MATERIALS & TOOLS
YARNS
T
he world of yarn is huge, and one of the
joys of crochet is using different types
of yarn – there are many fibres,
thicknesses, textures and colours of yarn,
each one more beautiful than the next! Note
that crocheters (and knitters!) call it ‘yarn’: the
word ‘wool’ specifically means the fibre spun
from a sheep’s coat.
When it comes to deciding on the yarn you
need, size does matter. Yarn comes in different
weights, or thicknesses, from the finest 1ply
lace to the widely-used DK yarn, up to thick
super-chunky yarns. The yarn thickness will
affect the look, feel and weight of your
crocheted fabric. You’ll always get the best
results if you use the yarn quoted in a specific
pattern, although as you gain confidence,
you’ll find it’s fairly easy to substitute another
yarn. It’s best if you choose an alternative
that’s the same weight and crochet a swatch
to make sure the tension is the same (more on
this later). Most DK yarn, for instance, can be
used in any DK pattern that uses similar fibres.
As a beginner, it’s best to start with a plain
wool or acrylic yarn. These are great value and
perfect for practising crochet techniques.
Both will cope well with being ‘ripped back’ or
undone if you make a mistake, and their
natural stretch makes them easy to use.SPOILT FOR CHOICE
Whatever the type or texture of your yarn, it
will sit within a standard range of sizes (see
opposite). Traditionally, yarn weights were
named after the number of strands that were
plied together to create that thickness of yarn,but with modern manufacturing techniques
this often isn’t the case. In general, double
knitting (DK) is a handy weight and works up
quickly without making too thick a fabric.
Be careful not to mix different weights of
yarn in a project (unless you want a novelty
effect) because they work to different tensions
and the finished fabric may vary in size. Justto complicate matters, yarns made in the US
and UK have a different weight-labelling
system (see opposite).
Another thing to watch out for when buying
several balls of yarn is the dye lot. Yarn
companies dye huge ‘lots’ of yarn at a time,
and there may be slight variations between
dye lots. Check the dye lot number on the yarn
label and make sure all your yarn is from the
same lot, or you may get colour variations in
your fabric.
Some people prefer to wash their yarn
before they work with it, but it isn’t necessary.
If you crochet a swatch though, make sure you
wash it and block it (see page 131) before
measuring, as this can change the size of your
crochet fabric. You may see references to the
‘twist’ in a yarn, such as ‘high twist’ sock yarns.
This refers to how tightly yarn plies are ‘twisted’
together when they’re spun. If a yarn is loosely
spun, it may pull apart as you work if you’re not
careful. Yarn with more twist is stronger and
creates a denser, firmer fabric. If you’re unsure,
try buying a sample ball and crochet a swatch
to see what type of fabric it produces. Turn
over to discover different fibres you’ll love!If you’re unsure about a
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Discover a world of possibilities with the huge range of yarns
available to buy, in many fibres and all the colours imaginable!