Yarn Standard Chart

There is a discussion on our Ravelry group about substituting yarn and how different yarns are given the same name. The Craft Yarn Council has a chart of standards here which they would like to make a global standard and I have a chart in my book to help with subbing yarn which I'm happy to share here.

Different countries have different ways of describing yarn. If you want to substitute yarn it helps to know how they differ.

If you are not sure of what your yarn’s weight is, measure the wraps per inch (WPI) 

To do this you will need a WPI tool or a flat ruler marked in inches

1.      Tie or tape the end of your yarn to the tool/ruler

2.      Gently roll the yarn onto the tool/ruler over 1 inch

3.      Make sure that your yarn is neither stretched nor loose and that the wraps are all touching but not overlapping

4.      Count the number of wraps over 1 inch and refer to the chart for the description of your yarn

You will notice that some of the WPI counts overlap – the density of the yarn comes into play here.

5.      This method works for smooth yarns, results for fluffy yarns such as mohair or textured novelty yarns will not be accurate.

Standard Yarn Weight System	US	UK	Australia New Zealand	WPI	Approximate metres Per 50 grams
0 – Lace	Thread / Cobweb Lace weight	1 ply 2 ply	2 ply	18 +
1 – Super fine / Fingering	Light fingering Fingering	Sock / 3 ply 4 ply	3 ply 4 ply	16 – 18 14 – 16	165
2 – Fine / Sport	Sport	Light DK	5 ply	12 – 14	135 – 145
3 – Light / DK	DK Light Worsted	DK	8 ply	11 – 12	100 – 125
4 – Medium / Worsted	Worsted	Aran	10 ply	9 – 11	65 - 90
4 – Medium / Heavy Worsted	Aran	Aran	10 ply	8 – 10	65 - 90
5 – Bulky	Bulky	Chunky	12 ply	7 – 8	45 - 50
6 – Super Bulky	Super Bulky Lopi	Super Chunky		5 - 6	30 - 35

 Happy knitting :)

Book Launch

A Knitting Adventure with South African Yarn
'n Brei-avontuur met Suid Afrikaanse wol

It's all done now, writing, knitting, photos, layout, proof reading, printing ... and today I got the first copies of my book. It is beautiful, it far exceeds all my expectations - I love it! While I was working on this book I soon realised that even though it is my name on the cover, a book takes many more than one person to put it all together. I want to give everyone who was involved my heart felt thanks - it could not have happened without you.

A Knitting Adventure - with South African Yarn will be launched at Spin Knits at the Red Shed V&A Waterfront on the morning of the 28th May 2011 at 10am. Many of the yarn makers will be there and it promises to be a lovely morning out. If you're in Cape Town, please come and join us.

The Durban launch will be hosted by Liz at Wool n Weave in Hillcrest at 9:30am on the 4th June 2011. If you're in Durban, we would love you to join us there.

The Jo'burg launch still needs to be confirmed and I'll post the details here as soon as it is.

Happy knitting :)

TAFA

TAFA - I'm sure you may be wondering what that is all about! Well, it's the brainchild of Rachel Biel who is a Paducah, Kentucky based fibre artist and she describes it thus:

TAFA: The Textile and Fiber Art List is a membership organization of fiber artists and textile businesses on the web. TAFA showcases member portfolios through its website, provides access to larger markets, offers access to business resources and fosters community.

Our mission: Markets for Members.

What a good idea, I was so impressed that I immediately applied for membership and even more impressed by Rachel's quick response, I'm now the newest member of TAFA.


Interested in joining?
Click for information on membership.

I also figured out how Flickr works and have been uploading photos of my work all weekend. So now everyone can see what I do all day, everyday in my studio. Look for "My Work" in the right hand column and then click on the photostream - there's a lot to look at, I'm even shocked by how much, so you might want to grab a coffee and get comfortable. I hope that you'll enjoy looking at my work and wlll find it inspiring.

Lotsa love
Dana