janz-patch
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Yarn Showcase
  • SHOP NOW
  • Blog

Yarn Weights - determining ply

20/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Once upon a time it was so, so easy to understand yarn weights.  There was 5ply and that was Patons Bluebell, there was 8ply and that was Patons Totem or some random Acrylic yarn that was stuffed in a plastic bag in the cupboard, and 4ply, well that was Baby yarn.  Simple.  Well, these days it's not so simple and many ball bands do not even mention the term ply and you're left to figure it out for yourself.  So here's a few tips to help - and make sure you check out the chart below.

Check the tension and needle size mentioned on the yarn's ball band - for example - 8ply yarn is usually 22 stitches by 30 rows = 10x10 cm (4x4in) using a pair of 4mm needles.  But always allow for slight variations in the tension recommended and also in the feel of the yarn itself.  Sometimes an 8ply Acrylic will feel more like a 5ply depending on the quality of the yarn and then if it's a pure wool 8ply and tends to be a bit "thick & thin" it could feel more like a 10ply.  So if you're not sure, take the time to do a tension sample - don't be caught one ball short for your project.

Yarn wrap test.  If you have some yarn and you don't know what ply or weight it is, you can work it out by wrapping some yarn around a ruler and then counting the number of wraps it takes to cover one 2.5 cm (one inch).  Why not try it now - grab a ruler and make sure the yarn lies flat.  Push the yarn together so there are no gaps between wraps and smooth it out so it's neither too loose nor too tight.

Here are some useful calculations:

Picture
0 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Crochet
    Knitting
    Odour In Yarn
    Ruffle Mesh Scarf Yarn
    Wool
    Yarn Ply

    Author

    My passion is with knitting yarn ... more like an addiction really. Any knitters in the audience will be nodding their heads and thinking about the cupboards in their home, bursting with all sorts of wonderful textures and colours, yes I'm one of those. I decided rather than fight my addiction I could continue with my indulgence of purchasing yarn, but then pass it on to other like-minded, online buyers.

    Archives

    August 2017
    March 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly