Combining Yarns
Knitting is not an exact science! Sometimes you just have to roll with it. Take for instance the following story:
My Sister Knits is currently hosting a KAL on Facebook. It’s a cowl that Elizabeth Doherty of Blue Bee Studio generously offered for free on Ravelry for several days. Made with fingering weight yarn, it’s not as quick a knit as we thought. It also has proved to be a challenge to get beyond the first few rows with no mistakes! We’re putting it down to all of us having trouble focusing right now because it’s a lovely pattern and should be easy!
worsted weight possibility from stash, two color version
We are planning a second KAL (to be announced next week) for an aran weight garter stitch project that is knit at a loose gauge.
The ‘not an exact science’ part of this pattern is with the suggested yarn. According to the pattern page, it’s an aran weight. When you click on the ‘suggested yarn’ link, that yarn is listed as bulky. And then, when you download the free pattern, it says to use worsted weight! Yikes!
If you have one, this is a time for stash diving! The pattern calls for 600 yards. Choose a time when your mind is able to concentrate for a bit without being overloaded. Your first choice of yarn would be either aran or worsted weight. We’re guessing that you could get by with 400 yards of one color and 200 yards of another. That’s what we’re counting on! If you have 600 yards of one color, that’s even better.
Sport weight yarns from stash held double with an ivory held double for a two color version
In this circumstance, you could combine weights to get the desired result. This is only advisable if the project is flexible enough to allow for some gauge variations, as this one is. When combining two weights to approximate a third weight, we can’t stress enough the need to swatch to know if you’ll like the fabric you’re creating.
Luckily, there is quite a bit of room for some yarn weight fluctuations in this project!
If you’d like to combine yarns to create more of an aran weight yarn, you could knit with a worsted weight and a lace weight held together; two sport weights held together; or two DK weights held together. Keep in mind that sport weight is a little lighter than DK. Some people believe they are interchangeable but they aren’t the same.
Any two of these held together would create a pretty subtle marled version
If you’d like to go more for a worsted weight yarn, you could try holding a lace weight and a DK together or a fingering and a sport together.
There are many other things that could be taken into consideration when combining yarns but, to make it easy on us, any of these combinations should work especially since this project is worked at such a loose gauge. You don’t even need to worry about how drapey the yarn is, just be sure it’s something from your stash that you love!
The blue held double would create the 200 yard contrast and there is enough brown for the 400 yard main part, all stashed yarn
Sometime in the next several days we encourage you to see if you can come up with a worsted or aran weight yarn from what you have at home so you can join in the fun! We have a great supportive group in our current KAL and we’ll just extend it for our next one. We’d love to have you join us if you haven’t already! Log onto our Facebook page and you’ll find us!
stashed white and blue; they could be marled or used separately for a two color version
If you don’t have anything in your stash, we can help you out. Call or email Julie: 970.407.1461 or julie@mysisterknits.com and we’ll get you going!
Julie’s Finds
Woolfolk is out with a new pattern collection! It’s the Luft IV Collection and it includes a free pattern with yarn purchase. Call the shop to place your order!