If you’re looking for an excellent light weight yarn (but not medium or bulky weight like chunky or roving would fall under) for your next knitting project, then you should consider getting a few skeins of Malabrigo worsted yarn into your craft room. As a general guide, the knit gauge range in stockinette stitch to four inches is 21 – 24. To use this worsted yarn effectively, whether you go with Malabrigo or another (even though my personal preference is Malabrigo), the recommended needle size you should use in metric size is 3.75 – 4.5 mm. The equivalent range in U.S. needle sizes is 5 to 7. If you’re just getting started in knitting or have a few years under your belt, the Malabrigo worsted yarn is excellent for all skill classes and all kinds of projects.


Of all the many yarn weights, the worsted weight is the most widely available. As such, it’s also the most frequently used. It is about double the weight of fingering yarn. Some would think that it should be called bested yarn, but the truth is that term comes from a town in old England. I love Malabrigo worsted yarn and I recommend it to all my knitting friends. It’s extremely versatile and can be used by knitters no matter what their skill level and no matter what they would like to make, whether it be scarves or hats or sweaters or socks.

As you work with your Malabrigo worsted yarn, be sure to follow your pattern carefully. Improvising and changing it up will usually not work in your favor, especially if you’re new. Your piece most likely won’t turn out the way want it to or the way it’s supposed to. In the end, all you end up doing is stressing about it and getting upset and angry that your creation is bad. Knitting is supposed to be relaxing, so be sure to keep your expectations down as you learn and just settle down to really enjoy what you are doing! Depending on what your preferences are and what you are going to be using your yarn for, will definitely play a big part as to what level of expense we’re talking about. You can often find great deals and sales and discounts on Malabrigo worsted yarn. It really depends on how diligent you are to find these deals. But this yarn is so good and great to work with, the expense will be more than justified.

As far as other yarn weights go, there are several different classifications. These include types known as fingering, sport weight and DK (double knitting), bulky, super bulky, lace weight, and carrying yarn. Worsted yarn as a weight falls pretty much in the middle of all the weight classes, with lace and fingering being on the delicate, fine, and thin side, and sport, DK, bulky, and super bulky being on the heavy, brawny, and thick side of the scale. The fact that the worsted weight yarn lies in the center of the weight spectrum is what gives it its versatility. And that’s another reason why I favor Malabrigo worsted yarn to make all my favorite mitten, socks, and sweater projects.