There are so many luscious types of yarns sitting on the shelves of your local knitting shop that it’s tempting to buy them all. But then you would be left with the problem of figuring out what to make with all that yarn! The key would be to match a suitable yarn with the right project.
As much as you love a particular skein of yarn, it may not be appropriate for the project you have in mind. So before you start gathering your knitting supplies, let’s determine which type of yarn you should use for your next knitting adventure.
What is Ply?
As you learn to knit, you’ll come across the terms yarn ply and yarn weight. These fiber terms are tossed about, often interchangeably, but they aren’t the same. However, they are related.
Ply is the twisting of two or more threads together. When the strands are twisted as one, they create a stronger yarn. The lowest ply you’ll find is 2-ply, a very fine yarn. A 4-ply yarn would be bulkier, and so on.
However, more plies don’t always mean the yarn is thicker; that all depends on the thickness of the original thread. So, for example, a 4-ply strand of yarn could be thicker than a 6-ply one if the fibers of the 4-ply are thicker.
Types of Yarn Weight
Yarn weight doesn’t actually refer to how much the yarn weighs; instead, it has to do with how thick the strands are.
The weight of your yarn has a tremendous impact on your project. It affects how your entire piece comes together and how the stitches fit together.
A knitting pattern specifies the required yarn weight to get the correct result for your project. The wrong types of yarn can cause sizing problems or give you a wonky shape to your piece.
Lace
This type of yarn is a single strand, meaning it has no ply. It’s super thin and fine. Lace weight yarn requires very thin knitting needles and is typically knit in a relatively open weave. It is the lightest weight yarn possible.
Patterns that call for lace weight yarn are usually rather complicated, forming a delicate lace design. You will usually use lace weight yarn to knit shawls, delicate scarves, and doilies. Proceed carefully when you’re working with yarn this fine; it’s very fragile and must be handled gently.
Lace weight typically calls for size U.S. 000 – 1 needles and has a gauge of 36 stitches over a four-inch swatch.
Fingering and Super Fine
This type of yarn is slightly thicker than lace, but not very much. Fingering yarn is still delicate yet durable since it is often 4-ply. This category can also include baby yarn and sock yarn.
Yarns this fine are still complicated to use like lace yarn is. Again, you’ll usually use fingering or super fine weight yarn in knitting decorative objects or accessories.
Fingering and super fine weight yarns are most often knitted on size U.S. 1 – 3 needles, and its typical gauge on a four-inch swatch is 27-32 stitches.
Sport and DK
Even thicker than fingering yarn is sport and DK yarn; these yarns are two times as thick. However, sport is slightly less thick than DK yarn. Still, these are considered lightweight and have an 8-ply.
These are the most popular yarns for knitting, mainly because they are incredibly versatile and easy to work with. They are perfect for sweaters, socks, and other winter accessories.
If you’re a beginner knitter, sport and DK yarns are excellent for your first projects, although they aren’t your only choices. They are thick enough to see your stitches well, which is always helpful, especially as you learn.
You’ll get the best results on these yarns when you use size U.S. 5 – 7 knitting needles. Your gauge should be about 21-24 stitches over a four-inch swatch knitted in stockinette stitch.
Worsted and Aran
These yarn weights are also incredibly popular. Worsted weight and Aran yarns are suitable for so many projects. They are medium-weight and are great for creating warm and cozy knits.
Worsted and Aran weight are probably the ideal types of yarn to learn on. They are bulky enough to create large stitches that are perfect for seeing how your knitting comes together, but not so weighty that they are hard to work with and manipulate.
Of course, needle size can be project or yarn specific, but generally, these yarns work up best on size U.S. 7-9 needles. Their gauge is approximately 16-20 stitches per four-inch stockinette swatch.
Bulky and Chunky
These are the yarns to turn to when you want a project that knits up quickly! They are super thick and create very large stitches.
Bulky and chunky weight yarns form loose knits. These yarns are sublime for blankets, scarves, and thick, thick sweaters. Because they’re so thick, you need to stick to simple stitches when working with bulky and chunky yarns. You won’t be forming any cables or other fancy knits here.
Work up bulky and chunky yarn on U.S. 9-11 size needles. The gauge for a four-inch swatch should be 12-15 stitches.
Natural Types of Yarn Fiber
Your knitting yarn can be made from so many different materials. Natural types of yarn can come from animals and plants.
Natural yarn fibers are usually easier to work with than most synthetic yarns, which is why they are excellent for beginners in learning how to knit. Most natural types of yarn are relatively easy to work with and feel good between your fingers.
Yarn types derived from animal hair or fur are often more insulating than ones made from plants. So, if you are looking for a good, warm winter yarn, you should gravitate toward one of the animal-produced yarns.
Wool
We get wool from sheep fiber. It’s one of the most popular types of yarn, mainly because of its cost and lasting power. In addition, wool is an amazingly warm fiber, so it’s excellent for all your heavy-duty knitwear for cold weather.
