Choosing the perfect yarn for your sweater project is no easy task. There are thousands of colour and fibre combinations out there, totalling millions of possible choices!
To make things a little easier, this is a quick rundown of the things you should consider when picking out a sweater yarn.
Fabric care
According to Earth.Org, by 2030 the clothing industry’s global emissions will have grown by 50%. But one of the benefits of knitting is that it’s a lot more sustainable than fast fashion. This is because wool fibres are tougher and last for longer. To keep your jumper looking its best though, you’ll have to think about how you’re going to wash it.
Some yarns are hand washed, or even dry clean only. Depending on the type of sweater you’re planning, you might not want to worry about complicated cleaning. Instead, you might want to opt for a yarn that can be chucked in the washing machine time and time again without losing its shape or shrinking.
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Colour
The colour of a yarn is likely to be the first thing that catches your eye, so it’s important to give this some serious thought. Reds and browns are great for autumn, while blues and greens work well for thinner, spring jumpers.
Make sure enough of the colour you’ve chosen is available to make your sweater and check that it won’t break the bank to buy what you need. Looking at sites such as shoparan.com is a great way to gather inspiration.
Fibre
Picking the right yarn fibre is just as important as choosing the right colour. Yarns are made from lots of different materials, from pure acrylic to pure wool, plus all ratios in between, and come in many different thicknesses.
If you’re making a cosy winter jumper, such as Aran Irish sweaters for men, then you’ll want to go for a thicker, predominantly wool blend. If you’re crafting a slimmer, summer pullover then a lightweight cotton yarn is best.
We hope these simple steps help you on your way to a happy knitting journey.
