What is Worsted Weight Yarn

If you’re unsure of what worsted weight yarn is, read on. then you’ve arrived to the appropriate location!

Yarns come in a variety of sizes and forms. They can range in thickness from a soda can to a cobweb (like a lace weight) (like jumbo yarn for arm knitting). Worsted weight yarn is a medium weight yarn that sits in the center of the yarn weight family. It is thinner than bulky weight yarn and thicker than sock and sport weight yarn.

Due to its medium thickness, it’s perfect for knitting blankets, mittens, scarves, caps, sweaters, and more! I consider worsted yarn to be an all-purpose yarn since it is so “knittable.” Always reach for a worsted weight.

Get this too! It’s not only me that thinks this. Large-scale yarn producers Lion Brand and Bernat claim that worsted weight yarn is their most popular yarn weight for knitting and crocheting. Think of worsted yarn as the middle child of the yarn weight family, or the Kim Kardashian of yarn weights.

What is Worsted Weight Yarn?

It might be easy to become perplexed when it comes to yarn terminology. We understand it! Your mind may become confused while attempting to discriminate between various yarn kinds, weight classes, plys, etc. The good news is that it’s not as difficult as it might appear to be. We’ve put up a guide on worsted weight yarn, one of the most well-liked and often used yarn kinds, to help you sort through the confusion. This book is for everyone, whether you’re brand-new to the knitting and crocheting world or a seasoned veteran who wants to brush up on your yarn knowledge.

The phrase “worsted weight yarn” has probably come up for you if you’ve ever gone through the yarn aisle at a shop or online. What what is worsted weight yarn?

Due to its versatility, woven weight yarn, a medium weight yarn, is very well-liked by crocheters and knitters. Worsted weight yarn, also known as afghan yarn and aran yarn, is located in the center of the yarn weight family and is frequently identified by the number 4 sign on a yarn label.

A typical misunderstanding is that when people talk about the weight of yarn, they mean the actual weight of the yarn. This is not the case, though. The thickness of the yarn is referred to as yarn weight, which is important for choosing the right kind of yarn for a project. DK yarn is thinner than worsted weight yarn, which is thicker than chunky or bulky weight yarn. See the standard yarn weight system chart created by The Craft Yarn Council below for more information on yarn weight.

What is Worsted Yarn Used For?

The adaptability of worsted yarn is one of its charms. More precisely, choosing a worsted yarn will help you notice distinct stitch definition if you’re experimenting with a new method or stitch. Worsted yarn is sometimes suggested for beginning knitters since it will make faults easier to see if you pick a light-colored yarn. The good news is that a range of knitted items and outfits may be made with this weight of yarn. Both warm weather and chilly weather clothing can benefit from it.

If necessary, you may quickly swap out woven yarn for another fabric from the same category because woven yarn is extremely interchangeable. Worsted yarn may be used to make everything from scarves to baby cardigans and caps. The most difficult aspect will be choosing where to begin because there are so many designs available. However, with this medium-weight behemoth, you just cannot go wrong.

History of Worsted Yarn

In her post “Your Yarn BFF: Get to Know Worsted Weight Yarn” on craftsy.com, Ashley Little claims that worsted yarn is called for Worstead, a hamlet in the English county of Norfolk. Worstead served as a center for the production of yarn and textiles in the 12th century. Even though Worstead is no longer the industry leader in worsted fiber production, the yarn nevertheless carries its brand. In fact, a specific spinning technique is where the word “worsted” originates.

Sheep with extremely long wool produce woven wool. Compared to sheep that thrive in harsher conditions, these sheep typically reside in easier to access, lusher pastures. The main characteristic of worsted yarn, according to Leimomi Oakes of thedreamstress.com in her essay, “Terminology: What’s the difference between worsted & woolen wool materials,” is the straight, parallel threads that originate from these animals.

Worsted yarn used to be spun from long, fine-staple wool; today, other long fibers are widely utilized. Worsted wool lacks a natural crimp because its long fibers are all parallel, thus when it is spun, it creates an extremely tight, rigid yarn. Because there is less room between the threads, worsted fabric has a tighter, firmer, shinier finish when woven into fabric and can produce a finer, lighter-weight fabric.

Compared to woolen wool (short staple), which is used to make knitted goods like sweaters, woven wool (long staple) fabric is most frequently used to create fitted clothing, such as suits.

Which Size Needles Should Be Used With Worsted Weight Yarn?

Most projects made with worsted yarn require needles that range in size from 4.5 to 5.5 mm. You will have a fabric as a result that is firm but not overly tight. There shouldn’t be any gaps or holes visible between the stitches. This is the needle size that you’ll most frequently use while knitting scarves, cardigans, or jumpers. Items featuring Fair Isle colorwork or cable patterns are likely to fall into this category.

The type of needle you use may depend on the nature of your project. For instance, a bigger needle, up to 8 mm, will probably be needed to create a shawl with a lace theme. This will make the cloth seem lighter and airier and make the spaces between the threads more obvious. Make sure you’re wearing anything beneath if you’re wearing a sweater constructed with bigger stitches.

