This is the wrap up of the second meeting of Knit1, Take2. Today’s turnout was a little less than our first meeting but it was still great and a lot was learned as the needles flew. The lesson today was about getting necessary information from the label and figuring out tension.
Reading a Yarn Label
So needle-less to say, it can be a little intimidating when you walk into a yarn store and see all those balls of color and textures. How are you supposed to know what you need or what you should get? Well, just like when you’re grocery shopping, its important to read the label. There’s a lot of useful information on those labels:
So needle-less to say, it can be a little intimidating when you walk into a yarn store and see all those balls of color and textures. How are you supposed to know what you need or what you should get? Well, just like when you’re grocery shopping, its important to read the label. There’s a lot of useful information on those labels:
- Yarn Name – the easiest way to get yarn is to call it by its name. If someone says they need a ball of Patons Classic Wool, you can simply walk into your store and ask for it by name or read the label and find it.
- Fiber Content – with fiber being made with everything from wool to soy and bamboo (it’s true!), it is important to know what you’re getting. You’ll also find the percentage of each fiber in the yarn listed on the label.
- Care Instructions – It is important to know how to take care of the knitted garment you’re going to be making. Whether it is for you or a gift for someone, you’ll want to be able to ensure it lasts by making sure it is cleaned properly. Here is a link to some symbols and what they mean: Care Instructions
- Yardage – Knowing how much of the particular fiber you’re getting can be invaluable, especially if you’re substituting a different yarn from the original one given in the instructions The yardage is usually displayed in meters and yards. If not, a simple conversion will give you the measurement you need.
- Dye Lot – Yarn is produced in very large quantities at a time called a “lot”. Each lot is given a specific number or code for identification because the next time that particular color is produced there may be slight variations in the tint or hue. By giving the balls a lot number, you can make sure all the yarn you are using came from the same dye process and that the color will be consistent. It is a good practice to get an extra ball when you’re buying yarn for larger projects just in case. Most yarn shops will let you return unused balls as long as the dye lot is still current on their shelves (this is a great motivator to finish your projects in a reasonable amount of time!).
- Gauge – Knowing what weight the yarn you’re using is probably the most important piece of information on the label as it is necessary to ensure your garment will be the right size. Usually you will see a square grid with numbers on the bottom and side like 16s and 22r. This tells you how many stitches and rows you will get in a 10cm x 10cm (4×4 in) square.
Gauge/Tension
So why is gauge so important and what exactly is it? Gauge (also called tension) is a way of measuring your work before you knit the entire garment to ensure it will be the intended size. There are three important things to pay attention to when working out your gauge:
- Number of stitches and rows – gauge tells you how many stitches and rows you will get in a 10cm (4in) square. Stitches are larger than rows so you will usually have fewer stitches than rows. Each weight of yarn has a standard number of stitches for that particular gauge – chunky weight yarn for example is usually 16 stitches over 10cm. Here is a link for the weights of yarns and their appropriate gauge: Yarn Weights
- Recommended needle size – this is the size of needles the author used to achieve the desired gauge. You may have to adjust the needle size to get the same gauge,but it is far easier to do this than to re-write the pattern! If you are a tight knitter, you should try using a bigger needle and if you are a looser knitter, go down in size. Once you find the needles that give you the desired gauge, simply follow the pattern instructions and your garment will fit like a dream. A least, we hope so 😉
- The stitch pattern – This is the stitch pattern used to give the gauge. Most tension swatches are done in stocking stitch but each pattern should tell you what they use as it can be different. Sometimes you will even have more than one swatch in the same pattern (this happens quite often when working with cables).
So before you start making a sweater or any other garment where size is important, you’ll want to find the instructions for your tension swatch. Once you have it, knit the swatch according to the directions and measure it to see where you’re at. Adjust your needles if necessary and re-knit the swatch to make sure you’re on the right track. Most knitters will tell you this is the one lesson they had to learn the hard way, so seriously, make that swatch!
Steve’s Tip of the Day: If you want something to do with that swatch when you’re done, you can always knit it onto the inside of the garment in an inconspicuous place. This way, if anything happens to the garment later and you need some extra yarn (e.g to darn a hole), you can remove it and have the original yarn to work with!
Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next week!
Yarn over and out,
JAS
JAS