Making yarns is one of the oldest DIYs ever! It’s a fun activity to do and can be learned by anyone with patience and a creative mind. Learning the art is one thing, but knowing how to buy bulk yarn is a totally different thing. There are many different types, and it can be daunting to decide which is best for use. The post runs through some of the important questions and examines some important factors about yarns.
What are the types of yarns?
The type of yarns is closely related to the type of fiber used in making it. So when you talk about yarn types, it’s mostly referring to the yarn fiber. With this out of the way, yarn fibers are made from materials like wool, cotton, acrylic, linen, nylon, hemp, mohair, silk, yak, rayon, polyester, and angora.
Choosing the perfect yarn
When choosing your perfect yarn material, consider these factors to help narrow down your choice.
Season
Are you knitting for a particular season? Let’s take for instance that you want to knit a sweater for winter. You’ll need a yarn material that can guarantee maximum warmth and not just the aesthetic appeal. Using a yarn with a heavy wool material is far better than settling for linen or cotton. On the other hand, in summer months, you’ll need a material that is light and breathable. Linen would be a preferred choice than wool in summer.
Frequency of use
Whatever you’re making, how frequently will it be used? Or better put, how often would it need to be washed. Not all yarn fiber material can handle heavy washing. You have a wide range of options to choose if machine washing won’t be frequent. For instance, a sweater may not be used often if you’re indoors for most of the winter months or have other options to wear. This way, you may not need to wash the sweater as often.
Budget
As earlier mentioned, there’s a wide range of fiber options to choose from. They, too, offer a wide range of pricing options. Using an expensive fiber like cashmere would cost more than going for cotton or linen material. You have to draw up a budget and stick with it. As a beginner, you may want to start out with cheaper options until your level of expertise improves, then you can work with expensive fibers.
Comfort
This is not a factor that’s often discussed but is one that is important. Comfort here, does not refer to the feel of the knitted product, although that’s important too. How comfortable are you using the chosen fiber? Knitting is a fun exercise if you commit to it. A good way to stay committed is to wholeheartedly enjoy the process. So, choose a fiber material you’ll enjoy working with.
Conclusion
Knitting remains one of the oldest DIY activities known to mankind. It is a fun way to stay creative and make stuff. Choosing the perfect yarn material goes a long way in determining how easy you’ll be able to work with it and the final end product.