen yarn manufacturers, and typically their yarns are hand-dyed. This might suggest they are dyed in very small lots, and even hand-painted skein by skein, and are for that reason absolutely distinct in colour and character. This kind of yarn can be a fantastic option for small but special one-off tasks.


Space dying

Space-dyed yarn is sometimes dip-dyed, or it can be hand-painted. It has two or more contrasting colours that duplicate along its length, and is created for working into a material with a stripe or collage result.


Self pattern, self striping and ombré prints

Sophisticated yarn production technology produces yarns that create a series of routine and recognisable patterns as they are knitted or crocheted into a material.

Self-patterning yarn mimics advanced colourwork, and self-striping yarn creates contrasting bands of colour, enabling the maker to prevent the fiddly job of changing the yarn and developing lots of ends that need tidying up later on.

Some colour-change yarn is developed to produce more subtle, mixed ombré results, with soft gradations of tone from dark to light, or gently combined zones between contrasting colours.


HOT TIP: Self-patterning yarns are frequently created for specific items such as socks. The colour changes in a self-striping sock yarn are carefully calculated to produce stripes when they are utilized with a fairly standard-size sock pattern. This indicates that the yarn might not produce routine stripes when applied to altering products such as blankets or full-sized sweatshirts.

Self-patterned yarns can likewise be susceptible to pooling, where the colour-changes end up making unintentional ‘pools’ of colour. This can be avoided by utilizing 2 skeins of the very same yarn and alternating from each skein every 2 or 3 rows. Yet it deserves bearing in mind that this pooling effect is the exact same procedure that enables self-patterning yarns to work their magic, and some smart designers work with this concept to create extremely advanced and stunning pattern impacts.

Read our next post on series: Part 3


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