Types Of Yarn – Choose Suitable Crochet Yarn Types For Your Project

There are many types of yarn! How on earth are you supposed to know which ones are best for which projects? Here is everything about the different types of yarn for crochet and useful facts.

You’ve probably heard of acrylic or wool, but there are so many more to discover and gain joy from. There are so many sorts, whether they’re from animals, plants, or synthetic.

I updated this post on 30 May 2022.

Table Of Contents

• The Types Of Fibers
• What Are The Different Types of Yarn?
• Acrylic Yarn
• Alpaca
• Angora
• Bamboo Yarn
• Cashmere
• Cotton Yarn
• Hemp Yarn
• Llama Yarn
• Linen
• Merino
• Mohair
• Novelty Yarns
• Nylon
• Organic Yarn
• Qiviut Yarn
• Rayon
• Self-Striping Yarn
• Silk Yarn
• Specialty Yarns
• T-shirt Yarn
• Wool
• Wool Blend Yarns
• Vicuña
• All About Yarn Weights
• How Many Yarn Strands?
• How To Read A Yarn Label
• How To Choose The Best Yarn for a Pattern
• Things To Remember When Shopping For Yarn
• Types Of Yarn – Your Questions Answered

The Types Of Fibers

Animal Fibers

These types of yarn for crochet come from the fleece of various animals, from alpacas to the humble but ever-popular sheep. Usually, they’re shorn, and the different layers of the coat are used for different things.

The undercoat is soft, shiny, and more luxurious, for softer, warmer fabric. 

The outercoat is used for more heavy-duty or everyday items and is warm but a tougher fabric.

Animal fibers include yarns like wool, angora, cashmere, and llama wool.

You’ll find many fantastic unique gifts for crocheters in my review.

Plant Fibers

Made from the inner fibers spun and joined together to create yarn, most of these straddle the line between synthetic and natural fibers.

They’re a renewable source of yarn and usually have a rougher texture than animal fiber. 

Natural fibers are usually blended with synthetic fibers to create softness or a special sheen. Still, you can also get 100% plant fiber yarn.

This category includes yarns like hemp, bamboo, linen, and of course, cotton.

Where is the best place to buy wholesale yarn? Here’s a recommendation.

Synthetic Fibers

As the name suggests, these yarn fibers are purely manufactured types of yarn, created with synthetic fabrics like acrylic (one of the popular types of crochet yarn), polyester, and rayon.

These come in many different forms, as they can be modified and blended with others for various uses and textures. Most novelty or specialty yarn is made of this.

These include the obvious ones, acrylic, and others like metallic yarn, nylon, rayon, and polyester.

What Are The Different Types of Yarn?

Acrylic Yarn

This is the default material for mass-produced yarn. It’s a synthetic fiber that’s cheaper than other fibers and a perfect choice for beginners.

Acrylic is popular for crochet projects and is often considered one of the best yarns for crochet.

It’s colorfast, strong, lightweight yarn, meaning you can put it through machine washing and drying. Plus, it’s chemical, moth, and wear-resistant.

If you’re a beginner, this synthetic fiber is a great place to start before you try other fibers.

Acrylic yarn often has a subtle sheen that adds interest to a finished fabric and excellent stitch definition.

Suitable For: Any sort of project, the perfect yarn for Baby Blankets.

General Care Guidelines: Usually machine washable and dryable.

Popular choices: Budget and Premium

Interesting Facts

• It last for years, and holes are almost non-existent.
• Heat kills acrylic fibers. Never to use an iron on a garment.

What if you could make your next project special? Discover the best luxury yarns to crochet with.

Alpaca

From perhaps one of the cutest animals whose fleece creates yarn, it’s native to South America, along with its cousin, the llama. (They’re often confused for each other.)

There are two breeds of alpaca, Suri, and Huacaya. Alpaca fiber is soft and warm.

It’s more expensive than most yarn types (especially baby alpaca fiber) and doesn’t hold its shape as well as wool either. 

Suitable For: Alpaca yarn is softer and warmer than even merino wool, it’s perfect for cozy, snuggly winter garments. Crochet patterns for hats, scarves, cowls, and sweaters.

