Before You Start Crocheting, Read This | How to Understand Yarn Labels!

What Is a Yarn Label?

The yarn label is the first thing you should look at when selecting a new yarn for your knitting or crocheting project. Every ball or skein of yarn comes with a label that gives you all the important details you need to create the right texture, size, and finish. Understanding these details will save you from sizing mistakes and help your projects look more professional, especially if you work with different yarns regularly.

Every yarn ball or skein comes with a label that gives you key information about the yarn, like what it’s made of, how thick it is, what hook or needle to use, and how to care for it.

What should we look at yarn lable?

• Brand Name and Yarn Name
• Fiber Content
• Yarn Weight (Thickness)
• Recommended Hook and Needle Size
• Gauge (Tension)
• Yarn Length and Weight
• Care Instructions
• Dye Lot Number

Let’s break it down,

1. Brand Name and Yarn Name

The brand is the company that makes the yarn (e.g., Red Heart, Lion Brand, Nako, Himalaya, etc.).

The yarn name is the specific line (e.g., “Soft Baby,” “Everyday,” “Cotton Gold”).

🔹 Example: “Alize Cotton Gold” by Alize.

Yarn nam &  brand name

2. Fiber Content

This tells you what the yarn is made of, such as:

100% Acrylic → soft, durable, and affordable.

100% Cotton → breathable and natural, good for summer wear.

Wool, Bamboo, Polyester, Nylon → each adds different qualities (warmth, shine, stretch, etc.).

Why it matters: Fiber type affects how your project feels, stretches, and washes.

3. Yarn Weight (Thickness)

This is how thick the yarn strand is, not how heavy the skein is.

It’s often shown as:

A number (0–7) or

A term like “Lace,” “Sport,” “Worsted,” “Bulky,” etc.

Number Name Example Projects

0 Lace Doilies, lace shawls

1 Super Fine (Sock) Socks, baby items

2 Fine (Sport) Lightweight garments

3 Light (DK) Sweaters, scarves

4 Medium (Worsted) Blankets, hats

5 Bulky Warm scarves, sweaters

6 Super Bulky Rugs, thick blankets

7 Jumbo Arm knitting projects

Tip: The yarn weight helps you choose the right hook size and pattern.

What is aran weight yarn?

Aran is a medium weight yarn which is thicker than worsted and DK yarn. but it classified as Medium weight yarn Number 4. it is a versatile yarn perfect for sweaters, jacket and blankets.

4. Recommended Hook and Needle Size

You’ll often see small symbols showing knitting needles and crochet hooks with a number like:

Ex:

> Knitting Needles: 4 mm

Crochet Hook: 4.5 mm

Use this as a starting point. you can adjust depending on your tension or project type.

5. Gauge (Tension)

What is Gauge tension?

Gauge is one of the most important. but often overlooked parts of crochet. Simply put, gauge tells you how many stitches and rows fit within a particular cm (or inch) square when you use a specific yarn, hook size, and tension. Designers include gauge in patterns so your finished project will come out in the correct size, whether it’s a pouch, amigurumi, sweater, or blanket.

Every crocheter has a slightly different tension. Some crochet tightly, and some crochet loosely. Because of this, the same pattern can end up too big or too small if you don’t check your gauge.

To measure gauge, you make a small swatch using the stitch mentioned in the pattern. Then you count how many stitches and rows you have.

If you have more stitches than the label says, your tension is tight - go up a hook size.

If you have fewer stitches, your tension is loose - go down a hook size.

Checking gauge saves time, yarn, and prevents sizing mistakes. It ensures your final project looks exactly the way the designer intended.

This is usually a small square diagram showing:

• “10 cm x 10 cm = 18 stitches x 20 rows”

This tells you how many stitches and rows you should get in a 10 cm (4 inch) square using the recommended hook or needle.

It depends on: 

• Your yarn weight

• Hook size

• Your personal tension (how tightly or loosely you crochet)

How to measure gauge?

Follow these steps:

1. Make a Gauge Swatch

Crochet a small square using:

The same yarn

The same hook size

The same stitch the label mentions (usually single crochet)

Make the swatch slightly larger than 4 x 4 inches to measure it accurately.

2. Lay It Flat

Place the swatch on a flat surface.

Do not stretch it. Let it relax naturally.

3. Measure Stitches & Rows

• Use a tape measure or ruler.

• Count how many stitches fit across 4 inches (10 cm)

• Count how many rows fit in 4 inches (10 cm) vertically

• Compare your numbers with the gauge given on the pattern or yarn label.

How to Read Gauge on a Yarn Label

Most yarn labels show a small square symbol like this:

• 10 x 10 cm

• Number of stitches

• Number of rows

R means Rows ⬆️

S means stitches ➡️

Example:

20 sts x 24 rows = 10 cm (usually in single crochet or stockinette for knitting)

This helps you understand what fabric density the yarn typically creates.

What If Your Gauge Is Wrong?

Don’t worry, this is very common! Here’s how to fix it:

If you have MORE stitches than required

Your stitches are too small → You’re crocheting tightly.

Solution

Use a bigger hook size.

Example:

I'm using 4.5 mm hook as recommended by yarn label.

4 medium weight.  Aran (5 ply)

The label says the gauge for a 10×10 cm (4×4 inch) swatch should be 18 stitches and 20 rows.

But when I made my swatch, I got only 16 stitches and 18 rows.

So my stitches and rows are fewer than the required gauge. That means my stitches are looser, so I need to reduce my hook size.

now, I should go down by 0.5 mm or 1.0 mm to get the correct stitch count.

"Look below, I’ve shared an important trick."🔻🔻

Gauge swatch

If you have FEWER stitches than required

Your stitches are too larger than mentioned measurement → You’re crocheting loosely.

Solution

Use a smaller hook size.

If rows don’t match!

This is normal because everyone has different vertical tension.

Try:

Changing hook size, OR

Adjusting height of your stitches (pull loops slightly higher/lower)

Why Gauge Matters?

Getting gauge ensures:

• Your sweater fits correctly

• Amigurumi pieces match the pattern

• Blankets come out the right size

• You use the correct amount of yarn

If your gauge doesn’t match the pattern, your finished project might end up too small or too large.

6. Yarn Length and Weight

Usually shown as:

> 100g / 250 meters

This means the ball weighs 100 grams and contains 250 meters of yarn.

Tip: This helps you estimate how many balls you’ll need for a project.

7. Care Instructions

Look for laundry symbols, they tell you how to wash and dry your item;

• Hand wash or machine wash

• Do not bleach

• Low heat dry or air dry

• Iron or not

Always check before washing handmade projects!

8. Dye Lot Number

Yarn of the same color might have slight shade differences between batches.

The dye lot number ensures color consistency. so always buy enough yarn from the same dye lot for one project.

Quick Summary

Label Section What It Means

Fiber Content What it’s made of

Yarn Weight How thick it is

Hook/Needle Size What tool to use

Gauge Stitch size for 10×10 cm

Length/Weight . How much yarn

Care Symbols How to wash it

Dye Lot Color batch number

Tip:

You might think the gauge measurement on this label is wrong. But if your gauge swatch is tighter, you can go up by one hook size. If you find it too loose, reduce your hook size by one number.