Understanding Yarn Pilling and Durability for Your Next Knitting Project

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Other videos that might interest you are:
A Basic Look at Yarn Structure and Ply and How it is Important in Knitting
• A Basic Look at Yarn S...
Understanding Yarn Structure and How it Affects Your Knitting
• Understanding Yarn Str...

[@nnmommy59]

Fascinating.. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I learn every time I listen to you.😃

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I am glad you liked the video! Sometimes I'm like ... maybe I'm talking about yarn too much LOL

[@angelinacrafts5385]

Abusing a swatch would have saved me lots of despair. I had used a lovely Dk that held up great no pilling or stretching so bought a cardigans worth of the worsted. Oh, boy did it pill badly and just kept stretching. I'm guessing that they just spun the fibers looser for the worsted and lost the needed strength that a tighter spin gives.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

That does sound like something that was more loosely spun. I'm so sorry that happened to you.

[@elizabethscott3218]

Yarns that have a tight spin tend to be rope-y and unpleasant to knit with. Also, thick yarns need less twist to hold together, thus getting rope-like sooner.

[@louisej1905]

Very helpful video. Thank you for taking the time to teach us.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@KittenWAW]

Great info, thanks. Synthetics which are extruded in extremely long strands should also pill less, but they aren't usually the cushiest feeling yarns. Re: Purse strap damage - backpacks are worse. Please don't ask me if I know this because of damage to a complicate cabled sweater in an expensive imported yarn, okay? I'd hate to have to relive the trauma.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you for the info on synthetics. And no re-traumatizing.

[@camellia8625]

Thanks for the great video. Can you please consider doing a video on how to rescue already pilled garments.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

The best way to address pilled garments (that I've found) is to simply remove the pills. And the best tool for that is the Gleener: www.gleener.com/products/gleenerfabricshaver I can't find mine or I'd make a video with it LOL

[@neverstoplearning2]

So helpful, thanks!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

So glad!

[@antarcticknitting]

This has been fantastically informative, I love the way you've explained everything! It's all super clear and thoughtful, and made me excited to learn more about different fibers while I knit. Thank you!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay for learning!

[@testingtesting-yu5gd]

Holding 2 different yarns together, I would suppose reduces pilling? Thicker fabric. I really enjoyed this video. I have never heard an explanation for pilling before.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

It would depend how tightly you knit it, what the fibers are, and what the yarn structure is. If you have a loosely twisted single ply yarn and you knit it on big needles .... you'll still have all the same problems LOL.

[@sylviamaxwell504]

thank you Barbara 😘🥰

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

You are so welcome

[@susanfazekas5327]

Thank you this was very helpful.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

So glad!

[@snicholdoodle3647]

I knit a child size hat with a "baby soft" yarn. My hat looks frayed and pilly. I just found this great video to help me to understand why. You did great job explaining this. Thank you. 😃

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MonicaLea]

As a spinner, as well as knitter, I flippin' love this video! These issues have a lot to do with why there is no merino in my spinning stash.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I am so glad you found it useful for both of your passions!

[@lauraterry4074]

This is a great video. I'm still learning to knit and it is wonderful to have someone explain this in language I can understand. There is a lot of information here that I have not had explained to me before. My questions were answered and I thank you so much for sharing with us.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

That is great to hear. It's super easy to fall back into technical speak which isn't helpful for someone who doesn't know the lingo. Now I've totally simplified a lot of what is going on and there are others who have way more detailed knowledge. But I try to keep things practical.

[@karenalbery2773]

Hahaha i knew my purse full of yarn wasnt that crazy! I didnt even know i was doing scientific durability testing. Now i can tell people that .

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

LOL, I feel like there is a mug or t-shirt in there somewhere.

[@karenalbery2773]

@@WatchBarbaraKnit i would wear it!

[@jadrankacarmichael5392]

I’ve found your email very informative and I look forward to your future videos. Thank you

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Awesome, thank you!