Baby Alpaca is incredibly soft and creates a beautiful fabric that’s lovely to wear close to the skin.

General Care Guidelines: Gentle hand wash or dry clean items made with alpaca yarns

Recommended yarns: Economical and Top Quality

Interesting Facts: This yarn type is hypoallergic because, unlike sheep’s fleece, it doesn’t have lanolin.

Want to keep those yarn balls organized? Try a yarn cake winder.

Angora

It takes its name from the Angora rabbit, which the fiber comes from. Incredibly soft and fine, it’s blended with other yarns like wool or acrylic to help it last longer and hold its shape better.

A crocheter might find its tendency to molt annoying.

It’s perfect for winter, as it’s very warm, snuggly, and cozy.

Suitable For: Warm winter woolies.

General Care Guidelines: Dry clean or hand wash in cold water, then lay it flat to try indoors.

Yarn Ball Holder Bowls keep your fibers from rolling all over the place.

Bamboo Yarn

Bamboo, derived from the inner fibers of the plant, has a wonderful, luxurious feel. It’s long-lasting, soft, has excellent drape, and has anti-bacterial properties. 

It’s also breathable and light, a perfect all-rounder fiber. However, not the best for winter, but that’s the only downside.

Suitable For: Summer items and garments, shawls, and other light wraps.

General Care Guidelines: Check the label.

Popular yarns: Economical and Top quality

Interesting Facts: If spun enough, it can be even softer than silk! Despite this, it’s less expensive than silk.

Curious about crocheting tools? I’ve got you covered.

Cashmere

One of the softest and most luxurious types of yarns comes from the undercoat of the breed of goat called Cashmere. 

Despite its benefits, cashmere yarn is not as strong or hardwearing as, say, wool, and is very expensive.

This is because getting the yarn is very labor-intensive; the cashmere goats cannot be shorn and have to be combed by hand to get the fleece.

Considering it only comes from the undercoat, there’s not very much from one goat when the processing is complete. Usually only about 4 ounces.

Suitable For: It’s hypoallergic and not itchy, so perfect for making clothing where there are more sensitive skin areas, like socks, gloves, and sweaters.

General Care Guidelines: Dry clean.

Top choices: Affordable and Luxury

Interesting Facts

• The name originates from the original spelling for the word Kashmir, the princely state in south-west Asia.
• The individual hairs are very fine, six times finer than a human hair.

Cotton Yarn

Cotton is sourced from the fluffy looking cotton plant. This is produced worldwide in warm climates for commercial clothing, and of course, yarn.

Most of the production happens in China, India, and the U.S. It’s light, absorbent, breathable, and strong, excellent qualities in items that need to be hardwearing. 

Perfect for summer crochet to create summer garments.

There are different types in terms of thickness, so it’s very versatile. However, it doesn’t hold its shape well, tends to stretch, and the stitches won’t always look neat.

In these cotton yarns, the definition of some stitches isn’t as clear as others.

Suitable For: Summer crochet, baby items, dishcloths, washcloths, scrubbies, potholders, other household items, shirts, light, drapey tank tops or cardigans.

General Care Guidelines: Machine-washable.

Popular choices: Budget and High Quality

Interesting Facts: Cotton can absorb over 27 times its weight in water or liquid. Not the best material for swimmers, then.
It has less elasticity than wool.

Hemp Yarn

Though it may be surprising, despite being tough and hardwearing, hemp is soft and comfortable. Originally used solely for weaving and macrame crafts, it’s only risen in popularity as a yarn fiber in recent years.

An excellent renewable source of fiber, it has excellent stitch definition too.

Suitable For: Hard-wearing clothes, like hiking socks, fishers and outdoor outwear, coats, dishcloths, and other home accessories.

General Care Guidelines: Check the package rules, but hand-washing in cold water is good as a general rule.

Yarn recommendations: Great Value

Interesting Facts: One hemp plant produces 250% more fiber and material than one cotton plant! Plus, it grows very fast and is great for many different uses.

