How to choose a ball of yarn online

Buying from an online store

When choosing a ball of yarn online, we cannot touch it, see it in person, or hold it in our hands. This may seem like a limitation to knowing which balls to choose. But we have tools to make the best choice.

Shopping online offers us great advantages : saving on travel, better prices, offers, convenience… Nowadays, more and more people are using online shopping. Our routines are increasingly full, rushed, with less free time… Or we simply prefer to shop from our sofa, with a hot cup of coffee, and while we are relaxing at home, we do the shopping!

There are many advantages and we are in the midst of an online shopping boom. But to make the right purchases, we also have to choose the products well. Here are some tips to make your online shopping a success.

Tips for choosing a ball of yarn online

1. What we want to knit.

First of all, if we know what we want a ball of yarn for, it is easier to make the right purchase. Let's think about the use we are going to give it, what project we want to start. For that project, what type of material do we want? Wool, cotton...? An acrylic wool, a merino wool, a very soft one, a very colorful one? What will be the priority for our project? There are many different balls of yarn and with this reflection we can focus the search a little.

2. Photographs.

When buying online, it is essential to pay close attention to the photos. Bear in mind that subjective descriptions and colour names can be understood differently by each person. What is beautiful for one person may not be for another. What is dark blue for another is strong blue, for another navy blue, for another blue-grey... A picture is worth a thousand words, and for this reason it is essential that, although you read all the information offered about the product, you also examine the photograph, which is the closest thing to having the ball of yarn in front of you.

3. Color. 

When choosing a color, keep in mind that color names can be different from one person to another. There are hundreds of shades in the color spectrum, and different people may call them differently. It is essential to examine the photograph to know which color and shade we are referring to.

4. Weight and footage.

To know the relative size of the ball we are examining, we must look at the weight marked on the ball. That is, there are balls of 50 grams, 100 grams, 150 grams...

A 150g ball is not the same as a 50g ball. The 50g ball (being the same material) will be smaller than the 150g ball.

If we compare them with each other by looking at the weights we can get an idea of ​​the relative size of the ball and if we are comparing two or more balls, make sure that we are comparing equivalent sizes.

To calculate the necessary material you need for your project, it is important to look at the weight and footage. Balls of the same weight can yield different meters, due to the characteristics of the fabric, thickness, elasticity, etc.

Example to calculate how much material I need

If you are going to follow a pattern that gives you 6 balls of 50 grams as a reference, but you are buying balls of 100 grams to make it, keep in mind that you will need, in principle, only 3, unless they are different materials that yield different lengths and you may end up short. In this case, buy 4 balls to make sure you have enough material.

5. Thickness. 

Another important variable of a ball of yarn is its thickness. How do we know how thick or thin the yarn is? Luckily, we also have an indicator for thickness: the needle number required. The needle number indicated for each ball will tell you the thickness of the yarn. The higher the number, the thicker it will be.

Please note that you may have two numbers indicated: knitting needle number (for knitting with two needles) or crochet needle number (for knitting with a crochet hook). Normally the same yarn requires a slightly lower number for crochet than for two needles.

 

I hope that with these references, you can choose the best yarn to buy online!

And remember that if you have any questions, ask the store staff for advice.