Yarn Weight & Substitution Guide

Question 1

What are the yarn weight categories?

Accepted Answer

The Craft Yarn Council defines 8 categories: 0 (Lace), 1 (Fingering/Sock), 2 (Sport), 3 (DK), 4 (Worsted/Aran), 5 (Bulky), 6 (Super Bulky), and 7 (Jumbo). Each has specific gauge and needle size ranges.

Question 2

What is DK weight yarn?

Accepted Answer

DK (Double Knitting) is weight category 3. It’s lighter than worsted, typically knits at 5.5–6 stitches per inch on US 5–7 needles. In the UK it’s called DK, in Australia it’s 8-ply.

Question 3

Can I substitute DK for worsted weight?

Accepted Answer

They’re close but not identical. DK is thinner and will give a drapier, lighter fabric. You’ll need more yardage and should adjust your needle size. Our substitution checker shows compatibility scores.

Question 4

What does ply mean in yarn?

Accepted Answer

Ply originally meant the number of strands twisted together, but it’s evolved into a weight system in Australia and the UK. An 8-ply yarn is roughly DK weight, 10-ply is worsted, regardless of actual strand count.

Question 5

What’s the difference between UK and US yarn terms?

Accepted Answer

US ‘worsted’ is UK ‘aran.’ US ‘fingering’ is UK ‘4-ply.’ US ‘DK’ is the same in both. Our chart shows US, UK, and Australian terms side by side to prevent confusion.

Question 6

How do I find the weight of unlabeled yarn?

Accepted Answer

Wrap the yarn around a ruler for one inch without stretching. Count the wraps: 14–18 wraps = fingering, 10–12 = DK, 8–10 = worsted, 5–8 = bulky.

#	US Name	UK Name	AU Ply	Needles	Hooks	Gauge
0	Lace	Lace / Cobweb	1–2 ply	1.5–2.25mm US 000–1	1.5–2.25mm US 6 steel–B	32–40 st
1	Fingering / Sock	4-ply	3–4 ply	2.25–3.25mm US 1–3	2.25–3.5mm US B–E	27–32 st
2	Sport / Baby	5-ply	5 ply	3.25–3.75mm US 3–5	3.5–4.5mm US E–7	23–26 st
3	DK / Light Worsted	DK	8 ply	3.75–4.5mm US 5–7	4.5–5.5mm US 7–I	21–24 st
4	Worsted / Aran	Aran	10 ply	4.5–5.5mm US 7–9	5.5–6.5mm US I–K	16–20 st
5	Bulky / Chunky	Chunky	12 ply	5.5–8mm US 9–11	6.5–9mm US K–M/N	12–15 st
6	Super Bulky	Super Chunky	14+ ply	8–12mm US 11–17	9–16mm US M/N–Q	7–11 st
7	Jumbo	Jumbo	–	12–25mm US 17–50	15–25mm US Q–S+	1–6 st

Yarn Weight & Substitution Guide

💡 Substitution Tips

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