What yarn to choose for a cardigan with knitting needles?

Modern industry offers us a huge assortment in which it is very easy to get confused. Sometimes we don’t think about what kind of knitting this or that thread is for, and we choose the pattern and model we like, we knit, and disappointment comes. After all, the quality of the knitted thing directly depends on the right yarn. In order not to feel the bitterness of the work done in vain, you should know some properties of the knitting material. In this article we will talk about the types of yarn, which is the best yarn, how much yarn is needed for a product, its qualities and which yarn to choose for a cardigan or coat with knitting needles.

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Structure

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the composition of the yarn. As a rule, the manufacturer always indicates this characteristic on the label. Let's take a closer look at the views.

Wool

This look is well suited for knitting warm products: scarves, hats, warm socks, sweaters. Wool perfectly transmits moisture and air, and also retains heat well. This species has many advantages - it is natural, looks beautiful in a bound form, elastic, but, unfortunately, it also has drawbacks - things from it tend to stretch, fall down and form spools. To avoid these shortcomings, artificial threads are added to the wool, often it is acrylic - this is called blended yarn.

Important! The composition of the yarn and its quality determines the appearance of the knitted thing, as well as how it will behave in the process of wearing. For the manufacture of woolen threads, as a rule, sheep’s wool is used, and threads from the wool of rabbits, goats and even dogs are also found.

Let's take a closer look at the varieties:

• 100% wool - if you see this inscription on the label, it means that it is made of pure sheep wool, that is, there are no impurities in it. It can be of different thicknesses, as very thin - from these threads you can knit elegant, well-draped things, and thick, which is great for knitting scarves and hats with a relief pattern. Socks, vests, dresses, cardigans, sweaters are excellent from medium-sized yarn.
• Merino - the most soft and delicate knitting threads that are made from merino sheep wool. Such yarn costs a little more expensive in comparison with ordinary sheep wool. It is thin, so it is well suited for knitting elegant products. It is also good to knit things for children from such threads, since they do not irritate the skin of the child.
• Shetland - made from sheared wool. These threads are rude, but very durable, they turn into beautiful textured knitwear in a country style. It’s good to choose such a yarn for a cardigan with knitting needles.
• Cashmere - made from combed undercoat of goats of Kashmir breed. This is one of the finest and noblest types of wool yarn. Cashmere items are elegant, durable and warm. It is more often found in mixtures with other varieties of raw materials.
• Mohair - made from goat hair. These are thin and fluffy threads from which the Orenburg shawls were previously knitted. Mohair is a rather expensive material, therefore it is found both in a mixture with synthetics and with sheep’s wool, but more often with acrylic.
• Angora is a fluffy and thin material that is obtained from the wool of Angora rabbits. Also, as a rule, it is found in a mixture with synthetics or wool.Things from Angora come out more elegant, thin and less fluffy in comparison with mohair.
• Alpaca is the coat of a llama. Its main advantage is that it is very warm - due to the fact that the alpaca fibers are hollow inside, they are able to retain air and retain heat. These fibers are quite long, so a product made of such threads is less prone to spool formation.

Acrylic

Acrylic is an artificial yarn often called “Synthetic Wool”. It is characterized by the ability to stain well and fairly good strength. Often it is added to various types of woolen threads to increase their wear resistance, as well as reduce the cost.

When wondering which yarn to choose for a cardigan with knitting needles, you need to look carefully:

• If the acrylic content is not very large - 10-20%, then things related from such a material will have the properties of the main yarn.
• If the acrylic content is more than 50%, often things from such threads will look cheaper. But more importantly, they will not allow air to pass through and hold air to the necessary degree, and as a result, they are not very comfortable to wear.

Important! On sale you can see acrylic threads for children's things. Even though it is hypoallergenic, still it has poor breathability, is highly electrified and does not absorb moisture well.

Cotton

This is a natural yarn that is used to make light summer things. Cotton admirably passes air, while giving a feeling of coolness. But this type of yarn is not elastic, so if you don’t know which yarn is best for knitting a cardigan with knitting needles, then be careful when choosing a thread.

Important! If the thread is twisted too much, then such a material will not work - it is good only for crocheting. For example, you can consider the thread “Iris”.

Knitting needles are not very twisted, in addition, they must be soft to the touch. As a rule, such yarn is sold in skeins, such as woolen. Acrylic or wool can be added to the cotton thread to increase elasticity.

Linen

Also a natural type of yarn that is used to create summer things. Linen threads are harder and less elastic than cotton; they are best used for crocheting.

Silk

Silk is obtained from silkworm threads. These threads are very expensive to manufacture. The thread is strong, but at the same time, it is soft, thin and has a noble sheen. Things connected from silk threads practically do not slip.

Important! In addition to a very beautiful appearance, things made of silk thread have one very important quality - on hot days they remarkably keep a feeling of coolness.

Viscose

Viscose also called “artificial silk”. Such yarn is made from wood pulp, pine or spruce. Outwardly, it resembles silk, smooth and heavy, has a slight sheen. These threads conduct air and absorb moisture, but still, not as good as natural ones.

Important! It is great for making things used in the warm season, but in extreme heat you will not feel very comfortable wearing viscose clothes - silk or cotton is better for such weather.

Bamboo

Recently, on sale you can find bamboo yarn. This, like viscose, is a cellulosic thread, only from bamboo wood. Bamboo threads are very light, soft, with a slight beautiful shine. Great for knitting summer clothes.

Important! If you are going to knit a product for a child, pay special attention to this type of thread. This yarn has unique properties - it is three times more than cotton, absorbs moisture, has an antimicrobial effect and does not cause irritation.

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Yarn thickness

If when deciding which yarn is best for a cardigan, you have decided on the composition of the yarn, then the second nuance to which you should pay attention is the thickness of the yarn and the number of threads that you will need.

If you have chosen a specific model with a description, then, as a rule, the description and thickness of the recommended yarn are always indicated. It is determined by the length of the thread (in meters) contained in 100 grams of yarn. The shorter the thread, the thicker it is.

Important! In order for the item you made to be the same size as in the magazine model, you need to make sure that you pick up yarn with the same thickness.

Also in the descriptions usually indicate the required number of threads. If you do not have much experience in knitting, then you need to focus on the amount of yarn that is indicated in the description. If you buy too little material and you don’t have enough, then you may have problems in order to buy the exact same yarn.

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Thread uniformity

Another important nuance when deciding which yarn to choose for a cardigan with knitting needles is the uniformity of the thread:

• Carefully inspect the hanks, make sure that the threads are uniform, without knots, bulges or delicate sections.
• Particularly carefully you need to choose skeins of sectional dyeing yarn - choose skeins starting with the same color fragment.
• You should also pay attention to the fact that there are no tied and broken ends of the threads, otherwise it will be difficult for you to connect the details of the front and back, as well as the sleeves, with a symmetrical pattern.

Important! It is advisable to keep the label from threads until you completely knit the product. If you don’t have enough yarn, then it will be much easier for you to buy its required amount. It is better that the threads are from the same batch, the number of which is usually indicated on the label: the threads are of the same color, but from different lots may slightly differ.

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Stock footage

Here are the main points you need to know regarding which yarn is best for knitting a cardigan. Choose the threads according to their characteristics and the product that you will knit will delight you for a long time.