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Learning about Yarn Texture

August 13, 2014 by Sarah White

yarn ply and textureThe Craftsy blog is always full of great, useful tips and information that will make knitting easier for you, and this post about yarn texture is no exception.

Ashley looks at different plies of yarn and shares the general rule that the more plies a yarn has, the more stitch definition you will get. So a yarn with more plies would be better for cables and other textured stitch patterns that you really want to pop, while a singles (the proper term for a yarn made from a single strand of yarn, since you can’t really have a 1-ply) is better for plain stockinette or other stitch patterns where distinct stitches are not that important (it’s fine for felting, too).

In addition to ply, there are a whole lot of different textures you can find in yarn these days, from slubby thick and thin yarns to eyelash yarns and all sorts of textured novelty yarns. Of course when using those yarns you won’t get much stitch definition at all, but they can be a lot of fun as an accent or for an accessory like a scarf.

Do you pay much attention to the texture of a yarn when choosing what to knit with? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

[Photo via Craftsy.]

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Have you read?

A Sweet Skater Dress to Knit

I know knitting a dress sounds like a major time commitment. And that’s before I even tell you that this particular dress, the Sixth Ave Skater Dress by Briana Luppino, is worked in light fingering weight yarn. 

But would you just take a moment to look at it and tell me if it doesn’t look like it would be worth all the time you would spend knitting it? And it’s miles of stockinette stitch so it’s actually beginner friendly and a great semi-mindless knit you can take with you on your travels this summer and wear when it is done. 

The dress is worked from the top down with tank straps, a scoop neck, waist shaping and a flowy skirt for a fun and comfortable fit. 

The pattern has 10 sizes, with finished bust measurements ranging from 28 to 64 inches, or 71.5 to 163 cm. The sample shown was worked with 4 inches/10 cm of negative ease at the bust, and the designer says most people like between 2 and 6 inches/5 to 15 cm of negative ease in the bust and around 10 inches/25.4 cm positive ease in the hips. 

(To refresh your memory, negative ease means the measurement of the garment is smaller than your actual body measurement, while positive ease is bigger than your body.)

To pick a size you’d work from the bust measurement because you can always add more or fewer decreases as you need to get your desired fit at the waist and hips. And because it’s worked from the top down you can try it on as often as you like to make sure it’s the perfect fit. 

The I-cord edgings give the dress a super casual feel, and I think this would be a great one to add to your summer rotation. (Yes, even with a wool blend yarn.)

You can see lots of cute finished versions and grab a copy of the pattern for yourself on Ravelry. 

[Photo: Briana Luppino]

Book Review – Knitted Tanks and Tunics

How to Knit a Simple Sweater Dress

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