[@jonboz7585]

I knit socks on circular sock knitting machines, where we use 75% wool:25% nylon blends. The heels are knitted very tightly in the machine. From your video, now I understand why. Thanks. BTW, I’m finally learning how to knit using needles. You’ve inspired me!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I really like to know the WHY with regards to things I do! One of these days I'm going to learn to knit with a machine.

[@devoted2knit177]

Barbara! This was so helpful for me. You explained it in such a way as I’ll be able to remember it when I go shopping! Thank you thank you!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yay! That's the goal.

[@janaminerva]

So glad I found this video, you answered all of the questions I had! I just knitted my first sweater and it's 100% wool (single ply thicker yarn) and is starting to pill a lot after only a few wears. I was wondering if there's anything I can do about it. I was hesitant about shaving off the pills as it seems like that would eventually thin out the material, but the way you explained it it seems like that's the best option in this case. I also know what to consider now when picking out yarn for future projects, so thank you! 🙂

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Unfortunately I don't have any other option than shaving. Your next yarn selection will do better!

[@ellennelsen5576]

Excellent, thank you for sharing.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

My pleasure!

[@attheranch873]

Excellent! This was so helpful, thanks🌷

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

So glad!

[@BeautifulOaks]

😂. Eee, eee , eee. Short fiber lengths.....great teaching example. Thanks

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Thank you!

[@BeautifulOaks]

Thank you, that is good yarn information to keep in mind.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@annajuli1591]

Wow, extremely useful, thanks a lot Barbara! I enjoy watching your contents :)

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

You are so welcome!

[@SuddenUpdraft]

Hi Barbara, I just discovered your channel and am totally binging. I have two questions. 1. You go live on the last Thursday of the month at 4 pm. What time zone is that? 2. You may have already done this. There’s many of us who can’t wear animal fiber. I even find alpaca to be itchy. Unfortunately, most patterns include wool, etc. Can you make suggestions on how to change over to yarns like cotton, silk, acrylic (sacrilegious, I know) and other non animal fiber yarns?

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I go live on the last Thursday of the month at 7 PM Eastern Time (that's my time zone). I have several videos on different fiber types and I knit with all kinds of fibers. Depending on the pattern, it isn't always possible to substitute the desired fiber into a project. Here's a link to a video on cotton: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXLGe2OmqMZ6f6c

[@raena1013]

Nice contents, Barbara! 👍🏻 additionally, is there any treatment to enforce pilling resistance to wool ? Need your advice so much!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm afraid not any that I know of. But I haven't really looked.

[@rareheartart]

Barbara, thank you. I’m not crafty I’m not going to knit a sweater lol but I would like to buy one that will not pill. I’m looking at blends. I took note about the nylon being a good idea. What about acrylic or polyamide? I see them blended with alpaca and a little spandex for stretch.

[@lindanoseworthy8594]

Do acrylic yarns pill. I’m using Estelle dk and it pills quite a bit but I love it otherwise

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Yes, they can pill but I'm not exactly sure why. I understand wool better LOL.

[@ooohlaa13]

Because of budget, I usually knit with Lion wool worsted and boy do they pill! This was something I never considered, so run by the price I didn't tune into that plus I knit lots so rotate things so offsets wear and tear. A very dramatic purple tunic sweater of double strands of Lion Worsted has become a fave for my Florida winters, and rolled up fibers all over the place in stockinette st. are very obvious. So for my next venture reluctantly I will use some blend of some kind. I really only like to knit with natural fibers normally leaving out nylon and acrylic so it will really be a compromise. I just found Crazy 8 which I want to look into which supposed to make very nice stitch definition (By Wool 2to Dye4).) It is 100% merino 8 ply but super wash) Hmmmm, comments anyone ever knit with this?

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Sometimes it's just worth it to invest in a depiller and have at the garment regularly. I haven't heard of Crazy 8!

[@kvcaps]

Thank you for sharing. Would you happen to know how a spinner would spin the nylon into yarn like for socks?

