Do you like cocktails? There is something about that mix of different ingredients that come together to make the perfect drink, don’t you think? Sometimes it is surprising what those ingredients are, and that goes for yarns, too.
You might wonder where I am going with this. Well, I have been a fan of yarn cocktails of late, meaning using two different yarns at the same time. There are various reasons why one should/could do that, I for one cannot stop using a fuzzy yarn like Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Shibui Silk Cloud, SweetGeorgia Silk Mist or even Filatura Di Crosa Superior together with anything I can think of. Any of these softens the knitted fabric in a way I cannot describe, you have to feel it. No wonder, they all contain either kid mohair (the softest mohair) or cashmere with a hefty serving of silk.
We are not the only ones who think along that line. Shibui,for example, has a whole series of patterns in which they strand different yarns together, with sometimes unexpected yet stunning results. It is also a way to get the weight of yarn you need if you cannot find what you were looking for.
A chunky yarn is easily substituted by a worsted weight stranded with a mohair blend. If you mix a fingering with one of the mohairs you”ll easily be able to knit any gauge from 16-20 stitches. Imagine you are looking for a fingering weight but are in love with a particular lace weight – well, double up the lace weight and you have a yarn fit for your project. The possibilities are nearly endless – though you have to approach it with an open mind and ready to try.
Knitting with two strands of yarn is no more difficult than using just one, however you have to make sure you work both strands all the time. And that is the small drawback I can think of right now.
Next time you pick a project and cannot find the perfect yarn – try a yarn cocktail instead!
Happy Knitting, as ever!
– Mona
Espace Tricot Blog 
Hi Mona,
thanks for another informative and fun blog entry! I always enjoy your postings very much.
I love yarn cocktails too: the possible colour and yarn combinations, the variation in thickness of the fabric they allow (I might knit Sonnensegel with 3 different coloured strands together for the Noro and a single mohair strand for the Kid-Seta, for example).
I was wondering whether there was an easy and complete list of equivalence for number of strands adding up to what weight. You mention two examples (chunky=worsted+mohair (I imagine a lace weight mohair?) and fingering=2xlace. I understand that this must vary a lot depending on the effect you wish to achieve but still, it would be useful to know that kind of mathematics :-).
Also, how would you calculate yarn requirement when substituting several strands of, let’s say, 400m/50gr (lace) for a fingering which might have 150m/50gr?
Und am liebsten hätte ich diese Liste natürlich für uns Europäer, denn ‘fingering’ sagt mir auch nach vielen Jahren in Kanada noch immer nicht viel.
Liebe Grüsse,
Christine (die Schweizerin, erinnerst Du Dich?)
Hallo Christine,
natuerlich erinnere ich mich! Ich hoffe, ich habe mit meinem post von heute (15. August) alle Fragen beantwortet.
I myself have no clue how the Germans classify yarn – I always checked for the needle size on the label!
Best,
Mona
super Info, besten Dank!