Category Archives: Uncategorized

Standard Yarn Weight System

Welcome everyone! It’s 2023 already. I can’t believe how 2022 sped by. It wasn’t an easy year by any stretch, so I’m very hopeful that this year is going to be a much better one.

I’d like to chat about yarn weights. There can be a lot of confusion surrounding this issue, with different countries having different names for the same weight of yarn. For example, in South Africa, we sometimes call DK 8-ply, and the US might call medium worsted, or Aran yarn, 4-ply, which is a totally different thing in the UK.

The first thing that is pretty important to address is that the number of actual plies in a yarn is really not relevant anymore. You can find yarns whose weight was identified by the number of plies, might now have a different number altogether. Sometimes you’ll find a very chunky yarn, often referred to as 12-ply, actually only having one. You may have a fine 4-ply yarn with five. These standards really don’t make any sense as a way to identify the weight of yarn. These names can also cause a lot of confusion from country to country. Countries like South Africa, Australia and New Zealand (and a number of others that were former British colonies) generally tend toward the UK naming conventions for yarns, although this is not exclusively the case.

The Craft Yarn Council in the US has a standard weight system for yarns that can remove some of the ambiguity from the naming of yarn weights. The system is numbered from 0, which is extremly fine yarns and threads, to 7, which is extremely thick yarns. It’s a clever system that can aid in classifying yarn weights, and appears to be increasingly adopted.

You can download my handy reference guide to yarn weights below. If you need clarity on the hook sizes refer to my post on UK vs US crochet terms.

Yarn Weight Reference SheetDownload

You can also check out the video on YouTube that covers this topic.

Wishing you a very prosperous 2023. May it be a great year.

UK vs US Crochet Terms

One of the things I wish I knew right at the start of my crochet journey is that there are different crochet terms used in different countries. Sometimes, as is the case in South Africa, both sets of terms are used. For those new to crochet this can be very confusing, added to which that when YouTube is consulted the person offering the tutorial often doesn’t mention which they are using. Further, the US uses different hook size terms to countries that mostly use metric. It can be very confusing all round.

This prompted me to put together a Cheat Sheet that contains some pretty useful information that will help you with these issues and contains other information too. You have a hook conversion chart, a chart of basic UK vs US terms, commonly used terms, instructions, and commonly used symbols. I hope that this will make a big difference in demystifying the different information that comes up when you start crocheting.

There are two files available. The file indicated as “Letter” is 8.5 x 11 in and is more suited for US readers. The file indicated as “A4” is better suited to those from countries using metric. This will make for easier printing. Both files contain exactly the same information.

A4 Crochet Cheat Sheet
Letter Crochet Cheat Sheet

Quickies

Hello everyone. I hope you are having lovely weather in whichever hemisphere you find yourself.

I have started a series of shorter videos, called Quickies. In each I will demonstrate a single technique that may be useful. I’ve kicked it off with the Double Magic Ring. This is a fantastic way to start your amigrumi, and is sometimes overlooked, because some consider it more fiddly, but I think it is one of those things that if somebody shows you how, you realise how easy it is.

I’d love it if you’d watch my video, and please let me know what you think.

See you again soon.

Juno Crochet Blanket

I am very happy to share with you my new project, the Juno Crochet Blanket. Juno is a corner to corner, join as you go project. Juno is available in Jaarn Magazine Issue Six, which you can find in the Jaarn Shop.

Juno is made from African Expressions Joy, which is a wonderfully luxurious yarn.

I really enjoyed making this project, and, while it may initially seem a little complex, it is really quite easy, and works up wonderfully quickly.

I have recorded a tutorial, which is available on YouTube for you. It should be watched in conjunction with the pattern in the magazine, where you will find all the details, and instructions.

I’d love to see your work, so please do share.