Yarn weight refers to the thickness of yarn used by knitters, weavers, crocheters and other fiber artists.
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Yarn weight refers to the thickness of yarn used by knitters, weavers, crocheters and other fiber artists.
Changing yarn weight or needle size can have a significant impact on the finished project, so standardized systems have been spread about, as well as conversion systems for regional standards (especially needle sizes). [1]
Yarn weight is important in achieving the correct gauge or tension for a particular project and can help with yarn substitution. The Craft Yarn Council of America has developed a system that seeks to standardize the labeled weights of yarn. [2] Most yarns state their weight on the ball band but some may not, only giving the composition. Some brands use a standardized numbering system that uses seven ranges of relative thickness of yarn. However there are methods for individuals to gauge weight for themselves.
A way of determining the weight of an unknown yarn is to use the wrapping method. This method is also used to calculate the amount of yarn needed for a project. By this method it is possible to check an unknown weight of yarn with a regular pencil and ruler [3] without unwinding the yarn. Simply slip the pencil under approximately an inch of the strands and count the number of strands. [3]
Wrap the yarn around a large needle or a ruler. Make sure the yarn lies flat. Push the yarn together so there are no gaps between wraps. Smooth it out so it is neither too loose nor too tight. Measure the number of wraps per inch (2.5 cm). For better accuracy, measure the wraps at the center of your yarn sample.
The number of wraps will act as a gauge to assess the thickness of unmarked yarn; for example 12 wraps per inch is 12 WPI, and is used to calculate how much yarn is required for various articles, [3] so that 12 is equivalent to 8 ply (worsted weight, medium weight) yarn. [3]
A more hands-on method, there is the test swatch and the gauge swatch. Knitting a test swatch requires knitting the yarn into a small, roughly 4 in (10 cm) square textile of even stitches. [4] Comparing this with recommended needle sizes, yarn, and the knitter's own signature tension, allows for adjustments to all of these things. For example, changing needle size is one way to bring the test swatch nearer to an accurate measurement in yarn weight. [4]
The gauge swatch goes further. Not only is it a tool for checking whether yarn conforms to a desired dimension, but it is usually produced with some of the complexities of the intended project (i.e. multiple colors, varied stitches, edgings) making it a much larger test piece. This larger sample is then "dressed" meaning washed, ironed, and subjected to other processes expected of the finished item. It is especially used for items that require a lot of work and time, to avoid dimensional mistakes in the long run. [4]
Below is a table comparing yarn weights in a range of places:
| USA [5] | UK [6] | Australia [7] | Germany [ citation needed ] | m/100g [8] | Wraps per Inch, [8] [9] | Recommended knitting needle size, mm, [5] [8] | Recommended crochet hook size, mm [5] | Other names used, [5] [8] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 or Lace | 1 ply | More than 800 | 40+ wpi | 1.5 - 2.5 | 1.5 - 2.5 | Single, Cobweb, Thread, Zephyr | ||
| 0 or Lace | 2 ply | 2 fädig (ply) | 600-800 | 30-40 wpi | 1.5 - 2.5 | 1.5 - 2.5 | ||
| 1 or Super Fine | 3 ply | 3 ply | 3 fädig | 500-600 | 20-30 wpi | 2 - 3 | 2.25 - 3.5 | Light Fingering, Sock, Baby |
| 1 or Super Fine | 4 ply | 4 ply | 4 fädig | 350-450 | 14-24 wpi | 2 - 3 | 2.25 - 3.5 | Fingering, Sock, Baby |
| 2 or Fine | 5 ply | 6 fädig | 250-350 | 12-18 wpi | 3 - 4 | 3.5 - 4.5 | Sport, Baby, 3-ply (obsolete American) | |
| 3 or Light | DK (Double Knit) or 8 ply | 8 ply | 200-250 | 11-15 wpi | 4 - 4.5 | 4.5 - 5.5 | Light Worsted, DK | |
| 4 or Medium | Worsted, Aran, Triple Knit (rare) | 10 or 12 ply | 120-200 | 9-12 wpi | 4.5 - 5.5 | 5.5 - 6.5 | Worsted, Afghan, Fisherman, 4-ply (obsolete American) | |
| 5 or Bulky | Chunky, Double Double Knit (rare) | 12 or 16 ply | 100-130 | 6-8 wpi | 5.5 - 8 | 6.5 - 9 | Craft, Rug | |
| 6 or Super Bulky | Super Chunky | Less than 100 | 5-6 wpi | >8 | >9 | Roving | ||
| 7 or Jumbo | Less than 100 | n/a | 12.75 mm and larger | 15 mm and larger | Roving | |||
Equations may be used to determine the weight of warp and weft required for a particular fabric:
If there are two colors in the warp, use the following equations:
If the counts of two warps are the same:
or
If there are two colors in the weft:
or
Crochet is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials. The name is derived from the French term croc, which means 'hook'. Hooks can be made from a variety of materials, such as metal, wood, bamboo, bone or even plastic. The key difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before the next one is begun, while knitting keeps many stitches open at a time. Some variant forms of crochet, such as Tunisian crochet and broomstick lace, do keep multiple crochet stitches open at a time.
