How to Choose the Right Yarn for a Knitting Project

You've found a pattern for the cutest little sweater and you found this great stash of yarn on sale. Or maybe you have yarn you bought for a project that was abandoned. But is that yarn right for your pattern? Substituting yarn for a project sounds as though it should be no big deal. But it is. Even if the new yarn recommends the same needle size as the yarn recommended in the pattern that doesn't always mean you will get the same results.

Consider the following when looking to substitute yarn for a pattern:

Fabric

Is the garment you want to knit of a fine, thin weave, or a denser, thicker weave? Sure, you may be able to adjust needle size and yarn to get the gauge to match, but does the new weave work for the garment? Closely fitted garments need more stretch to fit appropriately and give the desired look. Loosely fitted styles may require less stretch but certain silhouettes can look droopy in the wrong fabric.

Gauge

Any experienced knitter will tell you that checking your gauge is the most important step when preparing to knit anything. It is especially important when knitting anything fitted. A yarn's stretch and weight can offer a different gauge than a similar yarn on the same sized needles. If your gauge is off by two or so stitches you can adjust by changing your needle size. If, however, you are off by more than that, then you need to use a different yarn for the project. If you are good at math and have some garment knitting under your belt, you may choose to alter the pattern to fit you a different gauge. This is not hard and takes only a little common sense. Many knitting tutorial books explain how to do this quite well. Stitch N' Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller is the second in a well-know knitting tutorial series that gives excellent instruction on all aspects of knitting, and includes a good section on resizing patterns to suit a gauge.

Time of Year

The beautiful thing about knitting your own garments is that you can easily adjust them to suit your own seasonal needs. By simply changing the yarn you are changing the resulting fabric. Cotton and wool retain heat differently and both come in a variety of weights and thicknesses. So don't be afraid to experiment with different types of yarn to get the fabric you want. Consider the weight, stretch and density of the fabric your pattern needs.

Washing

Be honest with yourself. Will you really hand-wash and re-block your piece every time it needs cleaned? Febreeze can only do so much. All yarn comes with the washing instructions printed on the label, so if you know, or think you know, that you won't want to hand wash your garment every time it needs cleaned, choose a machine washable yarn. However, some acrylic yarns or blends just don't offer the same softness or warmth that many natural fibers can. Don't be afraid to close your eyes and gently rub a ball of yarn against your (clean) skin to see how it feels. Not all yarns are created equal. Choosing the right yarn for a project can be as simple as using exactly what the pattern's designer chose or as difficult as you want to make it. If a budding knitter chooses to branch out by using a yarn not listed for a pattern a few simple considerations will make the choice of yarn not only easier, but much more rewarding.

Works Consulted:

Radcliffe, Margaraet. The Knitting Answer Book.

Stoller, Debbie. Stitch N' Bitch Nation.