Designer's note: It's not heavy it's my yarn: the weight of your yarn

I am feeling especially giddy today. You see it poured streams, rivers, lakes. After all that, finally, it has stopped. Although, it is chilly the sun has replaced the wet stuff and I am feeling that all things are possible which brings us to today's topic: yarn weight. Don't get the connection? Don't worry you will. (I hope)

Pam Allen has written an excellent book. If you don't have it, you owe it yourself to run to your nearest bookstore and buy it. Tons of excellent advise. Case in point, on page 63 you will find a helpful chart entitled 'Common yarn weights'. It lists the yarn weights and recommended needle sizes. In a nutshell, if you see something like this on your yarn band:

3 1/4 mm (US 3) needles your yarn is fingering or baby weight.
If instead you see:

4.5mm/US 7 needles your yarn is worsted weight.

If instead you see:

10 mm (U.S. 15) needles then your yarn is bulky.

Next question: do you always need to use the needle size recommended by the yarn band?

No, because you need to knit a sample swatch and match your tension to that recommended by the pattern. Sometimes you discover that you will have to use a smaller or larger needle to achieve the desired tension. For more information on sample swatches, please refer back to January 6th's post: Passion and Seduction.

Another reason you may choose to answer no to this question is if you are knitting a scarf or other item which does not need to "fit". Then you can play. What happens if you knit a worsted weight yarn with large needles? You achieve a loose and airy fibre. Like so...

What happens if you knit a bulky weight yarn with small needles? You achieve a stiff fibre. This creation almost stood by its' self.
Playing with yarn and needles is so much fun you won't want to stop.