Yarn size

Category name	Symbol	Description	Crochet gauge	Hook Crochet hook A crochet hook is a type of needle with a hook at one end used to draw thread through knotted loops. Only one crochet hook is needed to make crochet stitches. The crochet hook's earliest use appears to have been in the late 18th century or early 19th century.Typical materials for crochet hooks...  size	Knitting gauge	Needle Knitting needle A knitting needle or knitting pin is a tool in hand-knitting to produce knitted fabrics. They generally have a long shaft and taper at their end, but they are not nearly as sharp as sewing needles. Their purpose is two-fold...  size
Super fine		sock, fingering, baby	21 - 32 sts	2.25mm - 3.5 mm
Fine		sport, baby	16 - 20 sts	3.5mm - 4.5 mm
Light		DK, light worsted	12 - 17 sts	4.5mm - 5.5 mm
Medium		worsted, Afghan, Aran	11 - 14 sts	5.5mm - 6.5 mm
Bulky		chunky, craft, rug	8 - 11 sts	6.5mm - 9 mm
Super Bulky		bulky, roving	5 - 9 sts	9mm & larger

Terminology

Common terms used to describe knitting and crochet yarn properties.

Term	Description
Absorbency	The ability of a fiber to hold water, determines sweat absorption and suitability for warm weather wear.
Breathability	How readily air passes through the fiber.
Dyeability	How well the fiber accepts and holds color.
Hand/Handle	Tactile description: softness, resiliency, etc.
Loft	The amount of air between fibers.
Resiliency (elasticity)	The tendency of a fiber to resume its original shape after stretching.
Thickness	The diameter of the fiber in micrometres.

Cottons

All varieties of cotton

Cotton

Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....

 have a dull finish unless mercerized. Cotton yarn has minimal elasticity unless blended with other fibers. Pure cotton is useful for projects that require structure such as purses

Handbag

A handbag, or purse in American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag that is often fashionably designed, typically used by women, to hold personal items such as wallet/coins, keys, cosmetics, a hairbrush, pepper spray, cigarettes, mobile phone etc....

 and tote bags, placemats, and other utilitarian items.

Fiber type	Description
Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... ian cotton	Longest cotton fiber, smoother and softer than other cottons.
Pima cotton	Cross between Egyptian and American cottons. Intermediate properties.
American cotton	Medium-long fiber, readily takes on dye. Available in widest variety of colors.

Other plant fibers

Fiber type	Description
Linen Linen Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....	Strong fiber, good for warm weather items. Wrinkles easily.

Animal based fibers

Fiber type	Description
Merino Merino The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...  wool	Softer than cotton, tends to pill Pill (textile) A pill, colloquially known as a bobble, is a small ball of fibres that forms on a piece of cloth from wear. Pill is also a verb for the formation of such balls.... .
Icelandic wool Lopi Lopi is knitting wool made from the fleece of Icelandic sheep. The fleece is made up of two layers, each with a different kind of wool. The wet-resistant outer coat contains long, coarse fibres, while the insulating layer beneath consists of soft, short fibres. These are processed together to...	Strong but scratchy.
Mohair Mohair Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. The word "mohair" was adopted into English before 1570 from the Arabic: mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally 'choice', from khayyara, 'he chose'. Mohair fiber is approximately 25-45 microns in...	Lofty and luxurious, best used as an outer layer. May feel scratchy.
Cashmere Cashmere wool Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other types of goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir. Cashmere is fine in texture, and strong, light, and soft. Garments made from it provide excellent...	Soft, luxurious, expensive.
Alpaca Alpaca fiber Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. It is light or heavy in weight, depending on how it is spun. It is a soft, durable, luxurious and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and has no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic. Alpaca is...	Very warm. Suitable for accessories such as scarves
Angora Angora wool Angora wool or Angora fibre refers to the downy coat produced by the Angora rabbit. While their names are similar, Angora fibre is distinct from mohair, which comes from the Angora goat. Angora is known for its softness, thin fibres, and what knitters refer to as a halo...	Very soft, tends to shed. Best used in pure form as an accent material, or blended with other fibers.
Silk Silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...	Exceptionally strong, lustrous, and shiny. Good for summer wear

Synthetics

Fiber type	Description
Acrylic Acrylic fiber Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer with an average molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. To be called acrylic in the U.S, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer. Typical comonomers are vinyl acetate or methyl acrylate...	Washes well, inexpensive. Good choice for beginners and for items designed for babies or pets.
Nylon Nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...	Strong, elastic, washes well. Not ideal for garments unless blended with other fibers.
Rayon Rayon Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic or artificial fiber. Rayon is known by the names viscose rayon and art silk in the textile industry...	Made from processed wood pulp extruded into threads. Inexpensive and highly absorbent, natural sheen.