Llama Yarn

From the packhorse of South America, Llamas are grown for their wool as well. Usually, only the finer, softer inner coat is used, but it’s more expensive.

The yarn fiber from the outer coat is rougher but more hardwearing.

Suitable For: Hard-wearing clothes or household accessories like rugs. Baby Llama yarn can be used for softer clothing or decor.

General Care Guidelines: Gentle hand wash or dry clean.

Interesting Facts: It’s hypoallergic, because unlike sheep’s fleece, it doesn’t have lanolin.

Linen

A fabric as old as time itself, this is a plant fiber made from the flax plant. It’s cool, breathable, absorbent, and dries much faster than other natural fibers.

There’s a reason why it was the Ancient Egpyptian’s material of choice for clothing and other items. It can be a bit pricey, as it’s quite difficult to make.

Suitable For: The material for summer, hot and humid climates. Perfect for other household items, like dishcloths, drapes, and tablecloths.

Recommendations: Low-cost and High-quality

General Care Guidelines: Machine wash.

Interesting Facts: The history of making linen goes back thousands of years, even before the Ancient Egyptians.

Merino

Thick merino wool is very popular for extreme projects, like rugs and home decor. It’s wool, yes, but it comes from one breed of sheep, the Merino.

Originating in Extremadura, Spain, in the 12th century, they were brought to Australia and New Zealand, creating the modern merino.

Merino wool yarn is very soft, and unlike other wool, it’s hypoallergic. It holds its shape very well, even when blocked. However, it does pill quite easily, which is annoying.

The yarn thickness varies from fingering to roving.

Suitable For: Merino wool is excellent for making winter items, even for those who have wool allergies, because this won’t cause them.

General Care Guidelines: Hand washes in very slightly warm water. Some merino wool is machine washable, called superwash, so be sure to check.

Yarn choices: Cost-effective and Top Quality

Interesting Facts:  Merino wool fiber can wick up to 30% of its weight in moisture remaining dry to the touch.

Merino Fiber pulls 10 times more moisture away from the skin than synthetic fiber while maintaining all of its performance qualities.

Mohair

Mohair yarn is a luxury fiber because of its sheen, softness, and long-lasting quality. It’s an excellent choice no matter the season and has excellent insulating properties while being breathable.

Don’t confuse it with the Angora rabbit, a yarn made from the Angora goat is never called angora. Only that from the rabbit. Some people may experience skin irritation with this fiber.

Suitable For: Very flexible, many different uses.

Yarn choices: Low-cost and Luxury

General Care Guidelines: Gentle hand wash or dry clean.

Interesting Facts: It’s very naturally colorfast, perfect for dyeing.

Nylon

A synthetic fiber designed first as a material to make parachutes out of. It rose in popularity for women’s stockings and other garments. Because of the sheer, shimmery, soft, and cool properties it has.

Today the synthetic fiber is used for all sorts of purposes but is still favored for those qualities.

Nylon is often used in sock yarn for stretchiness and longevity.

Suitable For: All sorts of projects, but excellent for those that need to be light and have drape.

General Care Guidelines: Machine-washable

Interesting Facts: Like so many other inventions, the inventor stumbled upon it by accident.

Novelty Yarns

All sorts of special interest yarns to create intrigue and variance in your crochet projects. Novelty yarn is usually made of synthetic fibers, and they’re not the best choice for beginner crocheters because they can be difficult to crochet with.

Types Of Novelty Yarns

• Bouclé – Ranges in texture, made of loops and varying thickness to create a bumpy look.
• Chenille – Almost like velvet in texture and looks, it looks wonderful when crocheted but these bulky yarns are quite difficult to master.
• Faux Fur – As the name implies, this yarn looks exactly like faux fur when it’s in the finished item. It’s made of fluffy pieces attached to the main thread made of nylon.
• Railroad ribbon – As the name says, it has little “tracks” attached to either side to yarn fiber strands.
• Ribbon Yarn – Yarn made from ribbons.
• Polyester Yarn – Yarn made from polyester, polyester is very flexible. There are all sorts to choose from.
• Thick-Thin -A completed project has thin and thick sections. It will have a bumpy textured look.

