Types of Knitting Yarn Fibers PLUS Easy Knitting Suggestions

There are a few core things you need to do before getting started on an easy knitting project. you must learn about different types of knitting needles and yarn, learn the basic knitting stitches, and decide on an easy knitting pattern. There are multiple ways you can classify yarn. Different knitting patterns will call for different types of yarn. it can be quite overwhelming to sort through all the different varieties to determine what will work best for you. I will break down the differences for you by giving you a description of the different types of yarn fibers that are available. I am new to knitting so I am always interested in what will work best for easy knitting projects, thus I will include my recommendations at the end of the article.
TYPES OF YARN FIBERS
Animal-based fibers provide great insulation, keeping you warm when it’s cold outside and cool when it’s hot. They are also very absorbent. some animal fibers are warmer than others, but even a light mohair yarn can knit into a warm sweater.

• Wool: all wool comes from sheep but can range from very rough and scratchy (from Icelandic sheep) to superfine fleece as soft as cotton (from Merino sheep). Merino yarn is fairly inexpensive and feels great against your body. Wool is the most common fiber to knit with.
• Mohair: Mohair comes from the fleece of an Angora goat. it is fuzzy and glamorous but can be itchy when worn directly against your skin.
• Cashmere: this is the most wonderful soft, fluffy yarn. Cashmere is combed from the belly of cashmere goats. it is VERY expensive so if you want the feel of cashmere without the huge expense you can buy a yarn that blends cashmere with something else (like wool).
• Alpaca: Alpaca fibers come from a llama-like animal and when used in clothing it is very very warm. Useful for hats and scarves but potentially too hot for a sweater. Alpaca yarn typically comes in earthy, natural tones and is considered a “luxury fiber”.
• Angora: Angora yarn is very fine and fluffy and comes from bunnies! it sheds very badly so it’s best used for accents rather than an entire item of clothing.

Plant fibers are not as insulating as the animal-based fibers but they absorb moisture very well and are strong and very breathable. another benefit of plant fiber is that it is all hypo-allergenic so if you are allergic to wool you should still be able to wear clothes made of cotton or linen yarn.

• Silk: Silk comes from the long fibers of unraveled silkworm cocoons. it is very strong and yarn made of silk is shiny, light and beautiful. Silk yarn is one of the more expensive yarns.
• Cotton: Cotton is light and absorbent, but not as stretchy as wool. it is a bit harder to work with (and shows uneven stitching) so better used for more advanced projects.
• Linen: Linen is a cool breathable fiber, but can cause your clothing items to be stiff and wrinkle easily. when blended with cotton it is much easier to work with. Linen yarn is spun from the long fibers of the flax plant and is very strong and breathable.

Man-made fibers, such as acrylic, are inexpensive and easily washable. However, they are not very warm or absorbent. Using acrylic yarn in clothing items will give you a result that feels like store-bought clothing. However, once you try using animal-based or plant fibers you will realize that they are a LOT nicer!

• Acrylic: this is the cheapest, easiest yarn to work with and therefore PERFECT for your first few easy knitting projects. it is great to use for projects intended for babies and pets since you can wash it easily. it is helpful to buy acrylic yarn with a little bit of wool blended in to make it nicer to work with and wear. Most of the fuzzy, furry, sparkly novelty yarns are made using acrylic so you will definitely want to check it out at least for those.

EASY KNITTING SUGGESTIONS
For your first project, definitely start with a simple acrylic yarn. you will not want to invest in the more expensive, luxury yarns for projects that you will probably make mistakes on anyway. when you feel ready to move on to different types of yarn make a few smaller projects so you get used to how the yarn feels, or try a blended yarn which combines several different fibers to get the benefits of both.
Once you have finished a simple project or two, you can move on to the higher end yarns or opt for a novelty yarn to experiment with. one of the first easy knitting patterns I want to try is found on the back of a skein of “eyelash yarn” which is one of the novelty acrylic yarns that is all fuzzy. it is a simple pattern but using that yarn can be difficult. It’s still fairly inexpensive so great to work with as you’re learning, but the results are very cute because the yarn is just so fun!