Yarn Terminology

• Skein: yarn will typically be sold in what is called a skein. It just just a certain length (will vary) of yarn that had been coiled together for easy packaging and use.
• Hank: not to be confused with a skein, a hank of yarn will be twisted in on itself and not in a usable condition from the get go. You will have to wind it into a ball or cake before you can begin your project.

How Do I Choose a Yarn?

So you’ve chosen your project, but now how do you know which yarn to buy? The craft stores have rows on rows of yarn in every color, thickness, and material you could think of.

Looking at your pattern is a good place to start. At a minimum it will tell you what weight you should use, but in some cases it will tell you the exact brand and colors if you want the end result to be exactly the same as the pattern original.

Many brands of yarn will publish their own patterns as a way to try and get you to buy their yarn. They will give examples of what you could make with just one skein.

Next Steps

1. Choosing your fiber
2. What yarn weight do you need

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