Suitable For: Adding a bit of spice to ordinary projects.

Recommendations: Economical and Top Quality

General Care Guidelines: Machine Washable

Organic Yarn

This isn’t a type of yarn but rather refers to the way it’s made. It can be all sorts of fiber, from cotton to bamboo, but mostly wool.

If it’s a plant fiber, it’s grown without pesticides or herbicides and treated without harsh chemicals. If it’s an animal fiber, it’s processed without harsh methods, and they clean it only using soap and water.

Usually a little pricier than other yarns, but it’s good for the environment.

Suitable For: Depends on the individual fiber/blend, but all sorts. Lovely for baby clothes and baby blankets.

Recommended yarns: Low Cost and Luxury

General Care Guidelines: Check the yarn label.

Qiviut Yarn

A truly luxurious fiber, from the musk-ox’s silky inner coat, which is native to the Alaskan tundras and colder regions. Qiviut is an Inuit word.

Truly sumptuous yarn with a beautiful feel, this is perfect for exceptional colder climate clothes. One of the finest animal fibers.

Suitable For: Designed for winter, the musk-ox lives in frigid temperatures.

General Care Guidelines: Refer to the label.

Popular choice: Luxury

Rayon

This mixture of natural and synthetic is derived from cellulose from re-used wool pulp and other agricultural residues.

Light, smooth, and a wonderful feeling on the skin makes it a great cheaper alternative to linen.

Suitable For: Things for warmer weather.

General Care Guidelines: Usually hand-wash, but check instructions.

Interesting Facts: This is also known as viscose in many places, particularly the U.S.

Yarn suggestion: Economical

Self-Striping Yarn

Self-striping yarn, also known as painterly yarn, can be made of any fiber but has many colors spun together to make one single ball of yarn.

The result is a multicolor yarn that changes color as you crochet, creating stripes in the finished product. Depending on the mix of colors you choose, there’s so much variety to select from.

Though it may look like you’ve used different balls of yarn, the change is seamless, with no changing yarn balls. 

Keep in mind, patterns, stitches, and others will look different than in one single color.

Here are the pros and cons of using self-striping yarn.

Pros

• No need to make changes of color when crocheting, only when your current yarn ball runs out
• Great for beginners
• The chosen shades already work well together, so colorwork is already taken care of you 

Cons

• You’ll need to find specific patterns/stitches that look nice with this type of yarn.
• Can be more expensive than other yarns
• You can’t control where the color changes will happen. Sometimes that may look strange or uneven. It depends.

Suitable For: Perfect for a wide range of projects, crochet all sorts of fun and colorful creations.

Yarn recommendations: Economical and High-quality

General Care Guidelines: Refer to the yarn label for instructions.

Silk Yarn

Originating from China, this lustrous fabric mystified and delighted Europe, who longed to know the secret of where it came from. Now we know it comes from the silkworm, the caterpillar of the silk moth.

Labor-intensive to produce, it’s soft, smooth, and has a wonderful feeling. This is a true luxury. The lightness makes it great for warm climates.

There are two different types, spun silk yarn and reeled silk yarn. The later is more expensive and finer than the other. This is one of the more expensive fibers available.

The filaments of the silk thread is spun together in the case of reeled silk yarn.

Silk Blends are popular because the silk component adds a sheen.

Suitable For: Light crocheted items, like shawls, wraps, and others.

General Care Guidelines: Gentle hand wash or dry clean.

Yarn choices: Lower-cost and Luxurious quality

Interesting Facts: It’s the strongest natural fiber.

Specialty Yarns

These are for creating special textures and interest to your creations. Remember, these are a bit harder to crochet with than regular yarns.

Types Of Specialty Yarn

• Heather – A lot of different fleeces/colors/textures of yarns blended and spun to create a unique skein.
• Marled Fabric Ragg/Marled Yarns – These are multiple multicolored yarns twisted together plies to create a marbled appearance. 
• Multicolored – It’s all in a name, but there are so many it looks like a rainbow.
• Ombre – A gradient that descends through the yarn as you crochet it.
• Tweed – One main color, with random flecks of others to create a speckled appearance.