Wool is super strong and does remarkably well in retaining its shape. Part of what makes it so wonderful to work with is how well it takes to blocking.
There are some downsides to wool knits. For one thing, it can be very stiff and challenging to make drape well. It does soften the more you wear it, but that may be a while before it gets to that point. Wool can also be quite itchy; many people can’t stand the feel of the prickly fabric against their skin. However, a yarn blend of wool with a softer material can make wool more bearable.
Wool is one of the most affordable yarns you can buy, so it may be a great type of yarn to keep around for practicing stitches on.
Merino Wool
There are several categories of wool, but merino deserves a special mention. This type of yarn comes from a particular sheep, the Merino sheep. It’s a fine yarn and is much softer than standard wool.
One unfortunate downside to merino wool is that it pills easily. So, unfortunately, your pieces will start to look worn after a while. Other than that, merino wool has all the pros of wool without the itchiness and stiffness. It’s an ideal yarn for winter knits.
Alpaca
This is one of my favorite yarns to work with! It is so incredibly soft and feels luxurious between my fingers. And wearing it feels like a real treat, especially knowing I made it myself.
Unfortunately, alpaca is a luxury yarn; it can be pretty costly, so I don’t work with it very often. It is spun from the hair of an Alpaca, making it a natural fiber. It’s even warmer than wool and perhaps sometimes even too warm.
Aside from cost, there are some other drawbacks of Alpaca yarn. For starters, it doesn’t retain its shape well. Alpaca stretches out over time, making it not fit as well. And it also pills, so it doesn’t look pristine after a time. It can also felt if you don’t wash it properly, and that would completely ruin your knitting.
Cashmere
Speaking of luxury fibers, cashmere is the ultimate in soft and rich yarns. It’s a delicate and airy fiber spun from hair combed from mountain goats’ stomachs. That’s true dedication to fiber!
Cashmere is a super high-quality yarn, and it’s incredibly expensive. So, yes, it’s 100% luxury. However, pure cashmere is super rare; it’s almost always blended with other types of fibers.
Knitting projects created with cashmere yarn have a beautiful, ethereal effect from the fluffy fibers. And, as soft as cashmere is, it gets even softer with wear!
Cotton
This yarn is harvested and spun from the cotton plant, of course. Although cotton is an extraordinarily popular fabric for clothing, it isn’t quite as popular in knitting. It doesn’t have much elasticity, so it can be challenging to work with. It can feel stiff and split while you’re working with it.
On the positive side, cotton is a very smooth yarn, so you can easily see your stitches when working with it. And it’s also easy to wash; just toss it into the washing machine!
Cotton isn’t a warm fiber, so use this type of yarn for making knitting projects that aren’t winter weather related. It’s ideal for pot holders, washcloths, and fun tote bags. Cotton is crazy affordable, so stock up on it for these projects!
Silk
You may already be familiar with silk as a luxury clothing material, but did you realize that you can also knit with it? It’s just as luxurious in yarn form and very pricey. Silk yarn is super fine, making it suitable for lacy knitting projects worked on small needles.
Silk yarns are very soft and feel incredibly smooth against your skin. It has a beautiful drape, so it takes the shape of your knitting very well. It’s also very breathable, so it won’t warm you, but at least you won’t sweat in it, either.
Although silk yarn is surprisingly strong and durable, it’s also very difficult to take care of. Washing it is always a hassle, so you wouldn’t want to use it for an item that can get dirty quickly. In addition, I don’t recommend experimenting with silk while you are still learning to knit because it’s so slippery that you might find it too challenging to manipulate and keep on your needles.
Blends
You can combine different types of yarn for unusual results. Blended yarns can include natural and synthetic fibers, giving you an unlimited range of fiber creations.
Blend yarns are an excellent way to incorporate luxury fibers into your knitting at a more affordable price. You can also blend some natural fiber with synthetics for an excellent result that makes synthetics feel softer and more natural. You get the best of both types of yarn.
Blends are the most common yarn category since you can get so many different results from each possible combination.
Bamboo
Although bamboo isn’t a very trendy type of yarn, I include it on this list because I really love working with it. It’s a newer fiber in the world of yarn, and I think it deserves a lot of love. And I don’t just feel that way because it’s super sustainable! (Although, yes, it’s incredibly environmentally friendly.)
Bamboo is harvested from bamboo grass, and the process doesn’t kill the grass. It’s a surprisingly soft and silky yarn, although it isn’t a very warm fiber. Instead, it’s lightweight, making it a good summer and spring knitting material.
It does cost slightly more money than standard types of yarn. Bamboo yarn has an excellent drape, so it is perfect for shaping. In fact, I made my family’s Christmas stockings out of bamboo yarn! If our stockings have survived all these years, with my kids wildly grabbing them on Christmas morning, you know bamboo is a strong, durable type of yarn.
Synthetic Types of Yarn Fibers
Man-made fibers spun into yarn are called synthetic yarns. There are many pros and cons to working with synthetics.
