“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

— Thomas Edison

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In today’s email:

• Knitspiration: Looking a sport weight yarn
• Stitchionary: A colorful stitch for bees
• Pattern Pick: This mosaic cowl is a little shifty
• PLUS: Like a real Dutchman, baby bumble bees, and more

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When you buy using them, you support our work here at The Yarnist, as we get a small commission.

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💡 Knitspiration

🏃‍♀️ What is sport weight yarn?

Summer is quickly coming to an end so what we're knitting with is beginning to shift as well.

Today we're going to discuss a yarn that is somewhat of a myster; sport weight.

What is it? What is it good for?

We'll answer that and more by the end of this article.

What is Sport weight yarn?

Sport weight yarn, according the the Craft Yarn Council is any yarn with a average stitch gauge of 23-26 sts per 4 inches (10cm). That's around 6 stitches per inch.

Yarns in this weight class are the third thinnest of all 8 yarn weight categories, being listed with a CYC #2.

Terms like FINE, baby, and 4-ply yarn are sometimes used to describe yarns in this category as well.

Most sport weight yarns will have 3 or 4 plies (twisted with multiple strands of fiber), although you may see single ply sport weight yarns.

Why is it called *SPORT* weight yarn?

While there's no record of how this yarn weight received it's name, the term *sport* may come from the sportswear worn for winter sports in Nordic countries like Norway. Knit sweaters are commonly worn for skiing and are made from thinner yarn which is double thick when used for stranded color work. Sport weight is not the same as DK weight yarn which is slightly thicker.

What needle size is best for sport weight yarn?

While the gauge listed in your project will determine your needle size, your yarn ball band may recommend needles in the range of US 3 - US 5. In metric that's between 3.25mm and 3.75mm.

What kind of fibers are most common in sport weight?

Sport weight is one of the more versatile yarn weights, even though it is not as common as middle weight yarns like worsted.

That means that you can find sport weight yarn made from almost every fiber type.

What projects are best for sport weight yarn?

While it's commonly thought that accessories like socks and small knits like baby clothes (hence the alternate term baby weight yarn) are the most popular projects to knit with sport yarn.

Not so Reader! A quick search on Ravelry reveals that sweaters are the bigger winner for sport weight projects.

In fact popular designer Andrea Mowry (Drea Renee Knits) has made 1/5th of all her designs using sport weight!

😍 Sport Weight Yarns We Love

Here’s some of our favorite sport weight yarns you might want to check out:

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Arroyo by Malabrigo - Get It Here​

Details - 100% Superwash Merino Wool (335yds / 100g)

Versatile and fun, Malabrigo Arroyo is a super-soft sport-weight yarn that will leave you swooning for more! This scrumptious yarn is made out of 100% Superwash Merino wool, meaning you can machine wash your garments if you so choose.

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Pashmina by Madeline Tosh - Get It Here​

Details - 75% Merino, 15% Silk, 10% Cashmere (360yds / 115g)

A Madelinetosh favorite, Pashmina is a hand-dyed, 3-ply, sport-weight yarn that blends the worlds of soft, squishy, and sturdy! This yarn is a similar fiber blend to the famous woven pashmina scarves! Pashmina knits up to a soft fabric with a gorgeous drape, making it the perfect option for scarves and shawls alike!

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Baby Alpaca by Blue Sky Fibers - Get It Here​

Details - 100% Baby Alpaca (110yds / 50g)​

Blue Sky Fibers Baby Alpaca is 50 grams of squishy, sport-weight delight! Light and soft, this yarn is perfect for projects from hats to pullovers to mitts. Baby Alpaca is a two-plied yarn that's begging to glide across your needles. Offering a wide range of deep solid hues, Blue Sky Fibers Baby Alpaca has the perfect color for your project!

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Merino Camel by LB Collection - Get It Here​

Details - 80% Merino Wool, 20% Camel (136yds / 25g)​

Merino is the cashmere of wool breeds: prized for its softness and warmth. Camel, often associated with luxurious menswear, is one of the finest noble fibers, embraced for its lustrous, smooth hairs that create luxurious yarns that are warm, yet lightweight. Lion Brand’s Merino Camel is a blend of both: the merino provides buoyancy and stitch definition, while the camel give each project silkiness and drape.

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Cotton Bamboo Linen by LB Collection - Get It Here​

Details - 40% Cotton, 35% Bamboo, 25% Linen (164yds / 25g)​

Enjoy three natural fibers that drape even better together! Combining the softness and drape of bamboo with the absorbency and durability of cotton and linen, our LB Collection Cotton Bamboo Linen yarn is perfect for year-round projects like clothing, shawls, and baby items.

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Comfy by KnitPicks - Get It Here​

Details - 75% Pima Cotton, 25% Acrylic (136yds / 25g)​

Comfy Sport is the ultimate solution for gift giving and knitting for babies, children, and charities. The breathability and softness of Pima cotton allow for easy wearing while the touch of acrylic microfiber adds just the right amount of elasticity. This blend offers a cotton-based yarn that has superior wearability and longevity, as well as easy care, which you are sure to appreciate over the years.

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Wool of the Andes Sport by KnitPicks - Get It Here​

Details - 100% Peruvian Highland Wool (137yds / 25g)​

For the sweater you’ll wear a thousand times or the blanket you’ll use every night, our classic wool yarn is spun and plied carefully to achieve a wonderfully balanced twist. Spun from Peruvian wool, the strong fiber has an excellent balance of structure, loft, and drape that serves a wide variety of uses. Wonderfully warm for all weather, this sturdy, all-purpose yarn has excellent stitch definition and heirloom durability. It is ideal for cabled sweaters, textured stitch afghans, and everyday accessories.

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So there you have it. A quick overview of sport weight yarn.

But what about you? Have you knit with sport weight yarn? Are you a fan?

Why or why not? Hit reply and share your experience with us!

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📆 Daily Stitch

The 2-Color Bee Stitch

This unique stitch is an alternate version of the bee stitch.

Using the infamous knit one below (k1b), it creates a textured fabric with little tiny recesses, a bit like a honeycomb.

It's an incredibly easy way to knit with two colors, and will make a baby blanket perfect for your little bumblee bee.

Learn this Stitch

🧶 Pattern Pick

The Shift by Andrea Mowry

This cowl is the perfect all-the-time accessory!

And the answer for all of those knitters out there who love to knit shawls, but have a hard time styling them.

A fun and engaging knit with shifting colors, that looks like an asymmetrical triangle shawl, and it only takes a fiddle-free second to throw it on as the finish to every outfit!

Get This Pattern

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😂 Knits & Giggles

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Thanks for reading!

Before you go...below you'll find a few ways we can work together, and other bits & bobs: