Usually, a knitting pattern will instruct you which weight, or thickness, of yarn you will need to use for the project. However, the names for different yarn weights is different in the UK, in the USA and in Australia. If you’re knitting a pattern that’s been released by someone in another country, it’s always best to check the names of yarn weights in their country, and the equivalent in your country, so that you can make sure you’re using the correct yarn weight. If you don’t do this, you might end up using a yarn that’s lighter or heavier than the one recommended in the pattern, and the project might not turn out like it’s supposed to. I’ve summarised the yarn weights from the UK, USA and Australia below.
Yarn Weight UK | Yarn Weight USA | Yarn Weight AUS |
---|---|---|
1 ply | Laceweight | 2 ply |
2 ply | Fingering | 3 ply |
3 ply | Sock | 3 ply |
4 ply | Sport | 5 ply |
DK | DK / Light Worsted | 8 ply |
Aran | Worsted | 10 ply |
Chunky | Bulky | 12 ply |
Super Chunky | Super Bulky | 14 ply |