On the plus side, synthetics tend to be very strong. They are so hardy that they’re ideal for knitting projects that will ultimately take a lot of abuse, like socks or kids’ clothing.
They are also easy to care for, usually compatible with your washing machine. Most attractively, though, synthetic yarns are very affordable and the easiest types of yarn to find.
One of the biggest reasons synthetic yarns are so frowned upon is that pure synthetic fibers can feel stiff, almost crunchy, in your hands and split easily. Split yarn is very frustrating to work with and can result in some stitch errors if you aren’t paying close attention.
Synthetic yarn doesn’t do well with heat. Because it has non-natural elements, it does not do well with heat. It isn’t breathable, so it will make you sweat if you wear it. But, I also don’t recommend making a kitchen accessory, like a potholder or trivet, with it — the heat will melt the yarn!
Acrylic, polyester, rayon, and nylon are the most common synthetic yarn.
Novelty and Specialty Types of Yarn
Some yarns aren’t at all practical but can be very fun for quirky and unique projects. These yarns are a way of adding color and unexpected texture to a project. Many times they include some synthetic elements.
Specialty and novelty yarns aren’t suitable for beginning knitters. They can be pretty tricky to work with and often obscure your stitches.
Ribbon – this yarn looks like a regular ribbon, flat and smooth. Or you could try a variation of ribbon yarn, railroad ribbon; it looks more like a ladder, having some open spaces between the parallel edges. Ribbon yarn can be natural or synthetic.
Self-Striping – here’s a fun and simple way to incorporate multiple colors into your knitting. Just as its name implies, self-striping yarn changes color throughout the skein. It’s a wonderful way to avoid weaving in ends! Self-striping yarn can be natural or synthetic.
Boucle – you’ll have very bumpy knitting with boucle yarn. The yarn isn’t smooth and seems to have a series of knots and loops in the thread. Boucle is formed by two yarn strands combined, with one looping around and over the other. It’s highly textured and made from natural fibers.
Chenille – did you ever imagine you could knit velvet? Chenille is an awfully close experience. It has a very soft texture with a fuzzy pile. It may feel like a treat, but it’s not great to work with. Available from natural or synthetic sources.
Faux Fur – you can knit something that looks a lot like fluffy animal fur. This novelty yarn is very tufted, very strong, and super soft. However, it’s a bit of a nightmare to work with since you can’t see your stitches at all. Faux fur yarn is entirely synthetic.
Thick & Thin – this unusual-looking yarn switches back and forth between very thin and thick, chunky sections along the strand; it’s very bumpy in spots. It creates a neat texture in your knitting, but it can be tricky to get a proper gauge since it varies so much.
Tweed – you can create elegant knits with tweed yarn. This yarn consists of a primary color strand with flecks of other yarn of different colors and plies. Tweed is perfect for autumn knits.
Heather – for a subtle effect, use heathered yarn in your knits. It’s worsted weight yarn spun with various shades of the same color for unusual coloring.
Eyelash – a yarn with long, loose, thin strands sticking out. Yes, it resembles eyelashes. And yes, it’s another tricky yarn to work with. Eyelash yarn is synthetic.
Understanding Your Yarn Label and Types of Yarn
Your yarn label offers tons of helpful information, so make friends with it. Learning to read a label can help you choose the perfect types of yarn for your knitting projects.
A quick read of your label can tell you the fiber content of the skein and whether it’s a blend or a full fiber. You’ll also see the yarn’s weight and needle size and gauge suggestion. You don’t have to use the label’s suggestion, but it gives you a healthy starting point for determining which knitting needles you’ll use.
The yarn label also lets you know the skein’s yardage and ounces. This is useful because when you are working from a pattern, it will tell you the total yardage you’ll need to complete your project. With this information, you can calculate how many skeins of yarn to buy.
Other helpful information is the dye-lot number. The yarns from the same dye lot are the same shade because they were all dyed together. If yarn skeins have different dye-lot numbers, you may notice slight differences between the shades, even though they are meant to be the same color. Other dye lots used in the same project could give you an odd effect in the final result.
What to Consider When Choosing Types of Yarn for Your Knitting Project
If you are knitting off a pattern, pay attention to its specifics. It may tell you a specific brand of yarn to use; you don’t have to use it, of course. However, it is an excellent guide for substituting the yarn. You must find something similar, or your project may not come together as intended.
Your replacement yarn must have a similar fiber and weight. The most important way to know if a yarn will work as a substitution is by checking your gauge. The gauge needs to match; it means that the yarn will knit up the way your pattern expects your yarn to, so the sizing will be accurate.
So, how can you choose a yarn if you aren’t knitting from a pattern? As you get experience knitting, you’ll discover your likes and dislikes for certain yarns.
Consider what your project is and how you will wear or use it. So, what fiber can help you achieve your goal for your project? Also, factor in how much you are willing to spend on this project. And finally, how you’ll need to care for the completed piece can also be important. For example, you may want a fiber that you can toss in your washing machine, or it may not matter to you.
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