Suitable For: Any type of project you want to add a bit of whimsical quality or interest to.

Recommendations: Budget and Luxury

General Care Guidelines: Have a look at the instructions on the yarn for information.

Interesting Facts: There are so many wacky, amazing types. It’s amazing what designers can come up with. Have a look and see what textures you can find!

T-shirt Yarn

This is a very eco-friendly yarn. It’s made from recycled t-shirts and other garments. It comes in various fibers and colors. The most common is cotton.

Suitable For: Light and summery garments. Excellent as a rug yarn.

General Care Guidelines: Follow instructions on the label.

Yarn choice: Low-cost

Wool

There are many different types of wool yarn, but the three most popular types of wool yarns come from three breeds. Merino, from the merino sheep.

Shetland Wool, from the hardy sheep breeds from Scotland, specifically the Shetland Islands. Icelandic, from the unique breeds in Iceland who produce soft and rustic-looking yarns.

There are two other yarn types, but not so common. Lamb wool, from the first time a sheep is sheared, it’s soft and fluffy. Pure wool or virgin wool is made from new animal fleece and not re-used wool garments/accessories.

In terms of thickness and how tightly it’s spun, there are four types. Fine, Medium, Long, and Double. The finer the wool, the softer and delicate it is.

Wool Allergies, What Are They?

A true allergy to wool is rare and is characterized by things like skin irritation, sneezing, nasal congestion, and red and puffy eyes.

Most people aren’t allergic to the wool itself, but the lanolin, the natural oil in the wool. That also causes the itchiness many people experience too. 

Suitable For: A very versatile fiber. It’s great for all seasons, situations, and garments. Particularly a sweater crochet project or outer garment are wonderful pieces of knitwear.

General Care Guidelines: Hand washes in very slightly warm water. Some wools are machine washable, called superwash, so be sure to check.

Yarn suggestions: Low-cost and High Quality

Interesting Facts

• Wool is fire-resistant! It’s one of the main ingredients in fire blankets.
• It’s also very insulating. It stays warm in winter and cool in summer.

Wool Blend Yarns

As the name says, it’s a hank made predominantly of wool and a smaller amount of another or several other yarns. The most commonly used other yarn include cotton, acrylic, silk, and other synthetic fibers.

There are many reasons why yarns are blended. Generally, they’re to make use of the best parts of each ingredient.

Here are some of the most common options.

Types Of Wool Blends

• Merino Wool and Silk
• Cotton, Acrylic, And Wool
• Wool And Cotton.

Suitable For: Soft, warm, and wintry crocheted items. A cowl, scarf, hats or sweaters.

General Care Guidelines: Hand washes in very slightly warm water. Some wools are machine washable, called superwash, so be sure to check.

Interesting Facts: One of the best wool blend options is half cotton and half wool because it’s warm yet strong and breathable.

Popular choices: Affordable and Top-quality

Vicuña

A vicuna is a distant relative to the llama and alpaca from South America. Small animals, their fleece is difficult and time-consuming to produce.

Despite the price, if you’re willing to pay, it’s wonderful, soft yarn, almost like a feather mattress.

This is the most expensive fiber on our list.

Suitable For: Articles of clothing like sweaters, gloves, mittens, and others.

General Care Guidelines: Gentle hand-wash, but refer to the label. 

All About Yarn Weights

Each yarn weight is categorized by a name and number.

