What is Worsted Weight Yarn?

Chances are that you were head over heels in the quest to understand the terms ‘worsted’, or sometimes ‘double/heavy worsted yarn’. Many a times we at Vardhman are asked the question ‘What is worsted weight yarn?’. It is a common question that is asked by budding knitters, crochetiers (crocheters) and everyone with an inclination towards yarn.

If you want to understand the meaning of ‘worsted yarn’, why it is called so and all other information about ‘worsted weight yarn’, you have come to the right place. We will share all the answers for the question and help you understand the hum and buzz behind worsted weight yarn.

You probably already know that yarn comes in all shapes, sizes and colours. You can find yarn that is thinner than a strand of hair or thicker than a shoelace. If you are able to guess it, ‘worsted’ is a name given to a type of yarn based on its weight. Generally, worsted weight yarn means that one is referring to the size (thickness) that sits in the middle of the yarn weight family. 

The ‘Yarn Weight Family’ is categorized as below:

Lace weight is the thinnest and lightest type of yarn. It’s used mostly to knit lace shawls and scarves. To get the open lace effect, use a larger needle size.

Super fine yarn includes sock and fingering yarn. It’s often used to make socks, hats, mittens and other accessories.

Fine yarn includes sport and baby weight yarn. It’s sometimes confused with light weight yarn. This is a versatile yarn that’s great for just about anything: cardigans, sweaters, hats, socks, etc.

DK weight and light worsted yarns fall into this category. These yarns are just a teeny bit thicker than fine yarns and a tiny bit thinner than medium yarns.

The worsted weight yarn is the most popular medium weight yarn. Not too big and not too small, they’re just right for most projects.

Chunky yarns and rug yarns fall into this category. These knit up nice and quick and are perfect for warm hats, dramatic scarves, blankets and rugs. 

Super bulky yarns are the ultimate in instant gratification knits. You can easily finish a hat in just a few hours. In fact, you can do just that with the Big Hat pattern. These yarns are super warm on account of their bulk.

The wonderful thing about worsted weight yarn is the fact that it can be used in most to almost all of your knitting or crocheting projects. It allows you to customize your projects to a great extent making it an absolute favourite in the knitting community. Since the thickness of worsted weight yarn falls in the middle, it is great for beginners for knitting winter garments such as jumpers, blankets, hats, scarves, mittens and so on. 

Also known as a best friend to the knitter, worsted weight yarn can also be used to test new techniques and patterns as you explore your talent. The yarn shows impeccable stitch definition and due to its popularity, you can purchase it in plenty of colours and fabric types. 

We hope that this guide helps you understand yarn weights and most importantly worsted weight yarn and why you should make it a part of your everyday knitting. 

For more such blogs, visit our knitting diaries here: https://vardhmanknitworld.com/blogs/knitting-diaries 

For worsted weight yarn and many more, visit Vardhman Knit World: https://vardhmanknitworld.com/