Choosing the Right Yarn for your Knitting and Crocheting Projects: Ply Vs Weight

Everything you need to know about Yarn Ply and Weight

Yarn is essential for creative fiber arts, whether you knit, crochet, or engage in other fiber-related crafts. Choosing the right yarn for the project is key to a smooth crafting experience. Choosing the right yarn includes minor details like yarn ply and yarn weight. The most confounding terms are 'yarn weight' and 'yarn ply,' both referring to the thickness of the yarn. Many crafters assume that 'ply' is directly tied to yarn weight, yet the connection could be more straightforward. Different parts of the world mean different things regarding yarn ply and weight. Most yarn labels provide the information required for working with the particular yarn. It mentions yarn weight, gauge- the number of stitches vertically or horizontally in one inch or 4 cm of the knit or crocheted fabric, and the matching needle or hook size.

When you are new to the craft, a mentor guides you through instructions, steps, and techniques. Most information is also available online. Yarn is a complex subject and often the most challenging factor for knitting and crocheting projects when planning independently. You can also explore knitting and crochet patterns that provide all the requisite details, including gauge.

To ease your crafting endeavors, this blog will walk you through yarn ply and weight that affect your projects.

Yarn Ply vs. Yarn Weight

Numerous patterns are composed using terms characteristic of the designer's country. These terms diverge in usage between the US, UK, and Australia as do knitting needles and crochet hooks sizes.

The term 'ply' differs across the US, UK, and Australia. In the US and UK, 'ply' denotes the number of strands intertwined within a yarn, unrelated to yarn thickness. This signifies that a two-ply yarn could be bulky, while a four-ply yarn could be exquisitely fine. Conversely, 'ply' pertains to yarn thickness in Australia and New Zealand.

Generally or according to standard yarn instruction, a 2-ply gauge denotes the lace weight yarn. Fingering weight or sock yarn goes by 4-ply, and DK weight yarn, known as double-knit, is denoted by 8-ply. Worsted is 10-ply, and moving to bulky, chunky, and jumbo weight, it goes up to 15-ply.

Yarn Ply – Understanding how it Impacts the Projects

Ply designates individual fiber strands that are entwined to create a plied yarn. For any given yarn, the ply count reflects the number of strands spun together. Unraveling a yarn would reveal the constituent plies, with a two-ply yarn composed of two separate strands and a five-ply yarn composed of five strands. These strands might be either stout or slender, contingent on the manufacturer's choice of fiber and production technique. Wool has a different constitution than silk or mohair.

It's worth noting that a single strand within a yarn isn't typically labeled as 'ply'; instead, it is referred to as a 'single,' as designating it a one-ply yarn would lack clarity. Combining two singles results in a two-ply yarn, introducing another single creates a three-ply yarn, and the pattern continues. With each additional ply or single, the yarn's robustness, durability, and density differ. Further complexity can be achieved by additionally twisting plied yarns to create cabled yarn.

Yarn Ply and Crafting Projects

Given the existence of more straightforward methods for specifying yarn requirements, you might wonder about the relevance of ply count to your work. As a general guideline, a yarn with a higher ply count often yields crisper stitch definition. However, this rule is only sometimes applicable. For instance, a higher ply count will enhance definition and texture if you intend to craft cable stitch patterns. Conversely, a single-ply yarn imparts sharper lace details and a gentler texture when knitting lace patterns.

Plied yarns also exhibit enhanced durability and are less prone to pilling. Single-ply yarns must endure stress and wear independently, making them susceptible to breaking if subjected to excessive tension. In contrast, multi-strand plied yarns distribute strain across multiple strands, heightening their resilience.

Furthermore, plying influences the weight of the finished project. For instance, if you aim to fashion a lightweight pullover, avoiding a four-ply yarn is advisable. However, exceptions exist. Multi-plied yarns tend to be lighter than single-ply yarns of equivalent size due to the air trapped between strands during plying, whereas a single-ply yarn is a denser fiber mass.

Standard Yarn Weight System

The traditional though of determining the yarn weight with ply count needs to hold value. The Craft Yarn Council of America's (CYCA) Standard Yarn Weight System is making the decision. This modern system employs numerical categories to convey yarn thickness, facilitating easy global comprehension. The scale ranges from one to seven, encompassing the finest to the bulkiest yarns.

Contemporary patterns typically adhere to the CYCA's system for specifying yarn, though patterns requiring a specific ply count still exist.

The Craft Yarn Council of America provides a yarn classification table as a reference for correlating weight with ply count.