How to choose a ball of yarn online

Shopping at an online store

When choosing a yarn ball online, we cannot touch it, see it in person, or hold it in our hands. At first, this may seem like a limitation when deciding which yarn balls to choose. However, we have tools to help us make the best choice.

Shopping online offers us great advantages: no travel, better prices, special offers, convenience… Nowadays, more and more people shop online. Our routines are increasingly busy and hectic, with less free time… Or perhaps we simply prefer to shop from our sofa, with a nice cup of coffee, while relaxing at home!

There are many advantages, and online shopping is booming. But to make the right purchases, we also need to choose our products carefully. Here are some tips to help make your online shopping a success.

Tips for choosing a yarn ball online

1. What we want to knit or crochet. 

First of all, if we know what we want a yarn ball for, it is easier to make the right purchase. Think about how you are going to use it and what project you want to start. What type of material do you want for that project? Wool, cotton…? Acrylic yarn, merino, something very soft, something very colorful? What is most important for your project? There are many different yarn balls, and this reflection can help narrow down your search.

2. Photos. 

When shopping online, it is essential to pay close attention to the photos. Keep in mind that subjective descriptions and color names may be understood differently by different people. What is attractive to one person may not be to another. What one person calls dark blue, another may call bright blue, navy blue, or bluish gray… A picture is worth a thousand words, which is why, even if you read all the product information provided, it is essential to examine the photo as well. It is the closest thing to having the yarn ball in front of you.

3. Color. 

When choosing a color, keep in mind that color names can differ from person to person. There are hundreds of shades in the color spectrum, and different people may call them different things. Examining the photo is essential to determine which color and shade we are referring to.

4. Weight and yardage. 

To get an approximate idea of the relative size of the yarn ball we are looking at, we should check its stated weight. In other words, yarn balls come in 50 grams, 100 grams, 150 grams…

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

By comparing yarn balls according to their weights, we can get an idea of their relative size. If we are comparing two or more yarn balls, we can make sure that we are comparing equivalent sizes.

To calculate how much material you need for your project, it is important to look at the weight and yardage. Yarn balls with the same weight may have different yardages due to the characteristics of the fiber, thickness, elasticity, and so on.

Example of how to calculate how much material I need

If you are following a pattern that recommends 6 50-gram yarn balls, but you are buying 100 g balls to make it, keep in mind that you will initially need only 3, unless they are different materials with different yardages and you might run short. In that case, buy 4 yarn balls to make sure you have enough material.

5. Thickness. 

Another important characteristic of a yarn ball is its thickness. How do we know how thick or thin the yarn is? Fortunately, there is also an indicator for thickness: the required needle size. The needle size recommended for each yarn ball tells you the thickness of the yarn. The higher the number, the thicker it will be.

Note that you may see two sizes listed: knitting needle size (for knitting with two needles) or crochet hook size (for crocheting). Normally, the same yarn requires a slightly smaller size for crochet than for knitting. 

I hope these guidelines help you choose the best yarn balls when shopping online!

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