Lace – #0

• Used For – Lacy patterns, dollies, scarves, and shawls.
• Also Known As – Cobweb, Thread, Light Fingering Yarn
• Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 32–42 double crochets
• Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – Steel – 1.6 – 1.4 | Regular Hook – 2.25 mm
• Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – Steel – 6, 7, 8 | Regular Hook B–1

Super Fine – #1

• Used For – Shawls, mittens, fine sweaters, and garments.
• Also Known As – Fingering, Sock Yarn, Baby
• Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 21–32 sts
• Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 2.25 — 3.5 mm
• Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – B–1 to E–4

Fine – #2

• Used For – All sorts of projects, cardigans, sweaters, socks, hats, and scarves.
• Also Known As – Baby Weight Yarn, Sport
• Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 16–20 sts
• Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 3.5 — 4.5 mm
• Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – E–4 to 7

Light – #3

•     Used For – Socks
•     Also Known As – D.K.D.K. and light worsted weight yarns.
•     Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 12–17 sts
•     Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 4.5 — 5.5 mm
•     Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – 7 to I–9

Medium – #4

• Used For – All sorts of projects, perfect for beginners as it’s just the right thickness.
•     Also Known As – Aran, Afghan & Worsted
•     Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 11–14 sts
•     Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 5.5 — 6.5 mm
•     Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – I–9 to K–10 1/2

Bulky – #5

• Used For – Chunky crochet projects, rugs, carpets, thick throws, cowls, and scarves.
• Also Known As – Chunky, Craft yarn, Rug
• Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 8 – 11 sts
• Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 6.5 — 9 mm
• Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – K–10 1/2 to M–13

Super Bulky – #6

• Used For – Hats, thick garments, and blankets.
• Also, Know As – Roving
• Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 7–9 sts
• Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 9 — 15 mm
• Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – M–13 to Q

Jumbo – #7

• Used For – Jumbo and extreme crochet, like scarves, afghans, and household accessories.
• Also Known As – Roving Yarn
• Crochet Gauge Range In 4 Inch Single Crochet – 6 sts and fewer
• Recommended Hook in Metric Sizes – 15 mm and bigger
• Recommended Hook in U.S.U.S. Size – Q and bigger

Here’s a chart explaining the yarn weights and different categories.

U.S.A. Yarn Weight Categories – Equivalents For The United Kingdom & AUS/NZ

Lace

• Number – 0
• Used For – Lacy patterns, dollies, scarves, and shawls.
• U.K. Size – 1 ply
• AUS/NZ Size – 2 ply
• Also Known As – Cobweb, Thread, Light Fingering Yarn

Super Fine

• Number – 1
• Used For – Socks, shawls, mittens, hats, fine sweaters, and garments.
• UK Size – 3 & 4 ply
• AUS/NZ Size – 3 & 4 ply

Fine

• Number – 2
• Used For – All sorts of projects, cardigans, sweaters, socks, hats, and scarves.
• U.K. Size – 5 ply
• AUS/NZ Size – 5 ply
• Also Known As – Baby Weight Yarn, Sport

Light

• Number – 3
• Used For – Socks
• UK Size – DK
• AUS/NZ Size – 8 Ply
• Also Known As -DK Yarn, D.K.D.K. and light worsted weight yarns.

Medium

• Number – 4
• Used For – All sorts of projects, perfect for beginners as it’s just the right thickness.
• U.K. Size – Aran/Worsted
• AUS/NZ Size – 10 ply
• Also Known As – Aran and Worsted

Bulky

• Number – 5
• Used For – Chunky crochet projects, rugs, carpets, thick throws, cowls, and scarves.
• U.K. Size – Bulky
• AUS/NZ Size – 12 ply
• Also Known As – Chunky

Super Bulky

• Number – 6
• Used For – Hats, thick garments, and blankets.
• U.K. Size – Super Chunky
• AUS/NZ Size – 16+ ply

Jumbo

• Number – 7
• Used For – Jumbo and extreme crochet, like scarves, blankets/afghans, and household accessories.
• U.K. Size – Jumbo
• AUS/NZ Size – Jumbo
• Also Known As – Roving Yarn

How Many Yarn Strands?

Yarns can be categorized by how many strands they have in them. Here are the three main types of yarn based on that measurement.

Single Yarns

Also known as one-ply yarns, are single strands held together with a slight twist, created when they’re spun. Made from shorter, thinner pieces of fiber spun together.

Ply Yarns

Also called plied or folded yarns, these are made of two or more single threads twisted together. The number in front of ply indicates how many threads in the one rope.

To get them to stay together, the individual strands are twisted in one direction, then combined by twisting them in the opposite direction. 

