What different thicknesses of wool are there

As the autumn and winter months rear their ugly heads the thoughts turn to keeping warm. As most of us are faced with not turning the heating on due to fears of spiraling food and fuel costs it’s time to look at alternatives. This means putting on jumpers and investing in nice warm blankets. Many of these will probably be of a woolen nature. To save even more money you could look at knitting it yourself. Knitting Kits like those from Wool Couture will give you a head start on what patterns and styles to make your creations in. It’s a rewarding hobby and can also save you a packet in the long run.

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The issue is what kind of thickness of wool are you going to use? For example, if you’re planning to go out on the Atlantic ocean and do some fishing then it would be a good idea to get a sweater in Aran wool. It’s naturally resistant to water, even sea water and it’s very warm. That’s an extreme example but if that woll can help intrepid Irish fisherman it’s certainly going to keep you warm on a mild windy commute or if you’re sitting at your laptop working from home.

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Grades of wool come with different degrees of thickness. The type of wool also lends itself to certain projects over others. There are several types of wool to use. These are defined as Super Chunky, Chunky, Aran, Double Knit, 4 ply and Lace Weight. This list goes from the heaviest first to the lightest. In other words Super Chunky is the heaviest yarn and lace weight is the thinnest. These are clearly defined on the packaging so that you can get a good idea of what you’re getting.

The project that you’re doing depends on these definitions. Kits and patterns should tell you which size you should go for. On the face of it if you’re looking to make a nice hat or wooly jumper you want something thick but not too bulky so the choice should be Aram or Chunky. With time and experience you’ll learn what suits your style and design. It’s easy when you’ve finished your first one. Don’t be put off if you have a few mistakes in the first few attempts.