Buying Weaving Yarn Online

Have you ever tried buying weaving yarn online? It’s a bit tricky, I gotta say. Online companies give you a lot of information, but it can be a challenge translating all those details.

So in today’s episode (#41) of A Handwoven Experience, I’m breaking it down for you. I’ll answer things like, “Why does the sett show a range?”, and “What’s up with the yards per pound number?”. My goal is to arm you with enough information that you can confidently pull up any site that sells weaving yarn and order the appropriate yarn for your next amazing project!

Take a look at your video guide to buying weaving yarn online right here!

Show Notes – 

Sett – The sett refers to the spacing of the warp yarns. The warp yarns for a plain weave pattern will be placed farther apart than for a twill weave. Therefore, when you see the sett listed as 12-18, they are recommending that you plan for 12 epi (ends per inch) with a plain weave & 18 epi for a twill. Now with all that said, if you have a tested pattern from someone else & it differs from the online yarn store’s recommendation? Definitely go with your pattern’s instructions.

Yards per Pound – I don’t know that I described the importance of “yards per pound” eloquently enough in the video. Here’s why this number is so critical. When you plan a weaving project, you think in terms of yards/feet/inches. But the yarn sellers think in terms of weight (pounds/ounces). So this number is the bridge between the two! Here’s an example –

– I need 1800 yards of a blue wool for my project.

– The blue wool comes in 1 lb. cones that have 900 yards on each.

– Therefore, ordering 2 cones (900 yards x 2 cones = 1800 yards) will do the trick! Makes sense? Clear as mud?

USA Yarns – So many of the yarns we use on a regular basis are produced and processed outside of the United States. I lived in South Carolina in the 80’s and it was startling to see the fiber mills completed deserted. For an upcoming project, I challenge you to purchase fibers made in the US. Webs does a good job of marking which of their yarns are produced here, state-side. Check it out!  If you know of other places where we can easily buy yarn made here, please let me know! I’ll pass it along!

Your turn –

What trips you up when you are searching for weaving yarn? Let me know! Happy Weaving!