Cotton yarn, 7 cool things you need to know about everyone’s favorite yarn

When you think of yarn, the first type of yarn that comes to mind is usually cotton yarn. Perfect for warm weather tops & accessories Cotton yarns are known to be strong, durable, and have excellent water absorption properties with short drying times, which makes them great for the kiddos, bath and kitchen accessories.

But what makes them the first choice when it comes to crochet?

Here are 7 cool things you need to know about cotton yarn.

1) They are the most popular type of yarn for crochet.

Cotton yarn is the most popular type of yarn, particularly for crochet. It is soft and easy on hands. They are widely available, and thus heavily discounted.

You can find cotton yarn everywhere from your favorite big box, discount store, to the more specialized yarn stores and boutique shops.

Shopping online, no problem. The same brick and mortar stores you normally shop at have online stores that ship world wide.

2) Yarn can be mercerized or non-mercerized

Ever notice that some yarns have a shinny finish, while others have a more matte finish. That is because some yarns are mercerized and some are not.

If you don’t know what mercerization is we have a blog post that goes into detail here.

Paton’s Grace yarn is a good example of a mercerized yarn.

3) It comes in many sizes and colors

One of the main reasons for the popularity of the cotton yarn is the sheer variety of sizes and colors to choose from. From thinnest crochet threads to the thick worsted weight yarns, you can easily find the right size and color to suit you needs.

Need a one of kind color for a special project, there are many small specialty shops that make and dye there own brand of yarn. Just be careful of the quality to ensure you are satisfied with the end result.

4) It is washable

Of course cotton is washable. Just like many of the household items you user everyday, cotton yarn, when you used for apparel, blankets or shawls, dish towels, etc., are washable.

In most cases you can machine wash and dry without damaging the your projects. Just be sure for follow the manufactures recommendations for washing and drying.

5) You can block it and iron it

You can block cotton yarn to help your projects retain their shape and an also iron them.

Blocking is when you use water to shape your crochet (or knit) fabric to achieve a more finished look. Used on flat items such as doilies and granny squares, blocking helps your crocheted items retain their shape

6) It does not stretch when you are working it but will stretch when worn

Another good thing about cotton yarn is that it does not stretch while being worked. This allows you to see the actual shape of your project. This is great when making items that are decor items such as crafts, doilies, table runners, etc.

However, for apparel made from cotton, the finish product will stretch. Think of your favorite blue jeans. They stretch as you wear them. The same applies to apparel make from cotton yarn.

7) It is great for beginners and experienced alike

Because it is so widely available and highly discounted, cotton yarn is great for beginners. You can get it at your local big box store or mall and usually at a discounted price.

More experience crocheters love the variety of sizes and colors, allowing them to be very creative.

Cotton yarn at Lyn’s Crafts

At Lyn’s crafts we carry Patons Grace Cotton Yarn in the Light Worsted (DK) – Size 3. We also have some Balinese Cotton Yarn remaining in our clearance section.

Both yarns are new, top quality yarns, sold a very low prices.

Thanks for reading our blog. We hope you found this article helpfull.

Lyn