Knitting and Crochet Basics: How to Read Yarn Labels

Craft & Design Yarncraft
Knitting and Crochet Basics: How to Read Yarn Labels

handsoccupied_how_to_read_yarn_labels_01

So, you’ve recently started knitting or crocheting, and now you’ve got to know your yarns. At this point, you’ve probably started to be able to tell the difference between inexpensive yet durable acrylics and fancier fibers like wool blends, bamboos, cottons, and silks by feel, but, once you get to favorite yarn shop, how do you know which yarn will be best for your project? Turns out, those sometimes mysterious charts and symbols on your yarn labels can help! Before your next superwash wool vs. angora debate, check out this extremely helpful guide for how to read yarn labels from Heidi over at Hands Occupied!

Long time knitters know that you need to understand your yarn labels to know how to make & take care of the things you knit. Even beginning knitters need to know what all the little symbols and weights and dye lots (etc.) mean to be a successful knitter.

handsoccupied_how_to_read_yarn_labels_02

Did you know that, in addition to displaying necessary information like yarn weights and yardages, yarn labels can help you get the most out of every skein by providing more detailed information like recommended needle/hook sizes, swatching information, and how to care for your finished object? (That last one is especially important if you don’t want to lose hours of hard work to shrinking or felting!) Those are all pretty excellent reasons to learn your way around a yarn label, don’t you think?

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

Haley Pierson-Cox from Red-Handled Scissors is a maker of crafts, a lover of cats, an avid swearing enthusiast, a cross-stitch book author, and a general purveyor of quirk. She's also sometimes an irritable cartoon named Tiny Cranky Haley. https://www.redhandledscissors.com

View more articles by Haley Pierson-Cox

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK