What are the various types of knitting yarn?

 If you are new to knitting, then you might want to learn a little bit about knitting yarn first. It is important to understand that there are different types of knitting yarn available. Though the knitting yarns do come in a large assortment of types, the basics are the same. So, while learning to work with different types of knitting yarn can seem difficult at first, but it will come easier to you as you practice. In fact you can find out what a yarn is made out of by looking at the yarn ball. Mainly knitting Yarns are classified by their weight, which has nothing to do with how heavy the knitting yarn is but instead how thick it is. The weight is classified by numbers ranging from 0 laces to 6 super bulky. It is then classified according to what it is made of. It is most important to understand what you are going to need before you start.

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What are the different types of knitting yarn?

•           Chunky yarn: is one of the most common yarns and the thickest yarn to be found. Another reason is that it is very popular in the knitting communities because that makes the work easier than many yarns. This yarn has a good elasticity and is made with looser fibers. This allows the knitted garment to have some stretch to it when finished. This type of yarn is mainly used for crocheting anything that you want to be super bulky like blankets, baby clothing, rugs, etc. Generally the thicker the yarn the less stitches that you will need.

•           Acrylic yarns: is the most popular type of knitting yarn you will come across, the reason that they are popular to use is because they are easy to take care of. It is made from thinly spun plastic therefore it is inexpensive. Professional knitters consider acrylic yarns superior to cotton or wool because it is easy to care for items made with acrylic yarns, as they can be put into the washing machine and dryer without worry. Mainly acrylic yarn has no dye lots and is always the same color.

•           Cotton yarn: is one of the inexpensive knitting yarns. Cotton creates a very absorbent fabric, and therefore 100% cotton yarn is used to make kitchen dishcloths or tea towels. The disadvantage to having a cotton yarn product is that it can lose its shape and it can also shrink when it is washed. Cotton knitting yarn tends to be thin. Remember 100% cotton yarn can be difficult to work with because it does not have a lot of spring or stretch to it that is why most of the time it is mixed with wool. It is good look at the ball band on your yarn for care instructions.

•           Wool yarn: is a very popular knitting yarn but is more expensive. Wool holds its shape better than cotton. Perhaps the most problematic characteristic of wool is that it can be itchy and it can shrink in the washing machine if you use warm water. There are plenty of different types of wool available, some of which is extremely soft and light but it’s naturally tend to be thick.

When choosing knitting yarn it is best to consider what you want in a finish product. It will help you to choose your yarn because there are plenty of knitting yarns available such as metallic yarn, alpaca yarn, angora yarn, bamboo yarn, cashmere yarn and linen yarn, etc.

  Note that this is not a complete list of all the different types of knitting yarn you may encounter, just the most popular!