Knitting is a method for production of textile fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine.
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for needlework. Yarn can be made of a number of natural or synthetic materials, and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses. Although yarn may be dyed different colours, most yarns are solid coloured with a uniform hue.
Worsted is a high-quality type of wool yarn, the fabric made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from Worstead, a village in the English county of Norfolk. That village, together with North Walsham and Aylsham, formed a manufacturing centre for yarn and cloth in the 12th century, when pasture enclosure and liming rendered the East Anglian soil too rich for the older agrarian sheep breeds. In the same period, many weavers from the County of Flanders moved to Norfolk. "Worsted" yarns/fabrics are distinct from woollens : the former is considered stronger, finer, smoother, and harder than the latter.
A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles. Their purpose is two-fold. The long shaft holds the active (unsecured) stitches of the fabric, to prevent them from unravelling, whereas the tapered ends are used to form new stitches. Most commonly, a new stitch is formed by inserting the tapered end through an active stitch, catching a loop of fresh yarn and drawing it through the stitch; this secures the initial stitch and forms a new active stitch in its place. In specialized forms of knitting the needle may be passed between active stitches being held on another needle, or indeed between/through inactive stitches that have been knit previously.
In the manufacture of cloth, warp and weft are the two basic components in weaving to transform thread and yarn into textile fabrics. The vertical warp yarns are held stationary in tension on a loom (frame) while the horizontal weft is drawn through the warp thread. In the terminology of weaving, each warp thread is called a warp end ; a pick is a single weft thread that crosses the warp thread.
Textile manufacturing or textile engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods such as clothing, household items, upholstery and various industrial products.
The term "gauge" is used in knitting to describe the fineness size of knitting machines. It is used in both hand knitting and machine knitting. The phrase in both instances refers to the number of stitches per inch rather than the size of the finished article of clothing. The gauge is calculated by counting the stitches or needles across a number of inches, then dividing by the sample's width in inches.
A knitting machine is a device used to create knitted fabrics in a semi or fully automated fashion. There are numerous types of knitting machines, ranging from simple spool or board templates with no moving parts to highly complex mechanisms controlled by electronics. All, however, produce various types of knitted fabrics, usually either flat or tubular, and of varying degrees of complexity. Pattern stitches can be selected by hand manipulation of the needles, push-buttons and dials, mechanical punch cards, or electronic pattern reading devices and computers.
In knitting, casting on is a family of techniques for adding new stitches that do not depend on earlier stitches, i.e., having an independent lower edge. In principle, it is the opposite of binding off, but the techniques involved are generally unrelated.
Warp knitting is defined as a loop-forming process in which the yarn is fed into the knitting zone, parallel to the fabric selvage. It forms vertical loops in one course and then moves diagonally to knit the next course. Thus the yarns zigzag from side to side along the length of the fabric. Each stitch in a course is made by many different yarns. Each stitch in one wale is made by several different yarns.
Knitted fabric is a textile that results from knitting, the process of inter-looping of yarns or inter-meshing of loops. Its properties are distinct from woven fabric in that it is more flexible and can be more readily constructed into smaller pieces, making it ideal for socks and hats.
The manufacture of textiles is one of the oldest of human technologies. To make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fiber from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving, which turns yarn into cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. For decoration, the process of colouring yarn or the finished material is dyeing. For more information of the various steps, see textile manufacturing.
Textile fibers, threads, yarns and fabrics are measured in a multiplicity of units.
A hook gauge or needle gauge is a measuring device used by crocheters and knitters to test the sizes of particular crochet hooks and knitting needles. Hook gauges are usually made of plastic or aluminum and have sizing holes from 2mm to 11mm diameter. A hook gauge also functions as a ruler to test the size of a test swatch of handmade fabric.
Hand knitting is a form of knitting, in which the knitted fabric is produced by hand using needles.
Textile manufacturing is one of the oldest human activities. The oldest known textiles date back to about 5000 B.C. In order to make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fibre from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving to create cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. Cloth is finished by what are described as wet process to become fabric. The fabric may be dyed, printed or decorated by embroidering with coloured yarns.
A pick glass also known as a piece glass is a magnifying glass helpful in counting thread count. It is used to determine the number of yarns in warp and weft in woven fabrics and courses and wales in knitted fabrics. Compact constructions of fabrics may have a higher thread count. That is also called "cloth count."
Pin weaving is a form of small-scale weaving traditionally done on a frame made of pins; the warp and weft are wrapped around the pins. Pin-woven textiles have a selvage edge all the way around.
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