How to Choose the Best Yarn for Your Knitting Project

Different types of yarn have different fiber characteristics that make some yarns better than others for particular projects. When picking yarn, there are a few things every knitter should consider, such as:

1. 1. The weight: Weight is an important factor to consider when choosing the right yarn for your project. The weight of the yarn you choose must suit your particular project. If you’re making a light shawl, you won’t need a heavy, chunky yarn. Conversely, if you’re knitting a winter blanket, you want to avoid using a thin, lacey yarn for that assembly. The thickness of your yarn will affect how the finished product looks.
2. 2. The ply: Some knitting patterns look better with specific kinds of yarn. A yarn with more plies—individual strands twisted together to make the yarn—gives stitches a more textured and defined appearance. Most beginners should look for worsted-weight yarn, a medium-thickness yarn that makes it easy to see individual stitches. However, if you want your garment or item to take on a softer look, then a single-ply yarn is a better choice.
3. 3. The project’s budget: You may want to knit your own oversized cashmere blanket, but it’s important to consider how much yarn you’ll need to complete the entire project as high-quality skeins can be expensive. When choosing your yarn, keep your budget in mind, especially if you’re knitting for profit.
4. 4. The availability: Choose a yarn that isn’t too hard to find or discontinued. If you run out of a hard-to-find yarn in the middle of a big knitting project, it will be difficult to replenish your supply.

When choosing between yarn and fiber content types, you can choose to work with natural or synthetic fiber. Natural fibers include animal fiber and plant fiber yarns, where synthetic yarns are man-made. There are many different types of materials knitters can find in each category, such as:

• Acrylic: Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from polymers formed by acrylonitrile or vinyl cyanide. Acrylic is often considered imitation wool as a result of its heat-retention qualities. It’s often used to create fake fur and fleece, making acrylic yarn fiber a solid choice for inexpensive, warm winter knits.
• Alpaca: Alpaca yarn is spun from the hair of the alpaca. Alpaca fibers are extremely soft due to each fiber strand’s small diameter, and alpaca fiber is five times warmer and stronger than sheep’s wool due to the air pockets in the fiber, which allows it to trap and contain more heat. Alpaca fiber is considered extremely luxurious due to its soft and durable nature, making it a fixture for winter wear clothing. Alpaca yarn comes in dozens of naturally occurring different colors and shades and takes dye well.
• Angora: Angora wool comes from the fur of Angora rabbits. The fiber has a very thin, fine diameter and a halo-like effect of fur around each strand, which creates a shiny quality on items made with Angora. Angora is soft and luxurious like cashmere or alpaca, and it is often blended with other types of wool to add softness and its signature halo. Knitters like using this type of yarn for mittens or sweaters. However, since Angora does not have a lot of elasticity, it is generally mixed with other fibers, like alpaca or sheep’s wool, to give added stretch and bulk.
• Bamboo: Bamboo yarn is another natural plant fiber that works well for lightweight knitting projects. It’s a great choice for garments or items that drape and is more absorbent than cotton. Bamboo yarn is soft, versatile, and highly sustainable for the eco-conscious. You can use bamboo yarn for light sweaters, casual tops, or summer sleepwear.
• Cashmere: Cashmere is a type of fiber created from the hair of the cashmere goat. Cashmere is incredibly soft, though not as strong as regular wool. Cashmere yarn can also be quite expensive and is best suited for knitting gloves and hats for the knitter on a budget.
• Cotton: Cotton yarn is a robust and lightweight yarn derived from the cotton plant. It’s a natural fiber that’s breathable, soft, and absorbent. Cotton yarn effectively pulls heat away from the body, making it a better choice for warm-weather clothing and summer knits. Cotton yarn takes dye well and won’t obscure intricate stitching. However, cotton fiber has little elasticity, so your garment may sag once it begins to stretch.
• Llama: Llamas have a coarser outer coat than alpacas, so their fine undercoat is used more often for spinning yarn (however, they do not produce as much hair as the alpaca). Like the alpaca, llama hair is hollow and does not contain lanolin, which means it’s lightweight while still retaining heat.
• Merino: Knitters have a plethora of options when choosing wools. Merino wool is from the Merino sheep and is softer and less scratchy than standard wool. This superfine wool is one of the softest types of wool. It is perfect for regulating body temperature in cold and hot weather, making it a popular choice for athletic apparel. However, wool can “pill,” creating those little fabric fuzzes that can be difficult to remove. Merino wool is highly versatile and durable, making it a popular choice for many knitters (especially beginner knitters). Aspiring knitters can learn how to knit using our complete guide.
• Mohair: Mohair is a type of animal fiber yarn that comes from the Angora goat. Angora goat hair is long and silky, which makes for a shinier yarn. Mohair yarn is often blended with silk yarn, wool yarn, and merino wool for added strength. Mohair is popular for knitting cold-weather clothes, like sweaters, socks, hats, gloves, scarves because mohair has the same warm properties as wool, but is lighterweight with an attractive sheen.
• Polyester: Polyester is a synthetic fiber created from coal and petroleum and is characterized by its durable nature. Polyester is also used as a wool substitute but can be a better option for those with sensitive skin or allergies to animal hair. Polyester yarn is great for big blankets or warm, comfy clothes that are machine washable.
• Rayon: Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber made from reconstituted wood pulp. Even though rayon is made from plant fibers, it is considered semi-synthetic because of the chemicals, like sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide, used in the production process. Rayon can be an imitation form of silk, wool, and other fabrics. Rayon yarn comes in a variety of vibrant colors and can be more moisture absorbent than cotton.
• Shetland: This wool is glossy, soft, slightly thicker than merino, and is harvested from the Shetland sheep native to Scotland’s Shetland Islands. Shetland is a great selection for fluffy sweaters but can be itchy on sensitive skin.
• Wool: Wool yarn is a strong, warm fiber derived from sheep. Wool garments hold their shape well, tolerate cleaning, and have higher durability than many other fabrics. Wool is a great yarn for winter or cold-weather attire, though it can cause allergic reactions or be too itchy for some people to wear comfortably.

