Uptown Worsted: a new yarn to tr yGlenna Harris
If you're a knitter like me, you never pass up the
chance to try out new yarns. It's so easy to get
stuck in a rut sometimes, and having a new yarn to
play with can make all the difference. In this feature,
we're exploring the new Uptown Worsted yarn from
Universal Yarns. This is a worsted weight yarn in
100% acrylic, that is designed to be anti-pilling!
If you're a fan of easy-care yarns, this one will be
right up your alley.
Uptown Worsted is new from Universal Yarns, and is a soft, springy,
anti-pilling acrylic yarn. This is a versatile worsted weight yarn for
a variety of projects!
Reading a yarn label is always good practice if
you're not sure where to start with a new yarn. On
the Uptown Worsted (which comes in dozens of
colors), we can can see it's intended for a gauge
of 18 sts and 24 rows over 4 inches in stockinette
stitch, so that's definitely telling us it's in the
worsted weight range, even if the name of the yarn
didn't tell us that already!
If you're out of the habit of reading your garment
labels for the laundry symbols, you'll also get some
practice with the same symbols on many yarn
labels. This one tells us Uptown Worsted is machine
washable and may be tumble dried, which is a
reassuring piece of information to have if you're
planning to knit up some items for the home or
small children!
Always check the yarn labels for important information! Uptown
Worsted reports a nice gauge at 18 sts over 4".
It's also machine washable!
Swatch up your new yarns to see how they feel and knit up. This
stockinette swatch shows neat stitch definition and an even drape.
Before you start a new project, or even if you're not
sure what project you'll be starting, it's a great idea
to knit a swatch to see how the yarn feels and knits
up. You can also grab your nearest gauge ruler
or tape measure to check your gauge. Sometimes
this is different from what the label says. My swatch
above does have 18 sts over 4" in stockinette
stitch, just like the label says, but I got it with a US 7
[4.5mm] needle instead of a US8 [5mm] needle. It
never hurts to swatch to be sure!
Overall, this is a soft, springy yarn and it comes in
so many colors that it would be easy to find a lot of
different project options for it. In this feature we're
going to try a few more swatches with different
stitch patterns, and finish off with a fun project
for the home. If you're a fan of easy-care yarns,
Uptown Worsted will be right up your alley.
Photos by Glenna Harris
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KNITmuch | issue 2