HOW TO INTERCHANGE KNITTING YARNS The ability to effectively interchange, or substitute, knitting yarns rests upon certain guidelines and knowledge. 1. As this book shows, there are thousands of different knitting yarns and each has certain characteristics in terms of weight (or size), feel, fiber content, and intended use. Some yarns are very thin. some are very thick. Some are slightly thick. some are thick and thin. some are for summer use. some are for cooler temperatures. Some are for decoration. In order to manage this variety it is necessary to group or classify the yarns according to similar characteristics. This book uses the following grouping or classification (very common in the industry). F - FINGERING WEIGHT. These yarns are very thin and lightweight. They are worked on small needles (American 1, 2, and 3), and will have 7 or more stitches to the inch. These yarns are typically used for creating socks, summer sweaters, things for babies, and lightweight shawls. They are also commonly used in machine knitting. S - SPORT WEIGHT. These yarns are about twice as thick as a fingering weight yarn. These medium weight yarns also include some novelty yarns. These yarns are worked on American needles 4, 5, and 6, and generally will have 4-6 stitches per inch. these yarns are used for making sweaters, scarves, mittens, things for babies, and dresses. They are also commonly used for machine knitting. W - WORSTED WEIGHT. These yarns are 3-4 times thicker than the fingering weight yarns. These heavy weight yarns are worked on American needles 7, 8, and 9, and generally will have 4-6 stitches per inch. These yarns are used for making sweaters, afghans, leg warmers, scarves, and mittens. "Ordinary knitting yarn" is included in this group. B - BULKY WEIGHT. These yarns are very thick, about 6-8 times thicker than a fingering yarn. These very heavy yarns are worked on American needles 10, 10 1/2, 11, and 13, and generally will have 2-3 stitches per inch. The yarns may have large nubs or may be very fleecy. They are used for making heavy sweaters, coats, and afghans. (In this book all extra heavy or jumbo-weight yarns have been classified as bulky. These yarns require needles larger than American 13, and should not be interchanged with yarns for smaller needles.) This approach to yarn classification does not take into consideration the ply (or number of strands) in a yarn. Before the advent of modern machinery the number of plies was used for yarn classification (i.e., 3-ply was sport weight and 4-ply was knitting worsted weight). That approach has lot its meaning since today there are 4-ply fingering, 4-ply sport, 4-ply knitting worsted, 3-ply fingering, 3-ply sport, and 3-ply knitting worsted weight yarns. Further, it is possible to use the same needle size to get the same gauge with 3-ply knitting worsted or 4-ply knitting worsted. GUIDELINE 1. Yarns within a weight grouping may generally be interchanged effectively. GUIDELINE 2. Interchanging yarns between weight groups generally may not be accomplished effectively. 2. The characteristics of the construction of a yarn allows it to produce a definite textural effect when knitted. Some common construction classifications are: a. Smooth yarn, which has a consistent, even surface b. Boucle yarn, which has consistent-sized loops projecting from the body of the yarn at fairly regular intervals c. Nubby yarn with tufts or additions at regular intervals d. Nubby yarn with tufts or additions at irregular intervals e. Fabric yarn - ribbon, biased cotton/wool, suede, leather strips f. Hairy yarn - like mohair, angora, fur, and brush acrylic GUIDELINE 3. Yarns which will produce the same textural effect may be interchanged effectively. GUIDELINE 4. Interchanging yarns which do not have similar textural qualities generally may not be accomplished effectively. GUIDELINE 5. Fabric-type yarns may generally be interchanged with comparable weight smooth yarns. 3. When a designer creates a knitting pattern and the knitter subsequently uses it, two physical items are used. First, there is the yarn which has a weight and thickness. Second, there are the needles which have a diameter (or thickness). The designing process creates a requirement for a specific needle size to be used with a specified yarn to form a desired gauge (number of stitches per horizontal inch). If the knitter follows the designers pattern and maintains the correct gauge, then the finished product should be the same as the designed product. The designed product will have a recommended needle size to be used. The needle size is generally the one recommended for the average knitter to obtain the desired stitch gauge. It is the STITCH GAUGE that is important in successfully creating the product, NOT the needle size. The knitter must maintain the recommended stitch gauge or the completed work will not be the correct size. GUIDELINE 6. Interchanging of a yarn should only be used with yarns that will produce the recommended stitch gauge. GUIDELINE 7. Attempt to use the recommended needle size. GUIDELINE 8. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Check your stitch gauge with the substituted yarn and the recommended needle size by making a swatch of the body of the work. this may be done by casting on 20 stitches, working in the pattern stitches for 3 inches, and binding off all stitches. Then, using a ruler, establish the stitch gauge. Adjust to the next size smaller or larger needle as appropriate, and again check the gauge. You must be able to create the correct stitch group. 4. Each yarn has certain additional characteristics as it is created by the manufacturer and as it is sold in the retail store. The manufacturer established the packaging or put-up (i.e., skein, ball, hank, cone, etc.). This packaging is normally done by weight (ounces or grams) which will establish and approximate length (yards or meters). In this book all weight have been converted to grams and all lengths have been converted to yards. The manufacturer also established the color of the yarn in the put-up package. Yarns which have been chemically treated or have been dyed, will weight slightly more than those which have not. Since the manufacturer packages the produce by weight, for a given number of grams or ounces a yarn with color will be slightly shorter than a yarn that has not been chemically affected. In this book different color yarns are not considered in the interchange process. In the history of the marketing of a particular yarn the manufacturer may have created several different put-ups. For example, the yarn may have been packaged at 4 ounces one year and 100 grams another. These are not the same in weight nor are they the same in length. This book attempts to show multiple packagings of the same yarn. GUIDELINE 9. If at all possible, establish the manufacturer packaging characteristics of the original yarn for the pattern. 5. After a desirable substitute yarn selection has been made and you have obtained, and can maintain, the recommended stitch gauge, the task becomes one of establishing how much (skeins, balls, etc.) of the substituted yarn is needed for you to create the work. YARDAGE is the vehicle used to solve this problem which breaks into answering three questions: a. How many put-ups of the original yarn would have been needed? The answer to this question must come from the pattern and help from the retailer to adjust for size. b. How many yards of the original yarn would have been needed? The answer to this question is satisfied by computing: total yards for work = (number of put-ups required) x (yards per original put-up) c. How many yards of the substitute yarn is needed? The answer to this question is determined by computing: number of put-ups of substitute needed = (total yards for work)/(yards per substitute put-up) Since the final calculation may not compute evenly, round up the result to the next higher whole number. EXAMPLE. Assume you want to knit a sweater pattern that calls for 10 skeins of yarn X. The stores does not carry that yarn but does have yarns Y and Z, each of which would be a desirable substitute. By using this book, you establish that yarn X is sold in 50 gram put-ups of 110 yards per put-up, yarn Y is sold in 57 gram put-ups of 104 yards per put-up, and yarn Z is sold in 114 gram put- ups of 253 yards per put-up. How many put-ups of yarn Y would be needed: YARN X (original yarn) (number of put-ups needed) x (yards per put-up) = total put-ups needed 10 x 110 1110 yards YARN Y (substitute yarn) (total yards needed) / (yards per put-up) = total put-ups needed 1110 / 104 = 10.7 put ups Therefore, 11 put-ups of yarn Y would be needed. See if you can establish that 4.4 skeins of yarn Z would be needed, and that you would buy 5 skeins. GUIDELINE 10. After performing the calculations ALWAYS round up to the next higher put-up. From your point-of-view, it is much better to have yarn left over after completing the work than to run out of yarn when it is almost complete (and more in the particular dye-lot cannot be found).