Know Your Yarns

 

 Chainette vs. Plied Yarns

Did you know there are different kinds of yarns? I’m not talking fibres (because I know you already knew about those), I’m talking the construction of the yarn. Most of you have heard of and worked with plied yarns. But the other night during our Virtual Knit Night, I was asked about chainette yarns. Below are the benefits of both.

Chainette yarns – are machine made hollow cords where fibres can be blown into. This form uses less fibre to create the same yardage as a plied yarn. They are great for crafting lightweight garments, has great stitch definition, makes heavier fibres lighter and rigid yarns more stretchy.

Plied yarns – are made by spinning fibres into a strand and then these strands can be plied together to create different plied yarns. Ply doesn’t refer to the thickness of the yarn but how many strands are making up the yarn. More plies create stronger yarns, better stitch definition and less pilling.

 

For more information on Chainette Yarns, check out this:

What knitters need to know about chainette yarns

 

For more information on Plied Yarns, check out this:

The why of ply