If you’re just entering the knitting niche, the good news is that it’s more accessible than ever before. To learn more, you just need to join an appropriate subreddit, watch a YouTube video, or join an online group. Either way, even beginners can get by with the foundation of knowledge learned in the first hour. While you might not become an expert, you won’t have to read long books or make basic errors.
In this guide, you’ll see various yarn types and their applications!
Alpaca
As natural wool taken from Alpacas in South America, this is a soft material that offers many benefits (although it doesn’t quite have the same strength as wool). Due to its origins, you’ll find that alpaca wool is more expensive than most, but it offers more warmth in return. Normally, people use this luxurious wool for winter items.
Wool
If you want 10 ply yarn in Australia, the most common material you’ll find is wool. While pure wool is taken straight from an animal’s fleece, others are recycled from other wool garments. One of the benefits of wool is its flexibility; you can make both summer and winter items with the material.
Cashmere
Like alpaca, cashmere is another luxurious material that boasts softness and gentleness against the skin. Taken from cashmere goats, it’s not as strong as sheep fibre but is perfect for gloves, jumpers, and socks. Since it doesn’t irritate the skin, it’s desired right around the world. Unfortunately, the cashmere goats only shed their undercoat once per year and this means that the yarn is expensive.
Organic Yarn
Essentially, this is wool but without all the chemicals. Therefore, the sheep from which organic yarn is shorn haven’t been exposed to any chemicals. When organic wool yarns are cleaned, specialists use detergent and hot water. As social and environmental responsibility become more important for customers, more manufacturers are offering organic yarn. In terms of applications, it’s best for winter garments.
Merino Wool
Over time, Merino wool has become one of the most popular yarns for extreme knitting and it comes, unsurprisingly, from the Merino sheep (as does most organic yarn). If you want to knit a big chunky winter jumper, you’ll want Merino wool. As well as offering softness, the yarn also doesn’t lead to allergic reactions.
Cotton
Grown as a cotton plant, some of the biggest producers of this yarn include China, India, and the United States. Cotton has been used in clothing for many years and it’s not surprising given that it’s breathable, light, and strong. While some cotton yarns are heavy, some are light. Therefore, it’s important to find the right one for your project. Cotton is commonly used for dishcloths, summer knits, and other lighter items.
Bamboo Yarn
Another yarn type that has grown more popular in recent times as a natural option is bamboo yarn. Offering antibacterial and breathable properties, this is another yarn for summer garments. While many people think that silk is the softest, bamboo is even softer when spun into yarn.
Acrylic
As you may have noticed, most yarns come from natural sources…except this next one. As a man-made fibre, synthetic is cheap and washes well. If you’re a beginner, this is one of the best yarns to select because it’s so widely available. If you want to start knitting your first scarf, choose an acrylic.
Other yarn types to explore include:
- Hemp yarn
- Mohair
- Novelty yarn
- Specialty yarn
- Wool-blend yarn
With this, you now know all about the most popular yarn types!
