What yarn to choose for a hat for the winter

Hand-knitted items never go out of style. They store warmth, love, care, joy - all the positive feelings and emotions of their creators. Knitting a thing for yourself or a loved one, for a son, daughter, grandchildren is the same as giving away a piece of your own soul.

It is enough to know the basics of knitting or crocheting to start creating unique things. The simplest and most popular knitted product is a hat. Always necessary, practical, convenient. You can knit it in one evening. In this article we will talk about the main criteria for choosing yarn for knitting a winter headdress.

Yarn for a winter hat: how to choose

What makes a knitted hat is neither the style nor the pattern, but the yarn. The texture of the hat, density and functionality depend on the threads. In anticipation of the cold weather, it's time to knit a winter hat. What it will be depends on the material of manufacture. The size of the knitting needles, the pattern, and the shape of the future product will depend on one or a pair of soft, fluffy, cozy skeins.

So, “let’s dance from the yarn.”

If a specific hat model is selected for knitting, for which there is a description, then the task of choosing threads is greatly simplified. Since the instructions often indicate the preferred type of yarn, its name and even the manufacturer’s brand and article number. If this information is not available, most likely this is not the best description and many more questions may arise during the mating process.

If the model of a winter hat is only in your head, then when purchasing raw materials you should consider several important points. To ensure that the result of your work does not disappoint you, consider as much as possible all the nuances of the future product and carefully study the label on the skein, it contains a lot of necessary information.

Important properties of yarn:

• compound;
• thickness;
• texture;
• skein length.

What yarn to knit a hat from for the winter

The first thing we expect from a winter knitted hat is that it be warm. The warmest yarn is made from natural wool. It usually consists of sheep or goat wool, but you can also find camel, llama, and even kangaroo wool. The latter are very expensive.

In addition to the advantages - natural composition, environmental friendliness and warmth, natural wool has a number of operational features. Wool is less durable than threads made from artificial fibers; it can lose its shape if washed incorrectly - it can stretch or, conversely, shrink and become felted.

Types of wool yarn:

• Yarn made from the wool of special breeds of sheep and goats, merino and cashmere, respectively, merino and cashmere, very soft. Particularly elegant products and children's items are knitted from it. Hats made from it will be very light, soft and at the same time warm. You just need to choose styles for which the rigid shape of the product is not important.
• The well-known mohair is a thin and fluffy yarn made from goat hair, also a knitter's dream in the Soviet Union. Hats, scarves, sweaters and cardigans were knitted from brightly colored mohair.
• Nowadays, a mixture of mohair and synthetic thread is most often found.
• Threads made from llama wool are called alpaca. She is very warm. Even if there is at least a little alpaca in the composition, this is a sign that it is worth knitting a winter hat from it.
• Yarn made from dog hair is rightfully considered healing. It is often used to knit socks, scarves, wide belts and is worn to warm sore joints or the lower back.

You can also buy yarn made from rabbit or dog fluff from private traders. The older generation will fondly remember knitted hats and mittens made from rabbit fluff. It was a Soviet trend - a white hat made of rabbit fluff with ties and a pom-pom. It was especially chic to attach a Czech glass brooch, a sailboat badge or a real military cockade to it.

The percentage of wool composition is indicated on the label of each skein. Now manufacturers produce pure wool thread marked “light”. It contains processed, industrially softened wool. This yarn is soft, but still it is a little prickly.

ATTENTION! Not everyone can tolerate the scratchiness of 100% wool yarn, especially people prone to skin allergies and children. In order to increase the strength of wool, its durability and make it softer, artificial fibers, most often acrylic, are added to it.

The ideal ratio of artificial fibers in yarn is no more than 50%. The product made from it will be practical, durable, hypoallergenic, will wash well, dry quickly and will not form pills.

Hats made of 100% acrylic are very durable, practically “unbreakable”. Artificial yarn is cheap, and knitted items made from it look just as “cheap.”But the main drawback is the discomfort when wearing. Acrylic does not allow heat to pass through and retains moisture. In an acrylic hat, the head will first sweat and then freeze, which will not benefit its owner.

ATTENTION! Even if you have in your hands a ball or skein of yarn whose origin is difficult to establish, for example, from grandmother’s supplies without a label, it is still possible to determine its approximate composition.

How to determine the composition of yarn yourself:

• If, when crumpled in your hands, the skein creaks and becomes electrified, it is artificial.
• You can set the tip of the thread on fire with a lighter. If it melts, you have acrylic in your hands; if it begins to smolder, the yarn contains a high proportion of natural wool.

Criterias of choice

In addition to the composition of winter yarn, its thickness and twist are important. The thicker the thread, the more tightly it is twisted, the warmer the hat knitted from it will be.

Textured yarn, for example, boucle - convex with pimples, "grass" - with long fibers, plush yarn is more difficult to knit than smooth and well-twisted yarn. Such raw materials are suitable for experienced knitters. Beginners should be patient; the beauty of the finished product will be worth your pain.

When choosing multi-colored yarn, melange, or consisting of differently colored sections (it is also called “crazy”), you should take into account that patterns such as braids or openwork will not be noticeable on such products. Simple knitting with knit and purl stitches will look more advantageous; a play of color and texture will complete the look.

In fashion for the fall-winter 2018-2019 season are hats made of very thick yarn. Knitted with a textured, sometimes rough pattern, having a slightly careless appearance and an “oversized” size, they look very advantageous and attract the attention of others.

IMPORTANT! Such a hat requires impeccable taste, otherwise it risks outshining its owner if she is short and has small facial features. Such hats will not suit large ladies either, as they can add extra volume and make the face even wider.

Conclusion

Armed with our recommendations, you can safely go to your nearest craft store. And finally, one more little piece of advice:

• Forget everything you just read about and buy the yarn that you like the most. And then you will have a beautiful, unique winter hat in the whole world, into which your soul has been invested. It will warm you in any cold weather.

Knit and wear with pleasure!