What is knitting yarn?

Answer 1

Any kind, but most knitters all agree that wool is best if you can afford it. They also stay far away from most acrylic yarn (i.e Red Heart) but their are some, like microspun. Wool feelsvery nice, and can also be felted, which acrylic cannot. ---- Alpaca is great yarn too. and if you're talking brands that are cheap but nice i suggest "Caron Simply Soft" it is cheap, you can buy it anywhere, even Walmart. It's acrylic but it is very soft and good for everyday projects.

Answer 2

The most common type of yarn is knitting worsted. This refers to the weight of the yarn. This type is durable and suitable for larger pieces such as hats, scarves, coats, and mittens. An afghan made of this yarn is easy to see (a plus for the beginning and intermediate crocheter) and works up quickly. A "g" hook is the most common hook to use with this weight yarn. you can also use cotton yarns, both thick and thin, perle cotton, DMC floss, thin wire, plastic bags cut into strips, fabric cut into strips, wools, bamboo yarn etc.. get creative!!

Answer 3

There are a few different yarn weights according to CYCA yarn standards.

Super bulky, category #6 yarn is really thick yarn.

Chunky, category #5 yarn is thicker then worsted weight but not as thick as super bulky. Often used for rugs. Often wools or thick and quick yarns.

Medium weight, category #4 yarn, consists of worsted, afghan and aran weight yarn. This is probably the most popular. It can be used for many items, including afghans.

DK or Light Worsted, category #3 yarn. Also popular in warmer climates, this yarn can be used for just about anything worsted can be used for, but will give a slightly smaller, lighter weight finished product.

Sport or Baby yarn, category #2 yarn. Generally used for baby items.

Sock or fingering, category #1 yarn is a fine, thin yarn. Can be used to make socks or doilies.

Lace, category #0, is really thin yarn. Might also be used to make socks or doilies.

Lighter weight yarns can be combined together or combined with a thicker weight yarn if desired.

Then there is the material that the yarn is made out of. You can find almost any weight yarn in many different materials.

Many yarns today are now made of synthetic fibers like acrylic or acrylic blended with polyester, nylon, or even natural fibers.

Wool, cotton, linen, bamboo, silk, soy, mohair, cashmere, angora are all materials you will see on a yarn label and most are fairly easily found though price range varies greatly depending on material.

Wool is made from a sheep coat.

Silk and other natural fibers like alpaca come from the actual animal that produces the fiber. Sometimes they are blended with other things like acrylic or polyester to give it some strength or bulk.

When purchasing yarn consider shrinkage and felting factors of materials such as wool.

Answer 4

That is a matter of personal preference. I tend to prefer natural yarns, particularly 100% pure new wool but it can also depend on what you are knitting. When I am knitting for my grand daughter I tend to use acrylics rather than pure wool because my daughter in law is not keen on washing pure wool. Fancy yarns like boucles or feathers are harder to knit with than smooth yarns but the end result can be very effective. I just won't recommend them to beginners.

Answer 5

There are several ways of classifying yarn but the most common ways are by fiber content or by grist (thickness). They can also be classified by number of plies and how they are spun (novelty, worsted, woolen, etc.).

Fiber content can be further categorized by natural vs man-made, and blends of the two. Natural fibers used in yarns include both animal (protein) and plant (cellulose) based fibers. Protein fibers include: wool, alpaca, llama, buffalo, bison, angora from rabbits, mohair and cashmere from goats, silk from insects, and even yarn made from milk. Plant based fibers include: linen (from flax), cotton, corn, bamboo, soy, and wood pulp. Man-made fibers include: acrylic, nylon, and polyester.

Yarns can also be classified by thickness (also called "weight" or "grist"). Common weights of yarn from thickest to thinest include: super bulky, bulky, aran, worsted, sport, fingering, lace, and superfine.

Answer 6

Choose a worsted or aran weight yarn that is plied and has a smooth surface for best effect. Smaller yarns and fuzzier yarns make it difficult to see the intricate stitches.

Answer 7

The most common source of wool is sheep wool. And other animals provide other types of wool, such as llamas, rabbits, goats, camels and so forth.

Answer 8

Yarn are fibers that are woven together, in other words, strands of twisted threads. A knitting yarn is a yarn used for knitting.

Answer 9

I've never found a bad one! To start with for a beginner I'd recommend a soft good quality worsted weight yarn