Yarn Guide for Machine Knitters

• Kristin C
• March 14, 2024

I'm in the US. I use lace weight, fingering weight, sport weight, DK weight, Aran or Worsted weight, chunky, and super chunky to describe yarn weights. I do like that they're now putting the number symbols on yarn so it's easier to tell at a glance if it's a candidate for a project. I get confused with coned yarn weights because the numbering system doesn't make sense to me. And then it's completely different for cotton yarns. I usually buy a shade card for coned yarns so I can also feel the texture and see if I need to double it triple strand.

• Hege M
• March 11, 2024

I use meters per 50 grams (or 100 grams) That is all I understand (and stitches per 10 cm)

• Sheila W
• March 9, 2024

I use 2/28 coned yarn. I know that two ends of 2/28 knitted together equals an English 3 ply or a “lace weight” yarn and would be good for double bed knitting on a Passap machine. For knitting on a Japanese machine, I would use 3 or 4 ends together. I don’t wind them together, just run them through the same yarn tension unit. I live in Australia where we are still able to buy coned yarns.

• Janet J
• March 9, 2024

Being a Brit living in the USA is totally confusing to me. Not only are the yarn definitions different, the crochet terms are too.. I used to know what DK, 4 ply was no problem, now I have to look it up for the American version. Then I started machine knitting, guess what? cone yarn has a language all to itself lol..

• Terri S
• March 9, 2024

I use the yarn numbers 0-6 Free yourself……..Invest in a good to great ball winder and wind your machine yarn. This establishes some consistency for your machine . AND FIND A YARN YOU LIKE THAT YOUR MACHINES LIKES TOO, AND KNIT A BUNCH OF THINGS OUT OF IT. I think these two things really really help thatmavhine knitting learning curve

• Morag W
• March 9, 2024

I usuallt use 4ply yarn for my machine but use DK yarn for hand knittingThank you Morag Walker from Dundee in Scotland.

• Shirley M
• March 9, 2024

4ply is the yarn I mostly use on my standard gauge SK280. I also use yarn count 2/30 either 3 or 4 strands depending on the garment I want to knit. On the LK150 I tend to use UK double knit which comes in balls and readily available. I live in the UK.

• Sue J
• March 9, 2024

4 ply is one of those "mystery" terms to me (I know it's used commonly in the UK) ... how many yards per pound? What gauge does it knit? Where do you think it fits on the chart? ~Knit it Now Sue

• Edith M
• March 9, 2024

I haven't used any of the terms above so far. I have a standart maschine and know, be experience, that I can use yarn up to needle 3 with my maschine.

• Mary R
• March 9, 2024

Metric measurements are used in UK…centimetres and grams eg 150cm/100 gms

• Terri S
• February 28, 2024

I use the symbols 0-6 ( lace to bulky)