The weight of your yarn is just as important as how it feels. Here is a list of common yarn weights (by United States measurements):

• Lace: Lace yarn is a super lightweight yarn best suited for shawls or doilies. This yarn is extremely thin, airy, and delicate. Knitters often use bigger needles to create openwork patterns and intricate details with this lightweight yarn.
• Superfine: Also known as fingering weight, superfine is a slightly heavier yarn than lace but still works well when creating shawls or wraps. Fingering weight works for many delicate knits or even as a sock yarn.
• Fine: Also referred to as sport weight, this thickness is great for light cardigans and baby clothes. Some knitters like to use this weight of yarn for garments with textures or cabling.
• Light worsted: This weight is also called DK, which stands for “Double Knitting” (a technique knitters will sometimes use with this particular yarn thickness). This yarn weight is suitable for lightweight scarves and sweaters.
• Worsted: The most commonly used and “knittable” yarn weight (also known as aran weight), worsted yarn is a medium-thickness yarn that is twice the weight of DK or sport yarn. Worsted yarn is perfect for outdoor wear or winter garments, especially hats and thicker sweaters.
• Bulky: Bulky yarn is much thicker than worsted yarn and is suitable for jackets, blankets, or rugs. These chunky yarns knit quickly and are also great for craft projects.
• Super bulky: Super bulky, or roving yarn, is quite thick and used for very chunky knits, like cowls, hats, or scarves.
• Jumbo: Jumbo yarn is a more recent addition to yarn weights. Jumbo yarn is often used in arm knitting (a knitting technique that uses the arms instead of knitting needles) or other big stitch items.

Get the MasterClass Annual Membership for exclusive access to video lessons taught by masters, including Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Anna Wintour, Kelly Wearstler, and more.