Understanding Yarn

If you’ve never been to a craft store, you may be overwhelmed by the different types of yarn sold. When picking a yarn, you need to look at the label. Yarns come in different “weights” that include Super Fine, Fine, Light, Medium, Bulky, and Super Bulky. These weights are determined by how the number of stockintette stitches per inch (using regular knitting  or crochet not loom knitting). For more details, check out Craft Yarn Council’s page on the Standard Yarn Weight System.

Most of the yarn I use falls under Super Bulky. Anything lighter than that and I’ll usually combine it and use two strands (which I cover in the next section). This should be listed on the label of the yarn. You’ll sometimes see a symbol the looks like a ball of yarn with the number 6 in it. The “6” indicates that it is Super Bulky yarn.

When looking at the yarn, check out the care instructions. Make sure the yarn is machine washable because it will be a bit more durable and less likely to fray. It also allows you to toss the toys in the washing machine when they get dirty (which may not be an option if you fill them with catnip but it is for most other toy fillers).

I like Bernat Softee Chunky. It is easy to find, inexpensive and holds up well. Cheap is nice because when the toy gets a little ragged, I just toss and make new. I frequently find it on clearance at various stores for $1 a skein.

I’m also a fan of Bernat Blanket and Stitch Studio by Nicole Chateau yarn. They are more expensive, but most craft stores have sales on them that make them more affordable. They come in a large variety of bright colors. They are also soft enough that you can use them to make mats for cats to lay on. (They were the yarns I used to make the mats in this post.) I like the Chateau yarn better than Bernat, but Bernat is much easier to find.

Bernat recently came out with a new “pet” type yarn. I bought some and haven’t had a chance to use it. Once I do, I will post a review. I was dismayed to find that it is not “Super Bulky.” It’s thinner and lands in the “Bulky” category.

When I first wrote this, I recommended that people check out yarn labeled for babies. I assumed if it was safe for babies, it would be safe for cats. However, I recently purchased such yarn. I was finishing my first toy and tugged on the yarn. The yarn snapped easily. I had never had that happen and was alarmed at how easy it was to break. I threw the toy in the garbage and plan on using the yarn for something other than cat toys. Take the time to test the yarn for its strength. If you pull on it and it breaks, it’s not good for toys.