What to do when you’ve found a pattern you love, but it calls for a yarn you don’t have? Here at Brown Sheep, we spin a variety of yarn weights to cover just about any knit or crochet pattern. That way, you can use quality U.S. made natural fiber yarn for any project (of course)!

To decide which Brown Sheep yarn might be the best substitute for the yarn used in your pattern, determine the standard weight of the yarn used.

If you’re lucky, the pattern lists the weight and number. The standard yarn weight symbols look like this:

If the symbol is not listed, the worded description of the weight (eg. Worsted, Aran, etc.) should help you figure out which category it falls into. Try searching for the yarn name on its company website or a retailer who carries that yarn to get more information about it. Ravelry Yarn listings are another place to find basic information about a yarn like the weight.

Once you’ve decided which standard yarn weight your pattern calls for, check out this handy chart to see what your Brown Sheep yarn options are.

Other considerations might be the fiber content and your preferences. Do you want to wear the finished item in warmer weather? Maybe go with a cotton blend. Is the item a gift or something that will need to be washed frequently? Superwash wool might be a good choice!

Once you’ve chosen a yarn, be sure to carefully check your gauge. Of course, you should do this even if you’re using the exact yarn called for in a pattern! Every individual knits or crochets with their own unique tension, so it’s important to test the yarn and needle size that works for you.

We hope this gives you a jumping-off point for your next big project with Brown Sheep yarns!  

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