What size yarn should I use when weaving?

The obvious answer to this question is whatever size you want. Truly you can use whatever yarn thickness you desire and also incorporate non-yarn items. However, when you are new to weaving picking out yarns for your weave can be daunting so I’m going to share my best recommendations.

To start, let’s talk about yarn sizing or weight. A yarn’s weight describes how thick or thin the strand is spun. Some yarns will be described by their weight name, some by their weight number, some by both, and some neither. Here is the order of yarn weights from thinnest to thickest:

0 – Lace weight

1 – Fingering weight

2 – Sport

3 – DK (double knit)

4 – Worsted

5 – Bulky

6 – Super Bulky

The bulky sized yarns will make your weaving quicker, however they will also show your warp thread. If you want a tighter weave that doesn’t show the warp then I recommend using a DK or worsted weight yarn.

Combining yarns is also a great way to add texture and interest to your weave. You could weave some lace weight shapes into your weave, then weave in worsted weight and add some bulky to give your weave some depth and interest. You could also grab more then one thread of yarn and pull them through your weave as if they were one. You might combine 6 threads of lace weight and weave them in as one thread, or combine a worsted weight and a bulky weight to weave in as one. I some times combine multiple strands of worsted weight to make it into a bulky weight strand.  In the picture above, I’m using the same cream yarn for the whole weave. I vary between just one strand of yarn and four strands of yarn used together. In the picture below, I combined a grey super bulky yarn with a matching grey worsted weight yarn to give a little more detail and texture.

My best recommendation is experiment in order to find out what you like. Make a bunch of mini weaves, or just jump into a large weave.

My go to weight of yarn is a DK or this worsted weight. What is your preferred yarn weight? Have you tried combining yarn weights for texture? As always, I’d love to hear from you.

If you’re interested in knowing which yarn to warp your loom with, find out in this post here.

Happy Weaving!

Kate

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, you’ll help support The Weaving Loom, and you’ll receive some amazing stuff, too. Whohoo!

For more fun, follow me here ->