The single thing we talk about the most in the store is gauge. How something will fit or look, or how big something will be is critical to the success of the project. There is such a wide variety of terminology that has been used to describe weights of yarn that it can be daunting. What is "baby" yarn?
The Craft Yarn Council of America has set out a standard chart to try to remove some confusion. Some designers have adopted this chart for their patterns, notably, Sally Melville, for one. And some yarn companies have started using these symbols on their label.
The existence of a chart just highlights the fact that there is some discrepancy. European yarns are discussed using words like DK and Aran. And while "DK" yarn is pretty consistantly 22 stitches over 4 inches, I have heard "bulky" used to describe about half the store.
As always, if you have any questions about gauge or needle size, we would be happy to discuss them with you, and help you to pair up yarns that would be successful with patterns. That is our pleasure. After all, yarn shopping vicariously is the single greatest thing about working at a knitting store!
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