They’re stronger, with a harder texture, and less flexible than the previous type.

Cord Yarns

Made by combining ply yarn. The twists for the plied yarn are opposite to the way it’s twisted to hold it together. Not usually used for hobbies like crocheting, rather tough industrial fabric or rope, twine, and similar.

What Does The Term Ply mean?

It means two or more single strands are twisted together. To ply yarn, you spin individual threads together while twisting them in the opposite direction to the spinning. 

The number of ply doesn’t mean how thick it is. It only means how many strands of yarn have been put together. It does affect the drape, feel of the thread, and the stitch definition, though.

How To Read A Yarn Label

Here are the different types of information displayed on a yarn label.

• Fibers: The materials included in the yarn; if it’s a blend, the contents are displayed in percentages. Often displayed as fiber content.
• Yardage And Weight Of The Ball: How many yards or meters (yardage) an unwound ball would stretch, and how much it weighs. Usually in ounces or grams.
• Care Instructions: How to wash, dry, and care for the wool. It will tell you whether it’s machinable washable, and suitable for dry cleaning and ironing or not.
• Dye-Lot Number – The batch in which it was dyed. If you’re buying more than one of the same color, make sure the dye lots match. Though it’s supposed to look the same, different dye lots create slight variations in the color.
• Yarn Weight – Not to be confused with how much the ball itself weighs, but the thickness of the yarn.
• Recommended Hook Size And Gauge – Refers to the best gauge and hook size to use with the yarn, but also use the pattern you’re using as a guide. It’s crucial to check your gauge and modify it as necessary before starting a project.

How To Choose The Best Yarn for a Pattern

A pattern’s job is to make it easier for the user, so they often suggest the exact type of yarn to use, like the weight, color, brand, and recommended hook size.

Of course, you can choose something to suit your preferences, but make sure it’s the same weight and fiber as the suggested yarn.

 If you choose a different fiber, the finished product is going to look and feel different from the results in the pattern.

Before starting a project, make a swatch in the chosen yarn. This is to make sure you’re crocheting in the right gauge. Everyone has a different tension.

Your default gauge may be much smaller or larger than the recommended one. No matter, adjust hook size and tension as necessary.

Always add a little more yarn than the pattern recommends as an emergency resupply if you make a few mistakes.

Things To Remember When Shopping For Yarn

• What Weight Do I Need?
• What Climate Am I Making This For?
• What Is The Project’s Purpose?
• How Much Use Do I Need Out Of It?
• Who Is It For?
• What Color Is Best?
• What Is My Budget? – Make sure you stay within the guidelines you’ve set, because multiple skeins of luxury yarn add up! The most expensive yarn is best for small

Types Of Yarn – Your Questions Answered

What Is The Best Type Of Yarn?

• Acrylic for beginners, wool as an all-rounder, and merino for those with allergies. But it depends on your needs and the project you’re working on.

What Is A Single Yarn?

• A single yarn is single strands held together with a slight twist, created when they’re spun. Made from shorter, thinner pieces of fiber spun together. Also known as one-ply yarns.

Which Yarn Is Not Itchy?

• Yarns like merino, cashmere, alpaca, and llama aren’t itchy. Neither are plant-based fibers.

What Is Yarn Made Of?

• There are many different yarn materials, from animals to plants and synthetic materials. The most common one is wool.

How Is Yarn Made?

• Yarn is collected, cleaned, and spun into yarn. If it’s ply yarn, many strands are twisted together. Then, it’s dyed.

What Is The Softest Kind Of Yarn?

• Bamboo, angora, and baby alpaca are the softest yarns.

Is Worsted Wool Itchy?

• If it’s made from merino wool, if no, it’s not.

I hope this resource has helped you gain information on the world of yarn! Keep this page bookmarked and handy, so you have a reference any time you need some answers for crochet yarn types.

What’s your favorite type of yarn? Are there any mentioned in this article you haven’t heard of before? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Yarn experts, have you found any tips or tricks with a certain type of yarn? Leave a comment below. I’m sure many could benefit from your knowledge!

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