Yarn Weights

Hi! I haven't knit in quite a while, so I'm amazed at all the lovely new
yarns available. However, I'm confused at how to tell what "weight" a yarn
is. For example, my favorite knitted cap calls for sports weight yarn. But
the new "fuzzy" yarns don't specify what they are. How can I figure it out?
Is there a good list somewhere of yarn comparisons? I love the new yarns
but they can be expensive, so I don't want to buy something that I won't be
able to use.

I do have some older "baby weight" yarn that I'd like to use up. Is that
comparable to sports weight?

This is a great ng -- very friendly and helpful!

René

René wrote:
I do have some older "baby weight" yarn that I'd like to use up. Is that
comparable to sports weight?

Hi René,

Baby weight yarn is usually 4ply or finer. Sports weight usually refers
to double-knit yarn (or 8ply as they are often referred to in Aus and
NZ). Use two strands of your baby yarn together and you'll probably be
close to the right thickness for sports weight.

I have a table of some of the names people use and the ply and wraps
per inch equivalents at the bottom of this page:
http://www.vintagepurls.net.nz/tools.html

In the end though, you just have to match the tension stated in a
pattern to get the right dimensions. A sports weight yarn is usually
knitted on 4mm needles at something like 22sts and 25 rows in a 10cm
square.

Good luck!
VP
http://www.vintagepurls.net.nz

Baby weight yarn is usually 4ply or finer. Sports weight usually refers
to double-knit yarn (or 8ply as they are often referred to in Aus and
NZ). Use two strands of your baby yarn together and you'll probably be
close to the right thickness for sports weight.

In North America, a lot of knitters (myself included) refer to yarn weights
by other names such as shown in Vintage Purls website......
laceweight
fingering or sock yarn
Sport
DK
Worsted
Chunky
Bulky

There seems to be a movement on by some manufacturers and some of the
knitting magazines (Knitter's in particular) to assign these weights a
number. These numbers correspond to a gauge range for each yarn.
1. Super fine
2. Fine
3. Light
4. Medium
5. Bulky
6. Super Bulky

Personally, I prefer to go by the suggested gauge (tension) of a project,
but since I'm also a cranky old grandmother, I also go by the old
designations of the names (DK, sock yarn, fingering). I never did learn the
2-ply, 4-ply, etc etc.
Shelagh

Shillelagh wrote:
Baby weight yarn is usually 4ply or finer. Sports weight usually refers
to double-knit yarn (or 8ply as they are often referred to in Aus and
NZ). Use two strands of your baby yarn together and you'll probably be
close to the right thickness for sports weight.

In North America, a lot of knitters (myself included) refer to yarn weights
by other names such as shown in Vintage Purls website......
laceweight
fingering or sock yarn
Sport
DK
Worsted
Chunky
Bulky

There seems to be a movement on by some manufacturers and some of the
knitting magazines (Knitter's in particular) to assign these weights a
number. These numbers correspond to a gauge range for each yarn.
1. Super fine
2. Fine
3. Light
4. Medium
5. Bulky
6. Super Bulky

Personally, I prefer to go by the suggested gauge (tension) of a project,
but since I'm also a cranky old grandmother, I also go by the old
designations of the names (DK, sock yarn, fingering). I never did learn the
2-ply, 4-ply, etc etc.
Shelagh

The ply method is mostly used only in Australia and/or New Zealand now,
though I think it have been used in the UK at one time...

Most yarns use the numbering system Shillelagh posted above. Worsted
falls in the #4 category, and baby yarn probably falls into a #3. The
fuzzy ones may be 4, 5, or 6; look at the yarn labels and they should be
marked.

Here's another chart link which shows gauges for weight and may help -
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Product...mary+Chart.htm

sue

Shillelagh wrote:
These numbers correspond to a gauge range for each yarn.
1. Super fine
2. Fine
3. Light
4. Medium
5. Bulky
6. Super Bulky

How interesting, we don't have this numbering system on yarns here in
NZ but it does make sense.

Here if you go into a yarn shop, things are categorised under ply
headings (3ply, 4ply, 8ply). Of course this is pretty much nonsense
with regard to how many singles are actually plied to make the yarn,
instead it's just used as a description of thickness.

In the end it's all about the tension - I've never enjoyed taking the
time to get the tension correct before I start a project but boy have I
learnt that it's a chore worth doing!

VP

"Vintage Purls" wrote in message
ups.com...

In the end it's all about the tension - I've never enjoyed taking the
time to get the tension correct before I start a project but boy have I
learnt that it's a chore worth doing!

VP

Yep - swatch, swatch swatch. Then make something out of all your swatches.
;)

Shelagh

Thank you, VP! I checked out that site, and it was WAY beyond me! I used
to do a little knitting years ago, but never got very far, technique-wise.
I took some classes in 1969, because I wanted to knit some things for my
first baby. Well, that baby is now 37 years old, with 2 babies of his own!
LOL But I'm still at a "Beginner" status. I admit I didn't understand most
of that site. I'm in the USA, and I'm wondering if there is much difference
in terms, etc.

All I got done in the '60's and '70's were some simple baby blankets and a
couple of baby sweaters. I also found a cap pattern for myself, and liked
it so well I've done at least a dozen. I kept just one for myself because
anyone who saw it wanted one, too. Anyway, I'm determined to make another
cap or two just for myself this time. And I hope to do some simple things
for my 2 granddaughters.

