I was talking with a new knitter recently, who was trying to understand yarn weights, and the names given to them, like DK and worsted etc. Making matters more confusing is other countries might use different names, like 8-ply or 4-ply. Some of these names meant something at the time, but over the years have come to mean something else or taken on more than what was originally intended. I, for one, am glad the yarn industry is trying to standardize yarn weights, and I think using the number system is a better way to label the different weights. But it is fun to learn how some of these names came to be.
Worsted weight yarn, also known as yarn weight 4, is sort of the most well-known weight, or the one most commonly used. But why do we call it Worsted? It’s named after the town of Worstead, England where this yarn was first produced. Worsted is also a term used for the spinning technique used to make some worsted wool. In the shop, an example of a worsted yarn is Woolstok. I made a sweater with this recently. A nice lofty yarn, creating a very cozy sweater.
DK yarn is a number 3 weight yarn which is one step thinner than Worsted. DK stands for Double Knitting. Originally, to get this thickness of yarn, one had to hold two strands of what was known as 4-ply yarn together. When DK yarn came along, it was also known as 8-ply, or Double Knit, because it was the same as holding the two 4-ply yarns together. Eventually, this weight yarn was made with other numbers of plies, making the name 8-ply inaccurate. Thank goodness we can call it #3! A Little Knitty has Kathmandu DK, a favorite yarn of mine with just a touch of silk. Makes great sweaters.
Number 2 weight yarn, one step thinner than DK, is known as sport weight or sometimes baby weight. Why on earth would we call a yarn sport weight? Seemingly, this weight of yarn was popular to make lighter-weight garments for casual wear known as sports wear in the early 20th century. An example of this weight is United by Queensland. It is a cotton/wool blend perfect for casual wear!
This brings us to number 1 yarn, or fingering yarn (not to be confused with “fingerling”. That’s a potato, not a yarn. Hmm.. anyone else suddenly in the mood for fries?) How did a yarn get to be called fingering? It seems that it might be an alteration of the french term “fin grain” which means “fine grain”. Or, this weight yarn, being a fine weight, was often used for gloves with fingers. The shop carries Cascade’s Heritage in a wide range of colors perfect for all kinds of projects.
I, for one, am very happy to be using the number system. Learning the history of yarn names is very interesting, though!
Worsted weight yarn, also known as yarn weight 4, is sort of the most well-known weight, or the one most commonly used. But why do we call it Worsted? It’s named after the town of Worstead, England where this yarn was first produced. Worsted is also a term used for the spinning technique used to make some worsted wool. In the shop, an example of a worsted yarn is Woolstok. I made a sweater with this recently. A nice lofty yarn, creating a very cozy sweater.
DK yarn is a number 3 weight yarn which is one step thinner than Worsted. DK stands for Double Knitting. Originally, to get this thickness of yarn, one had to hold two strands of what was known as 4-ply yarn together. When DK yarn came along, it was also known as 8-ply, or Double Knit, because it was the same as holding the two 4-ply yarns together. Eventually, this weight yarn was made with other numbers of plies, making the name 8-ply inaccurate. Thank goodness we can call it #3! A Little Knitty has Kathmandu DK, a favorite yarn of mine with just a touch of silk. Makes great sweaters.
Number 2 weight yarn, one step thinner than DK, is known as sport weight or sometimes baby weight. Why on earth would we call a yarn sport weight? Seemingly, this weight of yarn was popular to make lighter-weight garments for casual wear known as sports wear in the early 20th century. An example of this weight is United by Queensland. It is a cotton/wool blend perfect for casual wear!
This brings us to number 1 yarn, or fingering yarn (not to be confused with “fingerling”. That’s a potato, not a yarn. Hmm.. anyone else suddenly in the mood for fries?) How did a yarn get to be called fingering? It seems that it might be an alteration of the french term “fin grain” which means “fine grain”. Or, this weight yarn, being a fine weight, was often used for gloves with fingers. The shop carries Cascade’s Heritage in a wide range of colors perfect for all kinds of projects.
I, for one, am very happy to be using the number system. Learning the history of yarn names is very interesting, though!
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