How to Knit With Worsted Cotton

Because of its density, cotton worsted-weight yarn does work well as a thick fringe.

There's actually no such thing as worsted cotton, because the adjective refers to the nature of woolen yarn and the fabric woven of it. In the age of industrially standardized craft goods, however, "worsted" refers to a particular weight of yarn of any fiber. Worsted weight is about the heaviest cotton yarn that's widely available, and it does require some attention to work up well. It tends to be dense and hard textured, like the original worsted wool, but cotton is less stretchy than wool.

Things You'll Need

• Worsted-weight cotton yarn
• Knitting needles one size and two sizes larger than your pattern calls for

Instructions

1. Choose a pattern that isn't too fitted. A garment knitted of cotton yarn will not stretch as much as the same pattern worked up in wool or acrylic.

2. Add a stitch pattern that will provide stretch, such as ribbing in some form. Don't get carried away with dropped-stitch patterns or clustered stitches, which will be more difficult to work, and will only make a garment that much more stiff. On the other hand, pointelle stitches may show up even more clearly in hard-finished worsted-weight cotton.

3. Cast on stitches for a gauge swatch using a needle that is two sizes larger than your pattern calls for; this will provide a little extra room as you work the first row. Make the gauge swatch to the number of stitches and rows specified in your pattern, but use the ribbing or other pattern stitch you've chosen, and switch on the first row to the smaller needles (one size larger than suggested by your pattern). If you're satisfied with the softness of the gauge swatch, but it's bigger than specified in the pattern, follow the instructions for a smaller-size garment when they're given in numbers of stitches, but use the measurements of your normal size. If the gauge swatch is still too tight, shift up another needle size and, if you need to, shift down a second garment size.

References

• "Random House Dictionary": Worsted; 2011