Yarn basics

Yarn databases, specs & reviews

Yarn retailers

Yarn company websites

Local yarn stores

Spinning...coming soon

Dyeing...coming soon

 

Tip: Use Ctrl + F to search for text on this page

Yarn basics

Standard yarn weight system chart with recommended gauges and needle sizes

Wraps per inch chart with yarn weights, suggested gauges and needle sizes, typical amounts required for a sweater

Weight converter (weight - number of balls)

Typical yarn amount requirements:  1  (for women's pullovers at different gauges)  2  (chart at Lion Brand; afghans, hats, scarves, sweaters, vests at different gauges for children and adults)  3  (calculator)

Yarn put-ups: Balls, skeins and hanks

Reading labels  Label symbols: 1  2

Choosing yarn for a project:  1  (Knitty article)  2  (6-part series at the Knitting Harpy)

Winding yarn into balls:  1 (photo guide)  2 (center-pull ball; video)

Gauge: 1  and  2  (Knitty articles)  3 (video on measuring gauge)

Swatching:  Basics:  1  (at Purl Bee)  2 (at dummies.com)
The Knitting Curmudgeon on swatching (PDF file)
Swatching cable patterns - tutorial at Brooklyntweed
Swatching for circular knitting

Drape

Yarn substitutions:   1  (JKnitty article)  2  (Knotions article)

Yarn care label symbols: 1  2

Yarn storage and pests:  1  2 (Knitty article)  Fiber pests and natural controls (from The Spinners Companion; PDF file)
 

Yarn databases, specs & reviews

Knitter’s Review yarn reviews
In-depth reviews based on swatching the yarn and washing the swatches. Photos included.

Knitty magazine yarn roundtables
Hands-on group reviews with ratings and comments

Ravelry yarn database (free membership required)
More than 30,000 yarns. Search or browse by weight, fiber, brand, or name. Find where to buy a yarn, color card links, pattern suggestions, & photos of projects made with it.

Wiseneedle
Database with more than 5000 yarns. Detailed specs, user-contributed yarn reviews. Since 1995.

Yarndex
Yarn database with more than 5000 yarns. Detailed specs, color card photos. Search or browse by brand, name, weight, fiber, or texture. User comments and reviews. Site is affiliated with yarnmarket.com.
 

Yarn retailers There are far too many online retailers to attempt a listing, but here is a small selection of the best discount and specialist online yarn stores. Suggest a retailer

Discount yarn retailers - a selective list

Elann Name brand closeouts and private label yarns

Jannette’s Rare Yarns Special offers and closeouts on Rowan, Jaeger, Debbie Bliss, Noro, Mirasol yarns and more. Great service, UK store.

Knit Picks Discount private label yarns

WEBS Everyday quantity discount of 20-25%; closeouts, mill ends, and frequent sales also

Specialist retailers - a selective list

Artfibers  Unusual and beautiful collection of private label, custom dyed yarns including linens, silks and luxury blends

Black Water Abbey  2-ply Irish wool in worsted weight (39 colors) and fingering weight (natural colors only). Beautiful yarn for cable knitting, plus suitable patterns.

Catnip Yarns Natural-color undyed yarns from Henry's Attic in a wide variety of weights and fibers including certified organic merino. Larger quantity put-ups available.

Colourmart sells coned yarns from Scottish and Italian mills. Cashmere, silk, wool, alpaca and blends, in weights from cobweb to Aran. Ebay store also.

Heirloom Knitting  Sharon Miller's company sells lace yarns and patterns: Shetland lace and cobweb yarns, Rowan Kidsilk Haze, private-label wool, silk, and cashmere lace yarns.

The Loopy Ewe Large selection of lace and sock yarns, including many from small independent dyers

Sarah's Yarns  Small but unusual and excellent selection features Jaggerspun Zephyr, Mission Falls, Punta del Este, and private label yarns.

Schoolhouse Press  Meg Swansen's company, founded by Elizabeth Zimmermann in 1958. Small but excellent selection of traditional wool yarns, including Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift and laceweight, Icelandic unspun and laceweight, fingering weight Satakieli from Finland, traditional Guernsey yarn, and several sturdy economical worsted-weight wools.

Two Swans Yarns  Jamieson’s Shetland wools, plus yarns from Rowan and Lorna’s Laces

Wooly West  Nancy Bush’s company offers unusual sock and lace yarns as well as Nancy’s books
 

Local yarn stores

Knitmap Catalog of local yarn stores worldwide. Users can rate, review, and add locations. iPhone version available.

Yarn shop directory at The Daily Knitter

Knitter's Magazine shop finder

Ravelry local yarn store search (free membership required)

Ravelry Yarnphone for the iPhone (free)
 

Yarn company websites - selective list of sites with a lot to offer
     Suggest a site

Berroco Well-designed site with yarn specs and color cards, large free pattern library, pattern booklet previews, multimedia, weekly newsletter, blog. No direct pattern sales.

Crystal Palace Yarn specs and color cards, large collection of free patterns

DROPS design in English or choose your language
Norwegian yarn manufacturer offers thousands of free patterns in 10 languages. All written for Drops yarns. Searchable by category, yarn type, gauge, key word, or model number. Photos, schematics, printable written instructions, charts where helpful; no PDFs. User comments.
 
Knit Picks More than 100 free patterns, exclusive patterns sold as PDFs, direct yarn sales, technique tutorial library, online community, knitalongs, blogs, podcast.

Lion Brand More than 2000 free patterns, yarn specs, knitting tips, customer project gallery, weekly newsletter

Rowan Yarn specs and color cards, pattern book previews, monthly free patterns, tips and tutorials, online community and more free patterns for subscribers