The terminology might easily confound a beginner knitter. DK wool or DK yarn is one phrase that you may have heard or seen used. But what exactly is DK wool? Let’s investigate more to solve this knitting conundrum.
What Does Double Knitting Mean?
DK refers to double knit wool or yarn. Older knitting designs may still refer to “double knit wool.” Most contemporary yarns and designs simply utilize the letters DK. You must first be familiar with ply in order to comprehend what DK yarn is.
In the realm of knitting and crocheting, this phrase is used to describe the weight of yarn. The thickness of DK yarn is double that of sock yarn. Sock yarn used to be easy to find, but it is quite thin. The term “double knit wool” derives from knitters using it held double to create thicker clothing.
Just a brief note: Double knitting is a word used to describe a certain knitting method. This includes combining two yarn colors to make an item that can be worn on either side. Don’t be confused, it has nothing to do with DK yarn!
Why Is It Called Dk Weight Yarn?
Because it is twice as thick as fingering weight yarn, it is known as double knitting yarn. The latter was a particularly well-liked yarn weight during the beginning of the 20th century (primarily used for socks). Additionally, you could manufacture yarn that was twice as thick and hence twice as heavy by spinning or holding two 4-ply strands together. Even today, for projects that need to be a little bit thicker/warmer, some knitters may knit a project using two strands of sock yarn tied together.
It’s completely unrelated to double knitting. Despite what many websites suggest, the method has nothing to do with yarn and doesn’t even require it. There isn’t a deeper etymological tale to be discovered here, at least to the best of my knowledge, unlike fingering, which comes from the French terms “fine grain,” according to my study. It’s merely a moniker that happened to stick among English-speaking folks.
How Is DK Yarn Made?
This yarn is made by either plying two different balls together or splitting one ball into two smaller balls and plying those two balls together. Double knitting produces clothing that are less bulky and lighter in weight than those created with thicker wools, despite the fact that it can be a little trickier to knit with than bulkier weight wool due to its tiny thread.
DK is perfect for constructing long, slim crafts like scarves because it has high stitch definition, which enhances cable patterns and lengthens threads to seem longer. Since of its durability, it is a great choice for baby knits because it keeps little hands from unraveling stitches, which may happen with coarser yarns.
Although you may need to swatch beforehand to verify gauge, DK yarn is quite adaptable and can frequently be replaced for worsted weight wool in your patterns.
DK Yarn In American Terms?
Double knitting yarn is referred to as a medium-weight yarn in American use. However, because worsted and DK are frequently used interchangeably, many people do so while developing designs. Given that different yarn manufacturers might have somewhat varying gauges, swatching could be useful in this situation.
What Ply Is Double Knit?
A ply is often only one yarn strand. Twisting together two or more plies produces a thicker yarn that may then be knit or crocheted into various items. More plies and thicker yarn are indicated by higher numbers. There are some really thick yarns that have up to 16 plies.
DK yarn is an 8-ply, light to medium weight yarn. There will often be between 100 and 125 meters of yarn each ball, which are typically offered in 50g increments. Though not always the case. Ply describes the yarn’s thickness rather than its makeup. There are also very light, airy DK yarns available that weigh less than cotton, merino, or wool because they are constructed of finer fibers like silk or alpaca.
What Is Equivalent To DK Yarn?
Knitters frequently ask each other this query. Worsted weight wool may be readily swapped with DK yarn, but you’ll need to swatch it beforehand to confirm the gauge. Despite some variations in yardage per skein, the fiber content should be roughly the same.
What Size Crochet Hook Should I Use For DK Yarn?
The recommended hook size for crocheting with DK yarn is often between 4.5 and 5.5 mm. Nevertheless, depending on the design you’re creating, this may change. You’ll produce a lighter, airier fabric if you crochet with a bigger hook. This creates a lacy look that, in particular designs, like shawls, may be highly alluring.
Conversely, crocheting using a smaller hook results in a fabric that is more tightly woven. This is perfect for crafting tight-textured products. For instance, a cap or a basket you crochet should be able to stand up by itself and be constructed with a smaller hook.
What Do You Make With DK Yarn?
Crocheting is the primary usage of DK yarn. You may construct hats, scarves, cowls, and other items by crocheting with this type of yarn with a size G or H crochet hook. Aran weight yarn may be classified as DK weight yarn when purchased. Use the appropriate-sized hooks for the project you’re producing; otherwise, it will turn out too little or enormous.
Knitting is a further application for DK weight yarn. Because they are all knit on medium-sized needles, things like caps, mittens, stockings, and scarves work nicely with this type of yarn weight (4-5mm). DK weight wool yarn is typically easier to work with and knits up more quickly than thicker yarn.
It will take a bit more time and effort to crochet or knit using DK weight yarn since the stitches are often tighter and less springy than those made with worsted weight yarns. Additionally, the projects will take longer to complete due to the narrower gauge, which requires more yarn than yarns in heavier weights.
