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LARA DOWNS YARNS SPECIFICATIONS

 

With notes about matching yarns to patterns

The following list is ordered by Yardage and Wraps per inch. For a yarn list by Fibre type see below.

 
LARA DOWNS YARN NAME Supplied in
YARDAGE
YARN WRAPS PER INCH
 STANDARD YARN DESCRIPTOR
S5: "Jumbo" slubby Mulberry Silk 100 gms
150 mts/100 gms
11
 Aran or 10 ply
   
 
S2: "Silbo" Chunky Boucle Mulberry Silk 100 gms
176 mts/100 gms
12
 DK or 8 ply
Camel 8 ply 50 gms
160 mts/100 gms (80 mts/50 gms)
14
 DK or 8 ply
"Shine" Merino/Silk 8 ply 100 gms
160 mts/100 gms
15
 DK or 8 ply
Merino 8 ply 100 gms
200 mts/100 gms
15
 DK or 8 ply
   
 
Cashmere/Silk 8 ply 56 gms/2 ounce
260 mts/100 gms (130/50 gms)
15
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
S3: Medium weight Mulberry Silk 50 gms
270 mts/100 gms (135/50 gms)
16
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
"Angoraglow" 4 ply Fine Kid Mohair 200 gms or 100 gms
200 mts/100 gms
17
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
"Velvet" Merino/Bunny/Cashmere 100 gms
270 mts/100 gms
18
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
Camel 4 ply 50 gms
360 mts/100 gms (180/50 gms)
18
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
   
 
Cashmere/Silk 4 ply 56 gms/2 ounce
324 mts/100 gms (162/50 gms)
19
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4ply)
Cashmere 4 ply 56 gms/2 ounce
324 mts/100 gms (162/50 gms)
19
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)
Organic Cotton 50 gm balls
360/100 gms (180/50 gms)
20
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)
Sock - Merino/Silk/Bamboo/Nylon 100 gms
380 mts/100 gms
20
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)
Mink with Merino & Silk 50 gram balls
380 mts/100 gms
   Fingering/Baby weight
   
 
S1: Silk Singles low twist yarn 100 or 50 gms
425 mts/100 gms (212/50 gms)
20
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Merino /Silk 4 ply 100 gms
350 mts/100 gms
22
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Merino/Cashmere 4 ply 100 gms
400 mts/100 gms
22
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
   
 
"Angoraglow" 2 ply Fine Kid Mohair 100 gms
400 mts/100 gms
25
 Lace weight
Merino 4 ply 100 gms
450 mts/100 gms
26
 Lace weight
Cashmere/Silk 2 ply 56 gms/2 ounce
650 mts/100 gms (325/50 gms)
26
 Lace weight
Cashmere 2 ply 56 gms/2 ounce
650 mts/100 gms (325/50 gms)
26
 Lace weight
Merino/Silk 2 ply 100 gms
700 mts/100 gms
32
 Lace weight
"Kool Kid" Fine Mohair boucle 50 gms
900 mts/100 gms (450 mts/50 gms)
32
 Lace weight
   
 
"Starry Night" Super Kid Mohair 50 gms
848 mts/100 gms (424 mts/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight
"Kool Kid" Fine Mohair Brushed 50 gms
920 mts/100 gms (460 mts/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight
S4:. Fine weight Mulberry Silk 50 gms
1000 mts/100 gms (500/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight
   
 
Super Fine Merino/Silk/Cashmere 100 gms or 25 gms
2,600 mts/100 gms
> 35
 Cobweb/Super Fine Laceweight

 

SUBSTITUTING YARNS IN KNITTING PATTERNS

Lara Downs has a few patterns designed to be used with our yarns, but in the main, users will need to find patterns from other sources. We therefore offer the following advice in the matter of pattern and yarn matching.

Firstly select your pattern and determine as best you can, the “yardage” ie how many yards or metres per gram (or ounce) is provided by the yarn specified in the pattern. You need to find a yarn that will match this measurement as closely as possible, to be a good match for the pattern. If your pattern doesn’t give this measurement, you need to look for other clues as to the type of yarn being used eg DK yarn describes an 8 ply yarn in Australian terminology. [NB: A terrific reference table for converting US to Aussie terms for both yarn and needle size is always given in the back section of each edition of Yarn magazine.]

Once you’ve chosen your substitute yarn, you will need to knit a swatch to the measurements provided in the pattern, then count the rows and stitches in the swatch, to work out what changes might need to be made to the needle size to achieve the correct number of stitches per inch or cm and rows per inch or cm of fabric (see pattern to work out what you are aiming for). A pattern will most likely say something like : Guage: 5 stitches = 1 inch, 7 rows = 1 inch OR 20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches (I’m quoting from American patterns); or maybe something like Tension: 20 stitches to 10 cms in width using moss stitch and 4.5 mm needles (from an Australian pattern).

You should always cast on slightly more stitches and knit slightly more rows in your swatch than required for the guage, to make it easy to count the stitches and rows excluding the edging. Measure rows without stretching the knitted fabric.

If using an American pattern you may need to convert their measurements to our metric system. There are handy auto converters like the one accessable from the top of the Lara Downs' Order Form.. However, the following basic conversions will help you:

1 yard = 0.9144 metres

1 ounce = 28.35 grams

A note about the term “Ply”. While many yarns are described in terms of their ply, which usually refers to the number of strands twisted together to form the yarn; this is not always useful when trying to work out substitute yarns. The individual strands may be thick or thin, creating quite different yarns which may all be described as having the same ply. It is much better to use yardage or wraps per inch (if available) as a better guide to the yarn being used.

The above table gives the yardage and other details for Lara Downs yarns and will hopefully enable you to find suitable patterns for them. Refer to our Links page for some on line sources of patterns.

