What is fingering weight yarn?
What is fingering weight yarn?
A primer on common yarn weight terms.
So if you’re a new knitter attempting to choose a different yarn than your pattern calls for, you have likely noticed the confusing and seemingly nonsensical method of labeling yarn weights in the US. Since the weight of your yarn plays a huge part in ensuring your project turns out to be the size you expect, let’s dig deeper into this topic.
Find your perfect skein of fingering weight yarn.
Yarn Weight
Yarn weight simply means how big / thick a particular yarn is. The names given to each general category of weight are non-linear, which makes it a bit confusing at first. So here are common terms in use in the USA, given from lightest / thinnest to heaviest / thickest.
Cobweb – a yarn so thin you’ll practically need a magnifying glass to use it.
Lace – still ultra-thin; great for extra floaty shawls.
Fingering – thin, but durable enough for everyday wear. A common weight for socks and shawls.
Sport – medium thick yarn, good for lightweight garments or thick winter socks.
DK – stands for Double Knitting weight. On the light side of middle of the road and a popular weight for garments.
Worsted – truly the middle of the yarn thickness road here. Great for snuggly sweaters and projects that don’t take forever.
Aran – heavier than worsted weight, but not yet bulky. I like this weight for thick hats!
Bulky – you guessed it, this is a fat yarn! Super squishy & very warm.
Super Bulky – even fatter yarn. This category is a catchall for all kinds of extremely thick yarns and roving.
I love this infographic chart by All Free Knitting to really help understand everything you need to know about knitting needles, yarn types, and projects. It includes the yarn weight numbers from 0 to 7, the category, from lace to roving, the knitting needle sizes (in both US and metric) as well as the ideal projects for each type of yarn.
Download it and keep it handy when you’re searching for the perfect yarn for your next project!
In need of the perfect skein of fingering weight yarn for your next knitting project? Find all my fingering weight yarn by clicking here.
Welcome
Hi – I’m Katie, the dyer here at Yarn Love, and I’m on a mission to add more joy to your life!
Hi Francine – baby yarn is usually a sport weight yarn suitable for use in baby and children’s garments. Because baby really isn’t an official weight designation I would recommend using the yardage and yarn information supplied by the pattern to help you determine if the yarn you’re considering is a good match for the pattern!
I still did not get an answer to my question. Is “baby yarn” the same as “fingering”. Trying to purchase baby yarn for a pattern but could on,y find fingering weight. Thanks.