Go into a knitting shop and you will find a kaleidoscope of yarns. The task of choosing a yarn can be one of the best parts of the knitting process. All of the beautiful colors of yarn can actually be captivating. Only people who work with knitting materials on a regular basis can appreciate the attributes of the different ones, as they can vary in texture and color.



Before choosing a color, a knitter first needs to decide the type of fiber that is appropriate for their project. Natural fibers come in cashmere, mohair, alpaca, cotton and wool. There is also a long list of hand dyed products available for those who choose not to use the natural fibers.

Many knitters who are knowledgeable about their yarns know that it is important to use the highest quality yarn they can and choose to only use skeins produced in Australia, as they have a reputation for good quality and selection. This decision is far more important than color or texture.

A tension square is a good place to start because it will help you to determine how much knitting yarn you will need. Look at your pattern and use it to determine what ply you will need. Be sure that your knitting pattern is appropriate to the garment you are designing.

The best place to see patterns is on the yarn skein. The yarn skeins are wrapped in paper and most have free printed crochet patterns on them. The good part about using a suggested pattern is that they generally match the yarn they came with.

Other pattern resources are books, which will provide you with detailed instructions for the pattern, as well as different stitches to be used. The internet is quickly becoming more and more common as a resource for knitters. Not only can they find many resources for the purchase of their yarns, but it also provides them with a forum for discussion with other knitters.

A knitter does not need to purchase expensive materials to produce an attractive garment that is of a high quality. Yarns range in price from very cheap to incredibly expensive. Basic, low cost types are "Double Knit" and "Aran," in two, three or four ply. Apache, Amore, Gypsy, Milan and Sirocco are made of eighty percent cotton. Hats, scarves, and sweaters can be made from a high quality yarn such as Tuscany, a fuzzy yarn like Eskimo DK, or a ladder yarn like Illusion or Firefly. Wool blends make warm winter garments.