Yarn Types - Newbie Question

#1

Hi ladies (and gentlemen)!
I did do a search but didn’t find anything…so if this is somewhere else, please let me know and post link and I will save you all of the repeptitive post.
I have a very adorable skein (? not sure if a skein is an actual amount of yarn or just any ball of yarn…the label says it’s 136 yards of yarn) that someone gave me that they didn’t want…but I don’t know what type of yarn it is. How do I tell what kind of project I can do with it?
I am new and learning about the different types of yarn weights - worsted, sport, fingering, etc. I have no idea what kinds of projects to do with the different weights of yarn, but I would assume a pattern would tell me what kind of yarn to use.
Anyway, all the label says is “Patons Grace 100% mercerized cotton” in Tangelo. I have size 6 circulars, which it says to use…but I have no pattern and no idea the yarn type. It’s really nice yarn, very soft…but what can I do with it?

Thanks all!

#2

Skein is used kind of interchangeably with hank sometimes, but I think it’s a particular way the yarn is wrapped. A hank is a long twisted hank of yarn that can’t be used until it’s been wound. A skein is the type that you can pull the center yarn from. Patons Grace is a skein. A ball is a less often used term with knitters, but is just another term for a skein or wound yarn.

There is all kinds of info on a yarn label. Here’s a link that tells you all that.
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/label.html
Here’s a link that tells you basic yarn weight and gauge info.
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/weight.html
This link tells you appx how many yards you need for various projects based on gauge.
http://www.fiber2yarn.com/info/how_much_yarn.htm

There are probably thousands of patterns on the internet and you can make almost anything from any weight of yarn. Patons Grace is a sport weight yarn.

Do you want to knit flat or in the round? One skein won’t get you far, but you might be able to get a pair of booties or baby hat out of one skein.

#3

Thank you so much! That is great. Actually, I would love to do a hat, so that would be perfect. I have never done a hat before…but am eager to try. I like circular needles and will use those pretty exclusively from now on, I think. I tried some straight needles the other day and it felt very awkward. So I will check out some patterns. If it doesn’t indicate using circulars, I can still use them, right? Not sure how that works, if you could (or someone else who reads this) let me know that would be great. Would I need to adjust a pattern for knitting using circulars on a pattern that calls for straights?

Thank you again!

Tiffany

#4

http://www.patonsyarns.com/product.php?P=2&LGC=grace
Here’s the Patons website and the page for Grace. Theres a tab for free patterns might give you some ideas what to make.

#5

I don’t know if you want to knit a hat flat and seam it on your circs or if you want to knit in the round? If you want to knit it flat and seam then it doesn’t matter what size your cable is. If you want to knit in the round you would need a more specific size. If your cable is at least 24 inches you can try magic loop or modified magic loop. If you have two circular needles of the same needle size you can knit in the round with 2 circs as well. Magic loop and 2 circular needle tutorials can be found in the video section under advanced techniques. If your cable is less than 32" you can try modified magic loop.
http://south-mountain-naturally.blogspot.com/2009/01/tutorial-single-loop-instead-of-magic.html

#6

You can use circulars for circular knitting (i.e., knitting in the round, for things like hats or sweaters. In this application, you just keep knitting around and around without turning your work, so that you end up with a tube of knitting.

You can also use circulars just like you would straights, by turning the work at the end of each row. In this case, you ignore the connecting cable between the needles, and sort of “pretend” they are straight. :slight_smile: