Best cotton yarn for knitting

The most popular yarn in the world is probably cotton. It is the go-to yarn for any knitter. With the summers slowly kicking in, you might want to knit with cotton yarn. But have you ever thought about cotton yarn, how it is made and why it is so popular? Read through this blog to find out.

What is cotton yarn?

It doesn’t come as a surprise that cotton is the most common plant based natural fibre in the world. It is one of the oldest known fibres which constitutes a major part in the clothing industry today. It grows around the seeds of the cotton plant and is widely grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions across the world. Once the cotton is grown to yieldable standards, it is harvested and then spun in different methods (dry/wet spinning, melt spinning, gel spinning, etc.) to yield yarn.

You are probably surrounded with multiple cotton fabrics right now. If you are, see it and feel it for yourself to understand why it is so popular.

What are some properties of cotton yarn?

Breathable

Cotton is incredibly breathable. It allows for constant circulation of air in between the fabric and your skin. You can wear it at any time of the year. It is extremely absorbent for summer humidity and perfect for layering in winter.

Inelasticity

Cotton relaxes in the direction that it is pulled in. For example, if you take a cotton ball and gently pull it, it will be extended in size. It will not retreat back to its original shape. In knitter’s terms, such a fabric gives a fantastic stitch definition. Every detail that you would put while knitting cotton will stand out extravagantly.

Durable

Beat it, throw it, wring it, pull it and do everything else that you want to, your cotton will take it. It also has a high tensile strength which makes it less likely to tear. If you are looking to knit a wash cloth or similar items, cotton is the way to go.

What can you knit/crochet with cotton yarn?

Cotton comes in a wide range of vibrant colours that make it ideal for any kind of knitting or crocheting projects. Due to its inelasticity however, it can get a little tricky to knit with. Beginners may struggle with keeping even tension while knitting. Sometimes, this can even cause hand strain. But as we knitters know it – what’s a project without a little pain?

Cotton is undoubtedly great for knitting various items such as towels, washcloths, pillows, bio-degradable grocery bags, etc.. Additionally, you can even make baby blankets, clothes, mittens, etc. If you are feeling creative, you can do many variations to your projects as cotton yarn is available is different weights, textures and colours.

Bottom line

Cotton is inexpensive, durable and easy to take care of. There is no reason why cotton shouldn’t be a part of your everyday knitting. If you think 100% cotton is difficult to work with, you can also try blended yarns with say an 80-20% split. In the end, it comes down to what you prefer over the other. If you are looking for amazing stitch detailing, vast number of colours and an outcome that is durable, then cotton is the yarn to go for.

Explore our collection of yarns here: https://vardhmanknitworld.com/collections/balls