This past Sunday, October 24, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association was thrilled to be able to participate in the Trunk or Treat event held by our wonderful partners at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Metrocare. We had a great time giving out word searches, sweets, fun, and good vibes! Thanks for having us; we had a ball!
Happy Friday, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Our last post demystified yarn labels and detailed what each section and symbol meant. We will now go into more detail on what the 8 yarn weight symbols mean, as well as how this knowledge can help with things such as needle/hook choice for any particular yarn.
What is yarn weight? Yarn weight in this case concerns the thickness of the yarn fiber and not the actual weight (heaviness) of it. When working with any particular yarn on a project, its yarn weight directly affects how the weave looks and feels. When paired with different needles/hooks, it can also affect how long a project can take to complete.
The Craft Yarn Council of America created a standard system of symbols and numbers to help identify yarn weights and included recommended needle/hook sizes and expected ranges for gauges. It is important to remember that these are merely suggestions. As such, it is important to create a swatch when working with yarn in a project to properly measure the combination of the expected number of stitches per inch (or cm) and your individual tension plus other variables. That being said, the Craft Yarn Council of America’s numbered system of yarn weights is generally quite useful when knowing what to expect with any particular yarn.
The included chart shows all of the yarn weights and their corresponding categories, recommendations of needle/hook choice, and expected gauge ranges. Here are some small notes concerning the chart:
** The lace weight yarns are usually crafted using larger needles and hooks to create more airy and lacy projects. Because of this, the gauge range expectations are more difficult to determine and you should always follow what gauge your pattern calls for.
*** Please be aware that steel crochet hook numbers are differently sized when compared to regular hook sizing. This means that higher numbers results in smaller hooks, which is the reverse of regular hook sizing.
We get a lot of questions about individual skeins of yarn and what their labels/symbols mean. The information on the label is critical when choosing what needle/hook to use, knowing how many skeins you will need, and so much more. Most questions about a specific yarn and how to use it can be answered just by reading and utilizing the information given on its label. Here is an overview of how to read one:
Happy Friday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association Family! This week we thought that we’d offer some words of wisdom to our crafting family; gauge is important. Having the right gauge for the project that you are going to be crafting can genuinely be the difference between having a nice, properly fitting garment that looks professional, and one that doesn’t look at all like the garment from the pattern that you chose.
Before starting a project, work a gauge swatch. We know that gauge swatches can seem tedious and redundant, especially when you are raring to go on an exciting new garment. However, knowing that you have the right gauge for the project that you are going to be working on can offer great peace of mind and can make all the difference in the world! Knitting or crocheting a swatch can also save you a lot of time and heartache in the long run.
If you find from measuring the stitches from your gauge swatch that you are a tighter knitter/crocheter than your chosen pattern calls for, consider moving up a needle/hook size. Conversely, if you find that you are a loose knitter/crocheter, move down a needle/hook size.
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family. Yesterday, two of our Board Members attended a very insightful Moral Injuries course compliments of one of our most awesome community partners, StopOne. We are so thankful for their tireless efforts and dedication in helping to end veteran suicide, as well as their drive and determination to inform their community partners in best practices. We here at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association have used several of these learned practices in our efforts to help the veterans that we serve.