Knitting yarn & tools

Mohair is a fluffy, lightweight fiber from the angora goat, usually spun around a silk or synthetic core and held together with another yarn. It adds warmth, softness and a soft halo without weight. It is harder to rip out than smooth yarn, so count as you go and it will treat you well.

Needle type follows your project: circulars handle almost everything, straights suit flat pieces, and double pointed needles cover small rounds like sock toes and mitten tips. Material is about feel: wood and bamboo grip the yarn and forgive beginners, metal is fast and precise, plastic is light and cheap. If you buy one thing, buy a circular needle in wood or bamboo.

Peruvian Highland wool comes from sheep bred from Merino and Corriedale stock, raised in the high Andes of Peru. The cross gives a fiber that is soft enough to wear and sturdy enough to last, with great stitch definition and resistance to pilling. It is a favorite for colorwork, everyday sweaters, mittens and anything that needs to survive real use.

Worsted weight is the classic medium yarn, category 4 on the standard scale, sitting between DK and bulky. It knits at 4 to 5 stitches per inch on 4.5 to 5.5 mm needles and typically runs 180 to 250 meters per 100 g. Visible stitches and a steady pace make it the friendliest weight for beginners.

Yarn weight means the thickness of the strand, not what the ball weighs on a scale. Yarns run from lace (thinnest) to super bulky (thickest), sorted into standard categories 0 to 7. The weight decides your gauge, your needle size and how the finished fabric feels, which is why patterns always tell you which one to use.