What is the difference between yarn and wool?
If you are new to knitting or crochet, you may be wondering whether yarn and wool are the same thing and interchangeable – and if not, what the differences are. Let’s take a look at the answer to this interesting question.
What is yarn?
Yarn describes lengths of fibres that are entwined and formed to create fabrics through crafts such as knitting, crocheting, or weaving. These yarn fibres can be made from all kinds of sources, including plants such as cotton or bamboo, animals such as sheep, and synthetic fibres such as polyester. Yarn is basically a catch-all term to describe a fibre that is wound and ready to craft with. Within the yarn category, there will be other means of defining the product, such as according to weight.
How does yarn differ from wool?
Wool is a specific type of yarn, or a category of yarn, that derives entirely from animal sources. This is usually sheep, but there are other forms of wool; for example, you will find alpaca wool, which is incredibly soft.
All wool can be described as yarn, but not all yarn is made from wool; in fact, when you shop for DK yarn or another yarn at a crafting specialist such as Wool Couture, you will find fantastic yarns made from all kinds of materials and with wonderful colours to work with. It really is a fantastic world of materials for crafting.
Which one should you use?
It all depends on your project and your needs. Wool can be an excellent choice for more luxurious projects or those that require a soft and specific finish. Wool is soft and natural, and it feels great. Yarn is equally good for certain projects and may be recommended depending on what you are making. It can span anything from hemp or bamboo yarn to robust polyester.
Either way, you will probably find that you develop a preference as you grow your skills and become more familiar with the textures, types, and feel of yarn and wool products.