The yarn I'm looking at is mostly acrylic, not wool. The site referred to
wool in grams, and that is too complicated for me.

I did bookmark it, though, because I could tell that using something that
did all those conversions could be valuable in the future, if I ever venture
beyond anything very Basic.

Thanks again!

René


"Vintage Purls" wrote in message
ps.com...
René wrote:
I do have some older "baby weight" yarn that I'd like to use up. Is that
comparable to sports weight?

Hi René,

Baby weight yarn is usually 4ply or finer. Sports weight usually refers
to double-knit yarn (or 8ply as they are often referred to in Aus and
NZ). Use two strands of your baby yarn together and you'll probably be
close to the right thickness for sports weight.

I have a table of some of the names people use and the ply and wraps
per inch equivalents at the bottom of this page:
http://www.vintagepurls.net.nz/tools.html

In the end though, you just have to match the tension stated in a
pattern to get the right dimensions. A sports weight yarn is usually
knitted on 4mm needles at something like 22sts and 25 rows in a 10cm
square.

Good luck!
VP
http://www.vintagepurls.net.nz

Shillelagh -- as one "cranky old grandmother" to another -- I have noticed
the numbers for weights and can see that for someone like me that would be
helpful. There are so many new yarns -- I used to just work with Red Heart
and Caron. It's almost overwhelming. I do have a cousin, though who has
just started knitting and offered to take me to the place where she took
some lessons. So, I think that I'll need to set a date and get some more
lessons with her. It's more fun going with someone else, too.

I can also see that I'll need to do some more experimenting with gauge as
well as type of yarn.

Thank you!

René

"Shillelagh" wrote in message
...
Baby weight yarn is usually 4ply or finer. Sports weight usually refers
to double-knit yarn (or 8ply as they are often referred to in Aus and
NZ). Use two strands of your baby yarn together and you'll probably be
close to the right thickness for sports weight.

In North America, a lot of knitters (myself included) refer to yarn
weights
by other names such as shown in Vintage Purls website......
laceweight
fingering or sock yarn
Sport
DK
Worsted
Chunky
Bulky

There seems to be a movement on by some manufacturers and some of the
knitting magazines (Knitter's in particular) to assign these weights a
number. These numbers correspond to a gauge range for each yarn.
1. Super fine
2. Fine
3. Light
4. Medium
5. Bulky
6. Super Bulky

Personally, I prefer to go by the suggested gauge (tension) of a project,
but since I'm also a cranky old grandmother, I also go by the old
designations of the names (DK, sock yarn, fingering). I never did learn
the
2-ply, 4-ply, etc etc.
Shelagh

Thank you, Sue! I really like this chart -- I recognized some of the brands
and names, and the system for substituting is just what I need. I might
just get a couple simple projects done.

René

"suzee" wrote in message ...
Shillelagh wrote:
Baby weight yarn is usually 4ply or finer. Sports weight usually refers
to double-knit yarn (or 8ply as they are often referred to in Aus and
NZ). Use two strands of your baby yarn together and you'll probably be
close to the right thickness for sports weight.

In North America, a lot of knitters (myself included) refer to yarn
weights
by other names such as shown in Vintage Purls website......
laceweight
fingering or sock yarn
Sport
DK
Worsted
Chunky
Bulky

There seems to be a movement on by some manufacturers and some of the
knitting magazines (Knitter's in particular) to assign these weights a
number. These numbers correspond to a gauge range for each yarn.
1. Super fine
2. Fine
3. Light
4. Medium
5. Bulky
6. Super Bulky

Personally, I prefer to go by the suggested gauge (tension) of a project,
but since I'm also a cranky old grandmother, I also go by the old
designations of the names (DK, sock yarn, fingering). I never did learn
the
2-ply, 4-ply, etc etc.
Shelagh

The ply method is mostly used only in Australia and/or New Zealand now,
though I think it have been used in the UK at one time...

Most yarns use the numbering system Shillelagh posted above. Worsted falls
in the #4 category, and baby yarn probably falls into a #3. The fuzzy ones
may be 4, 5, or 6; look at the yarn labels and they should be marked.

Here's another chart link which shows gauges for weight and may help -
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Product...mary+Chart.htm

sue

VP, thanks for letting me "off the hook!" lol I hadn't taken the
differences in countries into account. It's like learning a new language,
isn't it? I do intend to do as you advise about doing a test swatch and
getting the tension correct.

René


"Vintage Purls" wrote in message
ups.com...
Shillelagh wrote:
These numbers correspond to a gauge range for each yarn.
1. Super fine
2. Fine
3. Light
4. Medium
5. Bulky
6. Super Bulky

How interesting, we don't have this numbering system on yarns here in
NZ but it does make sense.

Here if you go into a yarn shop, things are categorised under ply
headings (3ply, 4ply, 8ply). Of course this is pretty much nonsense
with regard to how many singles are actually plied to make the yarn,
instead it's just used as a description of thickness.

In the end it's all about the tension - I've never enjoyed taking the
time to get the tension correct before I start a project but boy have I
learnt that it's a chore worth doing!

VP