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm afraid my spinning knowledge is less than useful.

[@kvcaps]

No worries. I am trying not to go down a spinning rabbit hole.

[@elviraloewen4703]

Thanks for this, Barbara! One of my loveliest and best fitting garments used a fingering weight single ply 70% merino 30% silk blend. It was a dream to knit and is a pleasure to wear. Unfortunately it pills terribly. To keep it from looking shabby I've had to use the depilling tool frequently and as a result the garment is beginning to look a bit worn and threadbare. It seems that the silk is staying put and the merino fibers are popping out and mushing together. 😪

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

If the silk is very loosely spun it could be adding to the issue as well. There are different types of silk and some of them have very short staple lengths. It sucks that your garment is being difficult!

[@carshagify]

I have the same problem with a merino / mulberry silk blend, Charlemont. And I hate it, these lovely socks with all these pills !-- currently I'm banking on West Yorkshire Spinners Blue Faced Leicester fingering yarn.

[@jennifermassello8670]

Maybe also don’t start your gift with less than 24 hours before you gift it bc there won’t be time to abuse your swatch?😂 one of the sweaters that is on my list uses chainette…that makes so much sense!!

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Well, we do a lot of compromising for last minute projects LOL.

[@joanmachado9063]

Lol 😂 don’t pet your fluffy yarn 😂😂😂

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

It really can end badly.

[@comette4u]

Hello Barbara: I'm planning to knit a pullover t 13:25 hat is a thick and thin cotton. My intention is to use a nylon thread to carry with it to add reinforcement, but I've never used this before. Do you have any tips? Thank you, Christine.

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

I'm afraid I've never used it before either so no tips. You can do it tho!

[@Hellokitty9151s]

Combine Fingering 100% cotton and 100% linens yarn for knitting crop top will be less pilling ? Thanks so much ❤️🙏

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Plant fibers do not tend to pill as much as animal fibers. The only cottons I've seen pill are ones that are more loosely spun and even then it's not much of a problem.

[@Hellokitty9151s]

@@WatchBarbaraKnit thanks for the info really appreciate that ❤️🙏😇

[@slapperorange]

Do you have any tips for substituting yarn when yarns of different weights are being combined? I’ve seen quite some garnments that are being made out of 1 strand of DK merino with 2 strands of fingering weight mohair. If I want to substitute those 3 strands of yarn into a single strand of yarn of a different weight, how do I go about that? Just add the weight to calculate a new yardage per 50g? Are there consequences for the drape because of this? I would be super grateful for some info

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Swatching is your best friend. Are you sure it's fingering weight mohair? Most mohair I have run into is lace weight. Laceweight held double would give you fingering. A strand of DK plus a strand of fingering would put you in the Worsted weight range. It would have impact on your drape but a lot of that is going to depend on the fiber content of the original yarns called for and the one you choose.

[@jenniferhaskell1921]

I have a skein of "I Love this Wool" four ply yarn from Hobby Lobby. It is loosely wound yarn I consider to be Light worsted or dk weight. I've had it for a while and Never did anything with it. I was considering using it for a project but found that it was falling apart. I've had to make several repairs (splices) to the yarn. Can you tell me why it's doing this?

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Unfortunately how you are describing this as "falling apart" in several locations indicates an insect/pest problem. The most common culprits being either moths or carpet beetles. I would advise you to closely inspect your stash of natural fibers (particularly wool) and see if that is the issue. This video might be helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5DQq3qqnayMiLs

[@jenniferhaskell1921]

@WatchBarbaraKnit we do have seasonal paper moths on occasion. Their cocoon looks like pilling on the yarn itself or a piece of lint. I don't see little caterpillars in it, though.

[@jenniferhaskell1921]

@WatchBarbaraKnit Ty so much for your insight! It was very helpful. I kind of figured that might be the culprit.

[@Hellokitty9151s]

Seems all yarn that knitted all pills

[@WatchBarbaraKnit]

Eventually, yeah/