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Our favorite yarn for sweater knitting [5 of 5]
There is no perfect yarn for sweater knitting, but wool and cotton blends come close, and here are three we like to end the series.
We’ve discussed what yarn weight is best for knitting a sweater, explored the wonders of wool, the coolness of cotton, and how acrylic ain’t what it used to be.
But we think there’s a yarn that rises above them all to be a sweater superhero.
Blending things together
A lot of great yarns borrow properties from multiple fibers to create something with unique characteristic.
Most sock yarns include some nylon for added stretch and durability. Those are important features for a fiber that needs to fit a foot and stand up to wear and tear.
Yarns like Wool-ease are mostly acrylic, making them affordable, but it includes a small percentage of wool to provide additional softness and warmth. That small bit of wool goes a long way.
One of my favorite yarns to work with is a cotton acrylic blend, which ends up being silky smooth with amazing drape and incredible stitch definition. These qualities make it ideal for knitted toys or crocheted amigurumi.
But is there a fiber blend that is ideal for sweaters?
The Perfect Sweater Yarn
Years ago we did a crowdfunding campaign to create what we thought was the ideal yarn for sweaters.
It utilized the warmth of wool and it’s elastic nature to give the yarn the coziness every sweater should have.
That was combined with the coolness of cotton’s moisture management and lasting durability.
These fibers were lightly spun using a woolen method, giving the yarn a lofty, rustic feel.
And the two different fiber types absorbed dyes differently, creating a muted color palette with a heathered appearance.
We called the yarn Zephyr, and sadly we don’t currently have any available.
Luckily there are some similar yarns that share some or all of Zephyr’s characteristics.
Our Favorite Sweater Yarns
This worsted weight yarn combines 55% superwash merino with 45% organic cotton. The bright, bold colors make it ideal for baby and children, but there’s plenty of options for adults as well. Plus, you can easily throw this in the wash making it no fuss to maintain.
DK weight Dapple balances the spring and bounce of fine American Merino wool (60%) with the airy softness of Texas organic cotton (40%), with a lofty 2-ply woolen-spun construction for that “favorite sweatshirt” feel in baby sweaters, lightweight shawls, and garments.
Wool + Cotton by Madeline Tosh
This worsted weight yarn is a perfect balance of 50% superwash merino wool and 50% pima cotton. With a collection of earthy, muted colors that have a tweedy appearance, this yarn is good for the soul.
Conclusion
There is no “perfect” sweater yarn.
Everything depends on your needs and wants as a knitter.
You can knit a beautiful sweater with more affordable acrylics, or indulge yourself with 100% cashemere.
While we have a fondness for wool/ cotton blends, they aren’t right for everyone. And that’s ok.
There are no rules, just options, and hopefully through this series you have more information to make the right choice for you. 😉
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