Have you found loose yarn with no labels you want to use for your next project? Don’t let it go to waste. Just use a wraps per inch tool to determine the weight of the yarn.
We’ve all experienced that moment. The relief of finding a bunch of yarn you haven’t used! But you realize you threw out the labels and now you have no idea if these mystery skeins will work for your project. Don’t worry! A tool was invented precisely for this reason.
What is Wraps Per Inch (WPI)?
Wraps per inch is a measurement used by weavers, spinners, knitters, and crocheters. It’s helpful for identifying the weight, or thickness, of yarn when you no longer have the label to reference it to. There are many ways to do this, but we’ve found the Wraps Per Inch Tool Kit to be extremely handy! With this kit, it’s been so much easier to find the weight, gauge, and the right needles to use.
Quick Guide to Measuring with the WPI Tool
Pictured above is the WPI Tool Kit (and Natural Cotton Circulo Yarn in color #9438) which brings the measurement tool and Knit-Kard.
- Holding the nifty measuring tool in one hand, take the tail of loose yarn and slide it through the top slit to hold it in place.
- Once the tail is secured, take the rest of the strand down towards the wooden handle. Begin twisting it around the handle and continue to do this until you reach the one-inch mark. For yarns with lots of character, such as “hairy” yarn, you’ll need to allow more space between each wrap, so continue wrapping through the two or three-inch mark. Make sure the yarn is snug, but not too tight in order to avoid inaccurate measurements. The wraps should lay close together, side by side, and there should be no overlapping.
- Once you’ve completed wrapping it around, the number of times you count a loop around the handle is your WPI number. For the other types of yarn mentioned that should go past one inch, divide the total number of loops by the number of inches you reached to get an accurate WPI number.
- Use your WPI number and find it on the corresponding Knit-Kard. If you don’t have a Knit-Kard, you may get an idea of your measurement by using Ravelry’s Weight Table. The Knit-Kard serves as the reference to determine the category of yarn your WPI number belongs to.
And there you have it! The WPI Tool Kit makes measuring so simple! For knitting on-the-go, you can even store the Knit-Kard in your wallet for easy access.
Sheep Thrills Knitting in Lauderhill, FL
Want to learn more tips and tricks? If you’re a South Florida local, Sheep Thrills offers private lessons for knitting, crocheting, or weaving during open hours. Call us today at 954-742-1908 to schedule your private lesson. You can also visit our website to shop online for the materials you need and find more information about our safety guidelines for shopping in-store. |
