Knitting YarnThe choice of knitting yarns on offer in this day and age is mind-boggling. It can be confusing trying to pick the right yarn for your project, so here is a quick guide to help you choose one of the essential part of your knitting supplies. The two main elements to consider when choosing yarn are the material and the weight. MaterialThe first step is deciding what kind of material you want to knit with.CottonCotton is a fairly lightweight fibre that comes in a huge array of colours. It is machine-washable and hardwearing. Very few people are allergic to cotton and it is soft to touch so it is often chosen for knitting baby clothes. It also shows up knitting textures very well.On the downside, cotton becomes very heavy when wet and the colour often bleeds when washed. In addition, cotton is very inelastic and this can cause hand strain for some knitters. If you come across mercerized cotton, this is a shinier yarn than standard cotton and it is also slightly stronger. WoolWool is the most popular material to knit with. The reasons for this include the fact it is elastic and easy to work with.The main drawback with wool is that some people find it itchy to wear or are allergic to the dust that wool can carry. You generally need to wash wool with care, because if you don’t your wonderful item will soon shrink and become felted. However, you can now buy washable wool that has been treated to allow machine washing. AcrylicThere is a general trend towards natural fibres but acrylic yarn still sells well because it is usually the cheapest yarn available and very few people are allergic to it. Acrylic can also be machine-washed and is moth proof.Some people find acrylic “sticky” to work with and it is also prone to pilling. Acrylic is not as warm as wool and can loose its shape. Many knitters choose to compromise and work with an acrylic mix yarn eg acrylic/cotton or acrylic/wool. A mix is also a good place to start if you are just learning how to knit. Despite its faults, don’t forget that acrylic yarns are perfect for knitting for charity. In fact, some projects even specify that you knit with acrylic! SilkYarn made from silk has a wonderful sheen. It is expensive but a good choice if you want to give your piece a luxurious feel.A particularly wonderful type of silk is recycled silk. This is often made from recycled sari silk and women in India and Nepal hand spin it. This allows the women a way to earn money and so it is a worthwhile yarn to consider if you haven’t thought about
knitting for charity
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