Whether you are new to knitting or have been knitting for some time you may still have questions about all the information provided on a yarn label. Hopefully, I can answer some of your questions and demystify the information provided.
Front
The front of the label is straightforward. It states the name of the yarn company and the yarn type being used.
Weight and Length
Yarn weight is often listed in grams but sometimes also includes ounces. The length is listed in yards or meters. This information tells you how much yarn you have. Reading your knitting pattern will tell you how many yards or meters you need for your project. By performing some basic math, you will know how many skeins you need.
Back or Sides
Depending on how the yarn is presented, you may find the rest of the information on the back or sides of the label. Not every label is printed the same, but I will review common elements that are included.
Color and Dye Lot
The color may be listed as a name or a number. The dye lot is how the company identified when this skein of yarn was dyed. Dye lots are important. There can be subtle differences between different dye lots. When buying yarn, you want to be sure to buy enough of the same dye lot for the project you are working on otherwise you might not be able to find more. The same yarn with a different dye lot may look okay until you start knitting with it. Then the difference is quite apparent. There are some tricks to help if you run into this problem, but that is for another blog.
Material
This is where the type of material the yarn is spun with is listed. The percentages of materials that make up the yarn are listed. These materials give the yarn its properties, or how it will behave when you knit with it.
Gauge and Needle Size
The gauge can be written in several ways, but the underlying information tells you how many stitches to expect per inch using this yarn with the needle size stated. There may be a small range of stitches listed that correspond to a range of needle sizes. The gauge on yarn is calculated based on stockinette stitch.
You may also see a symbol that states what weight class this type of yarn is listed as. This symbol looks like a skein of yarn with a number ranging from 0-7. According to the Craft Yarn Council, the number tells you what weight class the yarn falls into. For example, a 4 is considered worsted weight yarn. Therefore, you could expect 16-20 stitches in four inches of stockinette stitch using a US size 7 to 9 knitting needle.
Washing Instructions
Some labels also provide washing instructions in symbol or word form. If no washing instructions are indicated, it is best to assume gentle hand washing in cool water and lay flat to dry.
Yarn labels contain a wealth of useful information for knitters. Hopefully, any questions you may have had about some of this information have been answered.
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