When you read a pattern or hold a new yarn in your hand, the jargon shows up quickly. What does superwash mean? Why do some yarns pill more than others? And what is the difference between woolen-spun and worsted-spun? Here we collect the yarn and knitting terms that often cause confusion and explain them in plain English.
We add new terms over time. You can read the glossary from start to finish or jump straight to the term you are wondering about.
Yarn and knitting terms
What is held-together knitting?
Held-together means that you knit with two or more strands at once, as if they were a single yarn. The technique is used to create an effect you cannot get from a single strand, for example a soft mohair halo over a firmer wool main yarn, or a thicker yarn made from two thinner strands. Two strands of fingering roughly equal DK, and two strands of DK roughly equal worsted or aran.
When you combine yarns, each strand contributes something different to the finished fabric. The main yarn gives structure and strength, while a brushed strand such as mohair adds surface texture and warmth. It is a good idea to knit a swatch with the full combination, since two strands together behave differently than each strand on its own. Wash and dry the swatch the way you will treat the finished piece, and follow the more delicate of the two yarns. Superwash in the main yarn does not make a mohair combination machine washable.
What is the difference between woolen-spun and worsted-spun yarn?
The difference lies both in how the fibres are prepared and in how they are spun, and it has a big effect on how the yarn looks and behaves. In worsted spinning the fibres are combed so they lie parallel, and twist is inserted only as the fibres leave the draft zone. That gives a smooth, dense yarn with sharp stitch definition, which is good for cables and texture patterns.
In woolen spinning the fibres are carded so they lie in different directions and trap air. That gives a lighter, warmer yarn with a slightly fuzzy surface and more bloom, so the stitches look a little less crisp. Woolen-spun wool is often a strong choice for colourwork, because the fibres grip one another and the colours blend more softly. Many Icelandic yarns are woolen-spun.
Bloom is when the fibres open up and the yarn fills more after washing, so the stitches look softer. That is not the same as the garment growing in size.
Note that worsted means two things. Worsted-spun is a spinning method, while worsted is a weight category. A worsted-spun yarn can come in any thickness.
What does superwash mean for a yarn?
Superwash is wool that has been chemically treated so the small scales on the fibres are removed, smoothed or covered by a thin polymer layer. That makes the wool resistant to felting in the wash. Whether the yarn can go in the machine, and on which cycle, is stated on the ball band. A blend with other fibres may still need hand washing. For baby clothes, machine washability can be a decisive practical property.
The treatment also changes how the yarn behaves. Superwash wool is often smoother. The effect on shape retention and elasticity depends on the treatment and the specific yarn. Untreated wool can be an advantage in colourwork, because the fibres grip one another better. Superwash wool, on the other hand, often takes dye well, which is why hand-dyed colours and speckles can look cleaner and more defined.
What is drape in knitting?
Drape is the way a knitted fabric falls and moves when it hangs. It depends on the fibres and on how elastic the yarn is, but also on how firmly you knit and on the stitch pattern. The same yarn can turn out stiff on small needles and supple on large ones.
Cotton and linen often give a heavy, vertical fall, where the fabric hangs straight down and moves a little. A fluid fall comes from silk and alpaca, where the fabric glides and the individual stitches can move. An airy drape often comes from mohair held double or from brushed yarn, where the fabric becomes light and almost floats. Knit densely and the fabric becomes firmer, with those yarns too. Elastic wool gives less drape and more structure, which is why ribbing and cables typically hold their shape better in wool than in cotton or alpaca.
What is pilling, and why do some yarns pill more than others?
Pilling is the small balls of fibre that form on the surface of a knitted fabric when short fibre ends work their way out and tangle together. How much a yarn pills depends mainly on four things: how many plies the yarn is made of, how it is spun, how long the fibres are, and how tight the twist is.
The risk is highest in yarns that are single-ply, woolen-spun, made from short fibres and loosely spun. It is lowest in yarns with more plies, worsted spinning, long fibres and tight ply twist. Sock yarn, for example, is often four-ply and tightly twisted, because it has to withstand wear.
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Several of the terms here are ones Nysta uses when comparing yarns. Tap a substitute suggestion to see the two yarns side by side and compare construction, spin and treatment, among other things. You can then tell whether they are spun differently or only one of them is superwash-treated. If a pattern is written for two strands held together, we find pairs in your stash.
When you add a known yarn, we fill in weight category, gauge, yardage and fibre when the information is available. If the ball band is missing, a guide in the app helps you describe the yarn.
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Frequently asked questions
What does held together mean in knitting? Held together means that you knit with two or more strands at once, as if they were a single yarn. It is used to reach a thicker weight or to combine a soft companion strand such as mohair with a firmer main yarn.
What is the difference between woolen-spun and worsted-spun? In worsted spinning the fibres are combed so they lie parallel, and twist is inserted after the draft. That gives a smooth, dense yarn with sharp stitch definition. In woolen spinning the fibres are carded so they stay jumbled, and twist itself helps draft the fibres. That gives a lighter, warmer yarn with more bloom.
What does superwash mean? Superwash is wool that has been chemically treated so the scales on the fibres are removed, smoothed or covered. The treatment makes the wool resistant to felting. The yarn’s care instructions tell you how to wash it. Untreated wool can be an advantage in colourwork, because the fibres grip one another better.
Why do some yarns pill more than others? Pilling depends mainly on how many plies the yarn is made of, how it is spun, how long the fibres are, and how tight the twist is. Single-ply, woolen-spun yarn made from short fibres with a loose twist pills the most.
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