Some tasks need a higher strain. For instance, if you’re using cotton yarn to produce face cloths, you’ll likely choose a needle size of approximately 4 mm or even smaller because you’ll want a firmer fabric.

When following a pattern, you should always check the gauge before beginning. Compare your stitch count to the pattern’s instructions after knitting a gauge swatch. You might need to modify the size of your needles to achieve gauge if you naturally knit looser or tighter. Gauge is not essential for many items, like as scarves. Others, such as sweaters, cardigans, or caps, actually require correct gauge. Consider how much time it takes to knit a sweater. What a waste of time to spend that much effort on something that doesn’t fit!

Worsted Weight Yarn Equivalents and Substitutions


If you keep to one system, yarn weights are already difficult to understand, but when you add in multiple geographic regions and substitutes, the situation becomes much more complex. Based on the American Standard Yarn Weight System, aran is somewhat thinner than worsted (US) (UK). Both are around 10ply (AU/NZ) equivalent.

Remember that yarn weight relates to thread thickness rather than ball weight or even thread weight. Worsted weight yarn has a gauge of around 16–20 stitches per 4 in./10 cm on 4.5–5.5 mm needles.

It is feasible to find worsted-spun DK yarn since the word “worsted” refers to the specific spinning technique. Except when purchasing handspun yarn, this is uncommon. Check out the infographic below to explore other yarn weights and types you may come across when knitting.

What is a ply?

The word “ply” can be very ambiguous. We employ it in two various manners, which explains why. First, ply can relate to a yarn’s weight. It’s also used to describe the spinning process for yarn.

You already know that worsted is also referred to as 10 ply because we just discussed yarn weight. However, worsted may have any ply count in spinning terminology! A ply is a single strand of yarn for spinners. If you look attentively at the yarn you’re using, you can notice that numerous fibers are entangled. Plies are these.

A yarn with a greater ply count is often expected to last longer and pill less frequently. Single-ply yarns may be quite appealing, but they are often suited for accessories like scarves, shawls, or cowls. If you use one to make a sweater, it could pill very soon. For manufacturing durable clothing, yarns with four or more plies are preferable.

A Word About Worsted Yarn and Plies

Plies may be compared to incredibly tiny miniature strands that are spun together to create a thicker strand of yarn. Three-ply yarn is what is produced when three plies are spun together. A two-ply yarn is produced when two plies are spun together.

A single-ply yarn can be made by twisting even one ply of yarn. Up to eight plies of yarn can be used to create a yarn. Since eight plies are braided together to form a smooth cable, eight-ply yarns are sometimes referred to as “cabled yarns.”

Worsted yarns are available in a range of plies, from one to eight. The basic rule when thinking about plies is that the more plies a yarn has, the less likely it is to pill and break. Plies are twisted together to create yarn with strength and body.

If you tug on either end of a single-ply yarn vigorously enough, you can easily break it. It will be much more difficult to separate a two-ply yarn made by twisting two single plies together.

So keep your finished product in mind while selecting a worsted weight yarn. A single-ply is a great alternative if you want to knit a soft cowl. But if you’re knitting a pair of robust mittens, think about using a three- or four-ply yarn.

How To Convert Knitting Patterns If You Have A Different Yarn Weight

There are a number of reasons you can decide against knitting a pattern in the recommended yarn. Maybe the fiber is unpleasant for you, or maybe the design is outdated and the original yarn is no longer available. Or perhaps you just want to tweak the pattern for variety’s sake, or utilize yarn from your stash rather than investing in new materials.

When changing yarns, there are a few things to think about—and some math! The simplest substitute is “like for like,” which involves switching out a yarn of a comparable weight. If the new yarn is marketed in different lengths, however, you may need to do some math to determine how much new yarn you need.

For more major alterations, it is essential to experiment with several tension squares and to take the completed product into consideration. For example, cabling details won’t be seen with a fluffy yarn. But by knitting tension squares, you can figure out how to adapt a knitting pattern to a new yarn weight. If you follow the written directions, you won’t be able to attain the specified pattern proportions if your tension is different from the pattern’s.

You must first knit your new swatch in the yarn or at the desired tension. This fabric, which will be used to make your creation, must be sufficiently large to allow you to precisely gauge your new tension. Swatches are typically 10 cm × 10 cm (4 in x 4 in) in size, but if your project calls for a complicated motif or texture, make sure your swatch has at least one repeat of the pattern and enough additional space on both sides to prevent the motif from being distorted at the corners. Before collecting measurements, make sure to wash your test piece the same manner you will wash your finished product.

For each row, divide the old stitch count by the previous tension, then multiply the result by the new tension to obtain the new stitch counts. The pattern diagram makes it easier to understand the key garment dimensions that must remain constant regardless of tension. The schematic for our knit crop top design is provided here. Even after converting your yarn weight, you may verify that measures are as predicted by checking the width at various pattern locations.

Verify certain spots on your garment’s width to make sure it corresponds to what the pattern schematics would indicate. It’s really beneficial to have directions in your original pattern like “continue until work measures x cm.” We may also use that as a guide for our new yarn weight as it is a set measurement.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *