Thick yarn is popular among crafters who want to create cosy, warm projects that look great. Understanding the various types of thick yarn and their uses is important to help you choose the right kind of yarn for your projects.
Common Yarn Terminology
Yarn is numbered by thickness and the thicker the yarn, the bulkier the item. Thick yarn has several categories and bulky yarn, sometimes also called chunky yarn, measures almost twice the thickness of standard worsted weight yarn.
Moving up the scale, super bulky yarn is even thicker, while jumbo yarn is the thickest variety available. These terms can vary around the world, with British knitters often using terms like ‘chunky’ where American crafters might say ‘bulky’.
Characteristics and Uses
Knitting with bulky yarn creates warm, substantial pieces so it is ideal for creating winter accessories such as scarves, hats and cosy jumpers. Super bulky yarn produces even thicker, warmer items and is quick to work with. Jumbo yarn can create dramatic home decoration pieces and can be used for arm knitting projects like oversized blankets and rugs.
If you need chunky yarn for your project, visit The Wool Couture Company or other wool stockists for a wide selection of chunky yarns.
Choosing Thick Yarn
Choosing the right yarn depends on what you want to make with it. The fibre content of the yarn can alter the final product, with wool giving warmth and durability and cotton-based yarns giving more breathability and softness.
It is also important to consider the colour and texture of the thick yarn. This is because what you create is more substantial, and therefore these factors are much more pronounced.
Regional Differences
Understanding the different regional terminology can also help when you are shopping for thick yarn, especially if you use patterns from different countries. Knitters in Britain use terms like Aran and chunky while American patterns might use words like worsted and bulky weights. This difference in terminology can seem confusing, but if you know what you’re looking for, you can select the right yarn for your project.
