How To Choose The Right Yarn For You

Knitting is a joyful and relaxing craft that allows you to create beautiful original pieces that will be cherished forever, but without the right yarn knitting can become a bit of a nightmare. It can be easy to assume that after you have selected your desired pattern, all you have to do is just choose a yarn with a colour you like and away you go, but unfortunately the type of yarn you use determines whether your garment is going to be a hit or a pure flop. Luckily here at Ajanta Studios we have put together a step by step guide that will navigate you through the piles of different textures and yarn terminology until you find the right one for you.

Types Of Yarn

Granted, in the crafting world the general rule of thumb is “the more choice the better” but when you come face to face with the vast array of yarns available the choice can seem a bit overwhelming.
The first place to start when choosing your yarn is understanding the type of material that it is made out of and if it is suitable for the type of garment that you are knitting.

• Animal Based – One of the first types of yarns and one that is the most well known, yarn made with animal based fibres such as lambs wool, holds great insulating properties and is very hard wearing. One of the main garments typically knitted with this type of yarn is large jumpers and cosy socks. Animal based fibres however are quite difficult to look after, as they can only be hand washed and laid flat to dry.

• Plant – Cotton based yarns are soft, strong and breathable, meaning that they are perfect for knitting lighter clothing. The cotton yarns can also be machine washed making them durable and easy to wear again and again.

• Man-made – Yarns made with this type of material are one of the most popular as they are cheap and easy to wash.

Choosing the correct yarn weight is essential in determining how easy your project is to complete and its over-all appearance. Choosing a weight that is too light for your pattern can result in a design that is full of gaps with an unprofessional finish. Here is our simple list of the most common yarn weights:

• Lace or 2 Ply – A very fine yarn, ideal for making doilies or shawls

• Fingering or 4 Ply – A popular yarn weight for making socks

• Sport or 5 Ply – A light weight yarn that is perfect for creating baby clothes, very soft.

• DK (Double Knit) or 8 Ply – Perfect for scarves and shawls

• Aran or 10 Ply – A more heavy set yarn typically used for creating winter garments such as hats and scarves.

• Chunky or 12 Ply – A super chunky yarn, a favourite for creating fabulous thick jumpers.

Probably the most fun and creative part of the yarn selection process, yarn is available in an array of so many different colours it is now easier than ever to create beautiful original garments. Here are a few of the colours that you can expect to come across:

Marbled – Where many different types of colours blend together up each strand. This looks great in scarves and fashion pieces.

Rainbow – A yarn with a pastel base colour and flecks of rainbow colours, beautiful for creating baby blankets.

Shimmer – Flecks of shimmering yarn weaved into each strand.

Magi-Knit – Different tones feature in every strand, helping you to create an interesting pattern when knitted together.

Block Colour – Where the whole of the yarn is one colour, the most classic version.

For our full range of yarns click here.

Happy Knitting!