Let's Talk About Yarn Types - Part 1

 Let's Talk About Yarn Types

As a fibre artist, one of the things I've spent a lot of time buying is yarn. If you're just starting out in knitting or crochet, it can be a bit overwhelming when you go to the craft store and see the wide selection available. So I'm going to help you out! Over the next few weeks we're going to talk about the different types of yarn, and how to choose the right yarn for your project. 

Fibre Type

There are basically two groups of fibres that yarn can be made from: synthetic and natural fibres. The names give it away, but natural fibres are sourced from nature - animal hair or plant fibres such as cotton. Synthetic fibres are manufactured, such as acrylic or polyester. Is one superior to the other? Not really. They all have their pros and cons, and in part, the fibre choice depends on what you are making. 

For clothing, you probably want the fibre to feel soft but be hard wearing and washable so cotton and wool would be the better choice. Acrylic nowadays is also pretty soft, and it is cheaper if you're on a budget. You will also find mixed fibre yarns that combine synthetic and natural fibres together to give a specific feel. 

For making plush toys or super soft blankets, you might want to choose one of the chenille type yarns which are synthetic but very soft and fluffy. These can be a bit messy and challenging to work with as a beginner but make for a lovely soft toy. 

You can now find all kinds of fancy textured yarn, such as the Yeti pictured above, from Cygnet Yarns. It is a soft faux fur yarn and is wonderfully fluffy and soft. These yarns can be even trickier to work with but can produce some really nice fabric with fun and interesting textures and looks. I do have some of the Yeti available for sale on my website: here.

How do you choose?

There's a number of things to consider when choosing which yarn to use for a project. The pattern you are using will generally tell you which yarn the designer used, or recommend a type of yarn. Changing the yarn may alter the final product so be careful unless you know what you're doing. 

Cost is another consideration. Some of the fancier wools like angora can be quite expensive, while acrylic yarn is much cheaper. If you are planning a large project but you're on a budget, you might want to pick a cheaper yarn type. 

Who the item is for matters too. Some people can have allergies to certain natural fibres. If the project is for a baby or young child, you will want something hard wearing that can handle washing. Every yarn has washing instructions on the ball band so it is worth keeping that in mind too. If you are making things to sell or gift, passing on that information to the person is a good idea. 

Some vegans will not wear wool that comes from animal hair. Whether you agree with that or not, consider carefully if you are making something for someone who is vegan and choose a plant fibre or synthetic yarn instead. Wool can come from sheep, alpacas and rabbits. We'll cover these in detail in future posts. 

Thanks for reading. Next week we'll start getting into the nitty gritty and the details of different yarn types and what they are good for. Remember the blog is updated every Friday at 5pm GMT.