Selecting the Correct Crochet Thread
Tips On Choosing The Right Crochet Thread
By Dorothy Kimble
Crochet is a popular hobby in the United States and the world
over with an estimated 10 million crochet enthusiasts. It is
perhaps because it is so gratifying to create something new and
beautiful from a ball of thread. The color, type, and quality of
the crochet thread you use can make or break your creation so it
is important to understand the types of crochet thread and their
intended uses.
Below are a few tips to help you choose the correct crochet
thread for your project.
Determine the material the thread is made of.
Cotton crochet thread is the most popular and durable type of
thread. It washes up easily without shrinkage and is easy to
work with. Synthetic threads on the other hand are pretty to
look at but difficult to work with and need special precautions
to clean.
Determine the type of crochet thread.
There are five classifications of crochet thread. They are:
worsted weight, baby or fingering, bulky, sport, and chunky.
Each type has its own weight or thickness with fingering being
the lightest. The term ‘ply’ on the label indicates the strands
of thread that create the yarn for example two ply thread has
two strands entwined and three ply has three strands entwined.
Look for beginner’s thread.
If you are new to crochet, it is advised to start off with
beginner’s thread so you learn to crochet properly and don’t
run into difficulty due to the type of thread you are trying to
learn on. In general, the bigger the size of the thread, the
better and easier it is to crochet with. So a crochet beginner
should start with a large size thread. When you are ready to
enhance your skill, then switch to finer types of thread.
Choose the ideal thread for your project.
Once you have mastered the steps of crochet, it is time to
advance to lighter weight threads. Your projects will appear
more refined and skilled due to the intricate thread used.
Always have extra thread on hand.
You never know when something will happen or you misjudge the
amount of thread you need and you find yourself out of thread
before you complete the project. Not only is it inconvenient to
have to go out and shop for more thread, but you run the risk of
not being able to match the color. When buying colored thread
you should always match the dye lot. Different dye lots will
have slightly different color tones and it might be enough to
ruin the final look of your piece. You can avoid that problem
all together by buying an extra ball at the onset. The
exception is for white thread which should always match in
color.
Don’t go for the cheap thread.
It is tempting to want to save money on thread, but it can ruin
your piece if you use the cheap stuff. The appearance will
suffer and it will not hold up to wear and washing as well.
Remember when shopping for crochet supplies that crochet thread
is an integral part of your finished piece so care should be
taken to get high quality thread that is appropriate for your
skill level and the project you are working on.
About the Author: Dorothy Kimble is a staff writer at Crafts Digest and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Recreation Digest.
Source: www.isnare.com