Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Technique – Yarn Substitutions.

by

I ran across an awesome resource a long time ago, and I use it so often that it’s just assumed that everyone knows what it is. What is it? Well, hang on there, it’s so awesome that it deserves an introduction like no other.

So you find this great pattern you just have to knit, but would love to knit it in something other than the yarn called for. What to do? Unless you’re a walking yarn encyclopedia you just log on to this wonderful resource, bring up the yarn specified in the pattern and it will tell  you the weight, yardage, company, fiber content and just about everything else you’d want to know about it. Is it Ravelry? Well, yes, Ravelry is an awesome resource unto it’s own, but for the “everything you ever wanted to know about just about every kind of yarn out there” there’s none other than…..

Yarndex! Try it!yarndex_logo5

Comments

  1. I have some old Needleworks magazines and they have some great patterns but the yarns are no longer available. Any ideas of how I can knit these or finding out about older yarns?

  2. Hi,
    See if you can do an internet search for these yarns. You might not be able to buy them, but if you can get a general idea of what weight yarn and how many yards/meters per skein or hank, you can go to http://www.yarndex.com and find a substitution there.
    Good luck!
    Terrye

  3. I have a pattern for a round baby afghan (42″ in diameter) using Baby Sport – H crochet hook, if . . .

    I use a Bulky weight yarn and increase the hook to an N might that be okay to use the same pattern? (ie: be about 64″ in diameter). Or does someone have a round/circular pattern for and adult?

    The baby pattern I have is found on the Bernat website and it’s called Round Blanket to Crochet.

  4. I put in all the information and it either gave me the “sorry” line or it matched it up to itself. Not helpful.

  5. I am trying to find a substitute yarn for Lion Brand Organic Cotton Worse weight to knit a baby hoodie can you help

  7. I am trying to get to Yarndex.com, but several different links take me to LoveKnitting.com. Can you help?

  8. Yarndex was a project of Yarnmarket, which was purchased by LoveKnitting. I think they just got rid of that URL at some point and made it forward to their main site. You can search for it on the Internet Archive (archive.org), or maybe Ravelry can help answer your questions.

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.