*****

Go to Knitting Yarn page to see all our yarns in glorious colour

Go to the LD Colourchart

Back to Home Page

*****

YARN LISTS BY FIBRE TYPE: Mohair , Merino , Silk , Cashmere , Bunny/Camel/Cotton/Mink

 

MERINO YARNS Supplied in YARDAGE
YARN WRAPS PER INCH
 STANDARD YARN DESCRIPTOR
Merino/Silk 8 ply 100 gms 160 mts/100 gms
15
 DK or 8 ply
Pure Merino 8 ply 100 gms 200 mts/100 gms
15
 DK or 8 ply
"Velvet" Merino/Bunny/Cashmere 100 gms 270 mts/100 gms
18
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
Sock - Merino/Silk/Bamboo/Nylon 100 gms 380 mts/100 gms
20
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)
Merino /Silk 4 ply 100 gms 350 mts/100 gms
22
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Merino/Cashmere 4 ply 100 gms 400 mts/100 gms
22
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Merino 4 ply 100 gms 450 mts/100 gms
26
 Lace weight
Merino/Silk 2 ply 100 gms 700 mts/100 gms
32
 Lace weight
Super Fine Merino/Silk/Cashmere 100 gms or 25 gms 2,600 mts/100 gms
> 35
 Cobweb/Super Fine Laceweight

 

SILK YARNS

 Supplied in YARDAGE
YARN WRAPS PER INCH
 STANDARD YARN DESCRIPTOR
"Jumbo" slubby chunky silk 100 gms 150 mts/100 gms
11
 Aran or 10 ply
Merino/Silk 8 ply 100 gms 160 mts/100 gms
15
 DK or 8 ply
Merino /Silk 4 ply 100 gms 350 mts/100 gms
22
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Merino/Silk 2 ply 100 gms 700 mts/100 gms
32
 Lace weight
Super Fine Merino/Silk/Cashmere 100 gms or 25 gms 2,600 mts/100 gms
> 35
 Cobweb/Super Fine Laceweight
Chunky Boucle Silk 100 gms 176 mts/100 gms
12
 DK or 8 ply
Cashmere/Silk 8 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 260 mts/100 gms (130/50 gms)
15
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
S3."Glossy" Medium weight Mulberry Silk 50 gms 270 mts/100 gms (135/50 gms)
16
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
Cashmere/Silk 4 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 324 mts/100 gms (162/50 gms)
19
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4ply)
S1. Pure Silk Singles low twist yarn 100 or 50 gms 425 mts/100 gms (212/50 gms)
20
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Cashmere/Silk 2 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 650 mts/100 gms (325/50 gms)
26
 Lace weight
"Starry Night" Kid Mohair with silk & lurex 50 gms 848 mts/100 gms (424 mts/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight
S4. "Gloss" Fine weight Mulberry Silk 50 gms 1000 mts/100 gms (500/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight

MOHAIR YARNS

 Supplied in YARDAGE
YARN WRAPS PER INCH
 STANDARD YARN DESCRIPTOR
"Starry Night" Super Kid Mohair/Silk/Lurex brushed 50 gms 848 mts/100 gms (424 mts/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight
"Angoraglow" 4 ply Fine Kid Mohair smooth worsted style 200 gms or 100 gms 200 mts/100 gms
17
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
"Angoraglow" 2 ply Fine Kid Mohair smooth worsted style 100 gms 400 mts/100 gms
25
 Lace weight
"Kool Kid" Fine Mohair boucle 50 gms 900 mts/100 gms (450 mts/50 gms)
32
 Lace weight
"Kool Kid" Fine Mohair Brushed 50 gms 920 mts/100 gms (460 mts/50 gms)
35
 Fine Lace weight

CASHMERE YARNS

 Supplied in YARDAGE
YARN WRAPS PER INCH
 STANDARD YARN DESCRIPTOR
Super Fine Merino/Silk/Cashmere 100 gms or 25 gms 2,600 mts/100 gms
> 35
 Cobweb/Super Fine Laceweight
Cashmere/Silk 8 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 260 mts/100 gms (130/50 gms)
15
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
Cashmere/Silk 4 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 324 mts/100 gms (162/50 gms)
19
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4ply)
Cashmere/Silk 2 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 650 mts/100 gms (325/50 gms)
26
 Lace weight

"Velvet" Merino/Bunny/Cashmere

 

 100 gms 270 mts/100 gms
18
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)

Merino/Cashmere 4 ply

 

 100 gms 400 mts/100 gms
22
 Light fingering or Babyweight (3 ply)
Cashmere 4 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 324 mts/100 gms (162/50 gms)
19
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)
Cashmere 2 ply 56 gms/2 ounce 650 mts/100gms (325 mts/50gms)
26
 Laceweight
     
 

OTHER FIBRE TYPES

 Supplied in YARDAGE
YARN WRAPS PER INCH
 STANDARD YARN DESCRIPTOR
"Velvet" Merino/Bunny/Cashmere 100 gms 270 mts/100 gms
18
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
Real Mink 50 gram balls 380 mts per gram   Light Fingering (3 ply).
Sock - Merino/Silk/Bamboo/Nylon 100 gms 380 mts/100 gms
20
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)
Camel 8 ply 50 gms 160 mts/100 gms (80 mts/50 gms)
14
 DK or 8 ply
Camel 4 ply 50 gms 360 mts/100 gms (180/50 gms)
18
 Light or Sport weight (5 ply)
Organic Cotton 50 gm balls 360/100 gms (180/50 gms)
20
 Sock/Fingering/Baby weight (4 ply equiv.)

Go to Knitting Yarn page to see all our yarns in glorious colour

Go to the LD Colourchart

Back to Home Page

 

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