DK weight yarn is appropriate for both novice and experienced crafters searching for quick to complete, basic yet intriguing patterns. If you’re searching for a high-quality fiber at a reasonable price, go no farther than DK weight wool, which is also fantastic for felting, producing bags, toys, and crafts like needlepoint.
When knitting an even-surfaced object, DK, or double knitting, yarn is typically used. If you were knitting a jumper, for instance, you would choose DK yarn to ensure that the pattern is uniform and that the garment doesn’t have any visible thick or thin patches.
Additionally, it works well for items where texture is crucial, like crocheted dishcloths. Due of its evenness, the pattern will be quite obvious in the final product!
Why Choose Dk Weight Yarn?
Beginners and anyone who are unfamiliar with working with various yarn weights may benefit greatly from using DK weight yarn.
The cost is a great advantage because dk weight yarn frequently offers good yardage for the money. Of course, if you like, you may purchase pricey dk yarns, but since this is a widely used yarn weight, there are many possibilities available for various price ranges.
DK yarns are incredibly adaptable and suitable for a variety of applications. Year-round availability of dk weight sweaters means that there is always a project you can knit or crochet using worsted yarn.
Dk weight yarn also exhibits excellent stitch definition, making it a fantastic option for textured knitting or crocheting projects.
What Size Needles Should I Use For Double Knitting Wool?
The majority of DK yarn projects call for 3.5 to 4.5 mm needles. The cloth will be tighter with smaller needles and looser with bigger needles for a drapey look. Knitting a gauge swatch before beginning is a smart idea.
This allows you to determine whether your knitting is too loose or tight for the design; if so, you should switch to a different needle size. When sewing an unfitted design, such as a scarf or blanket, this is less crucial, but when sewing clothing, such as sweaters or cardigans, it’s crucial.
Some Of The Most Commonly Known Brands Of DK Yarn
The following are a few well-known DK yarn manufacturers:
Lion Brand Mandala
It took me some time to join the “cake” yarn trend, but boy am I glad I did! The cake yarns come in so many different colors, and Mandala is undoubtedly one of my favorites. It comes in a plethora of hues and types.
The spacious 590 yard, 5.3 ounce cake of Mandala is made entirely of acrylic, making it simple to care for and machine washable and dryable.
Here are a handful of my preferred hues: Mothra, in hues of cerulean, cerulean blue, cerulean, lavender, purple, lilac pink, magenta, and pastel grey. It’s gorgeous!
Mermaid in tones of petrol blue, periwinkle, ice blue, sky blue, midnight blue, sapphire, and turquoise. This is definitely a winner for me because I love blue tints so much (turquoise is my fave color).
Cascade Yarns
There are several types of yarn, each with a unique texture and price range. They have a highly user-friendly online store, and their website offers many useful tutorials as well as instructions for stitch designs from all around the world.
Knit Picks Swish Dk
There are more than 40 hues of this lovely DK, so you’re sure to find one in this collection that you like. Check it out because it’s also less expensive than many superwash wool yarns.
One of my favorite things about superwash merino is that Swish DK comes in a 123 yard (50 grams) skein and is made of 100% fine superwash merino wool, allowing the project to be machine washed and dried.
Blue Sky Fibers
They produce soft, luxurious yarns in addition to tough, long-lasting yarns. An ecologist and a fiber artist founded Blue Sky Fibers with the goal of producing the highest-quality handcrafted yarn imaginable, free of synthetics and chemicals, colored in natural hues, and manufactured solely from premium fibers like alpaca, merino wool, silk, baby mohair, and cashmere.
Yarn Bee Sugarwheel Cotton
I fell in love with this yarn when I saw it at my neighborhood Hobby Lobby (the only place I know of where you can get Yarn Bee yarns). This cake yarn features stunning color shifts. Whenever they have their yarn deals, I love to stock up!
Since Sugarwheel Cotton is a 100% cotton yarn and comes in 335 yard skeins (5 oz), you can be sure that it works well for all the things that cotton yarn is normally used for. Personally, I’ve used mine to create dishcloths, a water bottle holder, and shawls. Additionally, this yarn is machine washable and dryable.
Knit Picks Kindred
Alpaca and cotton are expertly blended to create this yarn. The mixing of the two fibers produced an extremely silky yarn with stunning color shifts.
Kindred is made of 68% baby alpaca and 32% pima cotton and comes in 115 yard (50 gram) skeins. This yarn requires hand washing and flat drying.
Lion Brand Coboo
You might have noticed if you’ve been reading my blog for a time that I really adore this yarn. I used this yarn to make my first crocheted doll and other items like blouses and decorations. It’s incredible!
Coboo is the ideal yarn for summertime shirts and other crafts since it comes in 232 yard (3.5oz) skeins and is made of a combination of 50% cotton and 50% rayon from bamboo. It may also be dried and machine-washed!
