When buying yarn for a project...

[jessc031778]

and making a substitution...how do you determine how many skeins to buy?? Do you use the total yards needed, the total grams needed, the total ounces needed???

 

See, I'm making a sweater for a friend of mine and wanted to check out what yarns would work for the pattern, but for each yarn, if I use total yards needed, I get one number of skeins needed and if I use total grams needed, I get another number of skeins needed...and the two numbers are very different. So, which is the better number to use????

 

Thanks!

Jessie

[darski]

I would go with yards. It has proven to be the best gauge from the things I read everywhere

[CLLinda]

Be sure to check that the weight of the yarn is the same. For example, if the pattern calls for dk and you use worsted, your guage will be off. And make sure to do a swatch before you start the sweater. It would be very important in an article of clothing. The sweater may not fit correctly if the guage is off.

 

In a blanket, it would not be as important.

 

Good luck finding the right yarn. You are very nice to make a friend a sweater.

 

[lhasaapsolady]

If the weight classification is the same I go by the grams. If it is different as in pattern calls for Medium and I'm using Bulky I go by the yard.

[jessc031778]

The pattern calls for bulky yarn (number 5 on the weight scale thingy), so I went to Hershnerr's and looked only at bulky yarns....so the weight should be the same, right?? I'm just trying to see which yarns would be both economical and look nice, but to figure that out I have to figure out how many skeins of each I'd need to buy...the pattern is from the Lion Brand site and calls for Wool Ease Thick & Quick, 7 skeins...which would make it a total of 756 yards or 1190 grams....and for one of the yarns I was considering when I figured by yards I needed 5 skeins, but when I figured it by grams I needed 12!!! Purdence would suggest buying 13 skeins just to be on the safe side, but that would mean I'd have to wait another week before buying them and I'm impatient LOL!!

 

Do any of you have suggestions or comments on bulky weight yarns?? I've not done anything with a yarn heavier than WW, so this will be a first for me....

 

Thanks!

Jessie

[monael]

I would definitely go with yards. Different fibers I am sure would weigh different for the same length of yarn.

[Brandybuck]

I used LB Thick and Quick for an afghan(it's SO warm), but it's a Super-Bulky weight. Wool-Ease does have a Chunky weight, though. A really good bulky yarn is Bernat Softee Chunky. It's a lot softer, and there's a larger color choice. knitting-warehouse.com usually has it at a discount.

[Calesmommy]

I have a crochet fantisy mag. That explained how to subsitute and what you can and can't do. Its like a year old was the broom stick issue.

(I finally read it while on a plane last week)

I can look at which one it was and let you know

I learned alot reading it though.

[darski]

Red Heart has recently started making their one pound yarns thicker. I wondered why they would do that as they don't make any more if they sell a pound of thick or thin yarn.

 

But if you think about it, it takes a certain yardage to make (say) 48 squares. Your individual squares would be a bit bigger but you would likely have to go and buy another skein to get enough yardage to make all the squares you need. The yardage would not go as far; you get more yards per pound from thin yarn.

[WendyLee]

Jessie,

Here are a couple of web sites that may help you.

http://www.fiber2yarn.com/info/how_much_yarn.htm

http://www.nezumiworld.com/crochet_014.htm

[Happy_Hooker]

I would err on the high end... Nothing wrong with having extra yarn.

[jessc031778]

Thank you everyone!! I totally agree that there is nothing wrong with having lots of yarn left over after completing a project...it's just that DH & I have set it up so that we each get $10 a paycheck for fun money, and that's what I've got to work with to get the yarn for any new projects...so I could pick up 5 or 6 skeins now, but if I need 13, I have to wait a whole nother pay period to even go shopping for the yarn...cause let's face it, if I go into any crafting shop knowing I've got $10 that I could spend, I'll spend $15 LOL!!!

 

Thanks!

Jessie

[xampx]

I go by yardage or meterage and then add a little extra. My aunty goes by balls, i dont understand how she can do that when with bulky you can get 70yd and with 4ply you can get 200+ yd per ball

[Starr]

I always go by the yardage in the weight of the yarn type (ei: worsted- #4 weight catagory) called for in a pattern, then I always get a ball/skien or 2 extra

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

Man, this can be a headache, can't it? I think if you are using the same weight of yarn, you can go by the yardage, and that's what I would do. 13 skeins seems like such a big number for a sweater that originally calls for 7 in the same yarn weight. Good luck!!

 

Nicole

[jessc031778]

Thank you all so much for the feedback on this!! I think I'll go by yards, and I'm going to go shopping on Friday while the local AC Moore has all their yarn at 25% off (sale ends Saturday I think)...I've never made this friend anything before (we're moms at the same bus stop and have only begun chatting since the school year began) and I really want this to turn out nicely so I'd like to get all the yarn at once to ensure it's all from the same dye lot....

 

Nicole...the original yarn had more grams per skein than the possible sub yarn, that's why I thought there might be a big difference like that LOL!!

 

Jessie