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learning
to knit -
knitting
yarn From cool cottons and luxurious silks, to cozy angoras and rustic tweeds - there's a knitting yarn to suit all of your needs and your mood! wool Wool is spun from the fleece of sheep and is very warm, durable and elastic. It's the yarn most commonly associated with knitting. It is particularly good for working color patterns as the fibers stick together well. Sometimes knitting stitches such as garter stitch and moss stitch look neater when knitted in wool rather than a cotton yarn. cotton Cotton knitting yarn is made from the fibers of the cotton plant. It is the ideal all season yarn - keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. Garments knitted in cotton have a certain crispness about them and any stitch detail really stands out. Good quality cotton keeps its shape and had a lovely drape - but beware of cheaper yarns that can lose their shape, particularly on borders.
cotton & wool blends This type of knitting yarn is especially good for knitting children's garments as the wool gives the yarn some elasticity and the cotton keeps the fibers itch free. cashmere Known for it's softness and luxurious (and unfortunately it's price) cashmere knitting yarn is unbelievable soft and knits beautifully. Its high cost is because of the source of the yarn - it's taken from the under hair of a special goat so is in pretty short supply. alpaca Alpaca is one of the success stories of recent years - its often as soft as cashmere but with a less hefty price tag. It's made from an animal related to the Llama. silk Silk is a natural fiber produced by the silk worm which is a type of caterpillar. It's a truly beautiful yarn but can be prone to pilling. It's also not very elastic which lends itself better to crochet in the main rather than knitting.
modern yarns There are lots of new fibers being used to make modern yarns and blends - including bamboo, soy, hemp and linen. These can produce some truly wonderful yarns each with their own unique qualities. There is also a rising trend in organic yarns that are produced without using harsh bleaching chemicals sometimes used in the manufacture and spinning process of traditional yarn making. There is also a place for synthetic yarns - whilst nothing can beat natural fibers for their breathability and drape, synthetic yarns can offer a range of effects - from sparkles and glitter to feathery and shaggy. Natural yarns blended with a small amount of synthetic fiber are more durable and tend to be easier to wash than 100% natural fiber but too much synthetic fiber can lead to bobbling and garments losing their shape. Although synthetic yarns are generally cheaper than natural, generally their drawbacks far outweigh their benefits.
yarn weights it's easy to get confused by the different yarn weights - particularly when you're new to knitting. To confuse things further, there are a variety of different terms for the same things - How are you to know that worsted is the same as UK double knitting for example? Have no fear, this trusty table will give you the rundown on the different types (and names for) yarn weights.
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