Fearless Yarn Substitution

Let's talk about yarn!

Have you ever chosen a pattern to knit and been lost with where to start choosing what yarn to use? Have you gone to your LYS and been overwhelmed with all of the choices and not known where to begin narrowing it down? Have you ever knit a project and had it turn out very differently from the original design and you weren’t sure why? Do you look at yarn from your stash and not know what kind of project it would work well for? Choosing the right yarn to substitute for a pattern can be tricky and there are a lot of things to consider. Many knitters choose to use the same yarn used in the original design to avoid having to choose a good alternative, but that may not always be an option. Whether the yarn has been discontinued, you can’t access yarn produced overseas, you need to find a more budget friendly alternative or a myriad of other reasons, sometimes you will need to substitute yarn. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you choose yarn for your next project that will help you have success with your project and ensure you are happy with the results.
 

Grist

Whether you are used to thinking about yarn weight by assigning numbers from 1 to 7, using terms like lace, fingering, worsted, and chunky, or based on number of plys, we are all used to thinking about yarn weight as falling into discreet categories. The thickness of how a yarn is spun is actually a continuum that we break down into groups, clustering yarns at different points on the spectrum into categories to help us understand their uses. While our brains love to put things into categories, and this helps us conceptualize what kind of yarn we are looking at, these categories can contain a broad range of different yarn weights. A tool that can help us get around this problem is the idea of grist. Grist is a measurement of the density of the yarn and is expressed as the length per weight, such as yards per gram. For example, a yarn that is 600yds/100g and a yarn that is 800yds/100g may both be categorized as lace weight, but will knit up to form very different fabrics. If the pattern calls for a yarn that is 800yda/100g, choosing to substitute one at 600yds/100g at the same gauge will create a denser fabric that will not have the same drape. Differences in grist within a yarn category can mean that you will find some DK and sport weight yarns, for example, that are more similar in weight to each other, than to other yarns within the same category. Thus, when choosing a yarn to substitute for the recommended yarn in a pattern, it is a good idea to check not only if your yarn has the same labelled weight, but also that it has a similar grist in order to ensure that your project turns out how you expect it to.

Woolen vs. Worsted Spun

Another factor to consider in yarn substitution is the construction of the yarn. You may have seen the above image on my Instagram. The two yarns pictured are Shetland by Harrisville Designs (gray) and Molto Crescendo by Sweet Paprika Designs (blue). These are the yarns I used to make my first two Braided Bread Sweaters and while they have almost exactly the same grist, they are very different yarns. Molto Crescendo is a worsted spun yarn (different than worsted weight) which means that prior to spinning, the wool was carded to ensure that all of the fibers are aligned and running the same direction, creating a smooth, denser yarn. Shetland, on the other hand, is a woolen spun yarn, meaning that the fibers are going in different directions, creating a loftier, more rustic style yarn. While I was able to substitute these yarns for each other, I did have to change two needle sizes to get the same gauge and the final fabric has a very different feel. Substituting a yarn that is spun in the same way as the recommended yarn will make it easier to get gauge and help ensure that the fabric has a similar look and feel to the original design.
 

Plys

 Another factor to consider in choosing the perfect yarn for your project is the ply structure of the yarn. A ply is a single thread of yarn that is twisted out of fiber. Multiple plies can then be twisted together to create different yarn structures. Single ply yarns are typically loftier, and take dye and speckles beautifully, but have less stitch definitions and are more prone to pilling. They may not be well suited for hard wearing garments, but are great for accessories like hats and shawls. Yarns with more plys twisted together generally have better stitch definition and are more resistant to wear. This makes them great for projects with lots of texture and cables. Multi ply yarns are also great for sweaters or socks that will have to stand up to more friction and stretching.
 

Fiber Content

The fiber content of your yarn is also an extremely important factor to consider when selecting the right yarn for a project. Each individual type of fiber has its own unique properties and going into detail fiber by fiber is beyond the scope of this newsletter, but we can talk about a few of the general principles. The first major thing to consider is whether you are using a plant fiber, animal fiber, or a man-made fiber. Animal fibers such as wool, alpaca, and mohair, are typically warmer than plant fibers. Animal fibers also tend to have more natural elasticity than other fibers, making them easier on your hands while knitting and more able to retain their shape with wear.
Plant fibers such as cotton, linen, and bamboo, tend to be cooler, leading many knitters to choose plant fibers for their summer knits. They also tend to be heavier than animal fibers and can have lovely drape, but can be more likely to stretch and distort due to gravity.
Man-made fibers such as nylon or acrylic can add durability to a project, thus why you often see nylon blended with wool for sock yarn. These fibers can also be a good alternative for people with sensitivities to animal fibers.
You certainly can substitute different types of fiber in for what is suggested in a pattern, but recognizing the different properties of the fiber types will help you select the yarn that will give you the final project you are looking for. It will also help you know if you need to make any modifications to the design to compensate for differing fibers.
 

Color

A final factor to consider here, that will have a substantial impact of the final impact of your project is the color of your yarn. If you are planning a project that has a complex stitch pattern, uses colorwork, or brioche (or maybe both), you may want to consider sticking to solid or semisolid colors. Simpler designs can be a great canvas for using your favorite speckled or variegated yarn, but combining these skeins with more complex patterns can result in the design getting lost. If you are working with multiple colors of yarn, consider how much contrast there is between the colors. Having greater contrast will help show the design you are working hard to create more clearly. If you are unsure if your colors have sufficient contrast, take a photo of the skeins together and convert the image to grayscale. If the colors look different in the grayscale image, then you have sufficient contrast to clearly see your design, if they appear the same, then it will be much harder to see your pattern, even if the colors are different hues.
 


Hopefully thinking about these factors will give you some tools to choose yarn for your next project with confidence. Now you will be able to swap in a yarn from your stash or your LYS and know how it will work for your project. Head over to the pattern page to find your next project to cast on!

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