Yarn Weight & Ply Guide
Choosing yarn for a pattern? Start with its recommended yarn weight, then check your gauge. Ply names are a useful starting point, not a guarantee of a match.
Weight and ply: what do they mean?
Yarn weight means thickness, not the weight of the ball. DK (double knitting) is generally lighter than worsted; Aran is usually a little heavier than worsted, though labels can overlap.
In Australian yarn naming, 8 ply commonly means DK and 10 ply commonly means worsted or Aran. These are approximate naming conventions, not exact conversions. Ply can also mean the number of strands twisted together to make a yarn. A single-ply yarn can be fine or thick, so strand count alone does not tell you its weight.
When should you hold yarn double?
Hold two strands together when your pattern calls for it, or when a washed gauge swatch gives you the right stitch count and a fabric you like. A single-ply yarn does not automatically need doubling. Two strands of DK do not automatically equal Aran, and doubling any yarn is not a dependable ply conversion.
Work both strands as one stitch. Each strand must cover the full project length: if your pattern needs 200 metres of the combined yarn, allow 200 metres of each strand, 400 metres in total. Recheck your yarn requirements when substituting.
Our yarns: listed specifications
Suri Alpaca HK Yarn: listed as category 4, worsted/medium. 74% Suri alpaca, 22% wool and 4% polyamide; 50 g, 130 m (142 yd). Listed needle size: 5 mm (US 8, UK 6).
Fine Alpaca Yarn HK 8 ply: listed as 8 ply, DK/light 3. 100% baby alpaca; 50 g, 100 m (109 yd). Listed needle size: 4 mm (US 6, UK 8).
Warmi Journeys Yarn: hand-dyed, 70% baby alpaca and 30% merino wool; 100 g, 100 m. Listed needle size: US 6–8.
These needle sizes come from the individual product listings. They are starting points, not a universal needle-size rule for a ply or weight.
Swatch before you commit
- Check your pattern's gauge, stitch pattern and recommended yarn.
- Knit a swatch larger than the area you will measure, using the intended yarn or strand combination.
- Wash and dry it as you will the finished item, then measure stitches and rows over 10 cm without stretching.
- If you have too many stitches, try larger needles; if too few, try smaller needles. Swatch again and check that you still like the fabric and drape.
Match gauge and fabric, not just the name on the label. Browse Knitting Yarns.