Double knit wool too thick.

I know I should do a test piece, but I've been knitting for 65 years and never come across such large variations in thickness as I've found recently. It's the old adage, 'You get what you pay for'! I'll be buying better quality in future.

gauge swatch first ie find a gauge by trial and error, one that feels nice when you squish it. Make a square and wash it and only then measure how many stitches and rows to 10cm. Go onto ravelry patters, the advanced link and down the list on the side you can find everything you need to make a garment, choice of garment, age, what gauge you are going to use etc. It will come up with lots of suitable patterns

There is yarn and there is yarn, drape depends on the yarn, floofiness depends on the yarn etc

I agree that there can be big differences between yarns labelled DK. However, some give you the approx length on ballband. Looking at a few I have, 100 g balls varied beteeen 200 and 300 metres. In general, a longer ball of yarn is probably thinner! Though different types - acrylic, wool, linen, cotton will have different weights which is another factor.

Better to knit a gauge swatch if you’re in doubt (says the woman who rarely does!) but it doesn’t always work just to go down a needle size to that in the pattern as the resulting fabric can be too dense. I recently bought some Aran weight yarn which was definitely a lot thinner than I expected and knitted up practically see through. Agree about the measuring Doodledog - knit till it fits!

Worsted yarn is widely sold in the US, and that is somewhere between UK DK and Aran.

As brands are now sold globally, I suppose it doesn't make sense to produce different thicknesses for different countries. These days I tend to make things from patterns that aren't row-dependent (ie they say 'continue until garment measures 30cm' instead of 'knit X rows in Y stitch'). that way it doesn't matter too much.

Sometimes the colour of the dye seems to affect the thickness.

Witzend

In the past I’ve bought French so-called DK in pure wool (IIRC by Bergere de France) which was decidedly thinner than standard DK. So I don’t think it’s just cheaper brands.

Yes, I've used that and it is thinner, if you're making something using different yarns, be warned, it is more like 4 ply.

I have found variations in thickness of both DK and Aran yarns recently.
As MOnica says it's best to knit a swatch if knitting something to fit.
Chardy I have my eye on the yarn in The Works too but haven't got around to trying it yet. It does look and feel good.

In the past I’ve bought French so-called DK in pure wool (IIRC by Bergere de France) which was decidedly thinner than standard DK. So I don’t think it’s just cheaper brands.

The Works now does a range of DK acrylic and interesting colours. And at a reasonable price £3 for 100g. Has anyone tried it? Knitting? Crochet? Does it wash well?

Sirdar Hayfield Bonus DK is very good. Always knits up well and a great range of colours. I stopped buying wool from a well known budget supermarket because it didn’t knit up well, or wash well either. Mind you, I’m not the best knitter in the world!

nanna8

I usually use 4 ply but if it is a large thing sometimes 8 ply. I think double knit is 6 ply ? Recently I have bought wool from China and it is described as ‘Australian’. It is about half the price of the wool we get here in Australia. Typical of our country, sell stuff cheap overseas and make the locals pay more.

I've bought yarn in Australia and I'm sure UK double knitting is 8 ply over there.
Some I noticed in a cheap shop was made in China and wasn't nice, more like string!

I still have my Tasmanian pure wool, not knitted it yet!

Even the same brand of the same make seems to vary; perhaps not all is spun in the same factory.

Ailidh

James Brett Best Value DK is quite slender, I've just given some to a charity because it just doesnt work in with my Woolcraft New Fashion DK, which is my budget choice.

Stylecraft DK is lovely to work with, neither too fat nor too thin, and Not full of Knots!

I agree. stylecraft yarn is good. I have noticed though that different shades are thicker or thinner than others. When I queried this I was told that different factories spin different yarns.

James Brett Best Value DK is quite slender, I've just given some to a charity because it just doesnt work in with my Woolcraft New Fashion DK, which is my budget choice.

Stylecraft DK is lovely to work with, neither too fat nor too thin, and Not full of Knots!

I usually use 4 ply but if it is a large thing sometimes 8 ply. I think double knit is 6 ply ? Recently I have bought wool from China and it is described as ‘Australian’. It is about half the price of the wool we get here in Australia. Typical of our country, sell stuff cheap overseas and make the locals pay more.

I find DK wool thickness is immensely variable and aways knit a test patch before knitting anything so that I can adjust needle size or garments size to fit.

I rarely knit so have not noticed this, but surely now you know these yarns knit up larger than wanted, the obvious thing to do is to use smaller needles next time?

I think it is always wise to knit a swatch square to check the tension before completing a garment.

There are so many variations in yarns. Not all DK or 4 ply or Aran is the same as any other.

There is usually information in the pattern as to the number of rows/stitches to test the swatch.