You can use a 2 to 3.5mm crochet hook size, also known as the E-4 crochet hook size, for a 4-ply yarn. A 4-ply yarn has four combined strands or the thickness of the four strands. The stitches per gauge will be about 24 to 28 for such yarn and the selected crochet size.
When you feel your yarn’s thickness and compare it with your crochet hook, you will realize that some yarns need the wider crochet while others can fit in most crochets. The difference is not just visible size but also the compactness of the yarn.
It would be best to have the broader crochet for a 4-ply yarn, but it will not be the biggest out there. You will see that it is very easy to match the size of your yarn to the appropriate crochet.
You can get the right crochet by focusing on the standard needle sizes. The right crochet hook for a 4-ply yarn is up to 2mm to 3.5mm large. A 2mm to 3.25mm crochet hook will be sufficient for most people, but your technique may also make you 3.5mm.
Therefore, the ideal or best crochet size to use with a 4-ply yarn is 2mm.
Read on to understand the way to select a crochet size when you have a well-known yarn size. You will also see the differences between yarn sizes to help you match it to the appropriate crochet.
You will always select the proper match when you know the yarn size and standard crochet hook sizes. So, let’s get right into it and get the proper crochet size for your yarn.
What Is The Difference Between 3-Ply, 4-Ply, And 8-Ply Yarns?
The 4-ply size means four strands or the weight of four strands. A 4-ply is also the most common yarn you see on baby blankets and sweaters. Heavier yarns are not common on outdoor fabrics, and when you see a regular thick sweater, you are likely to be seeing a 4-ply yarn.
The 3-ply yarn has the thickness or density of three standard yarn strands. Therefore, the 8-ply yarn will have the density or thickness of eight strands of yarn.
The yarn plies fall in distinct categories based on long-term classification for the textile industry. You may have heard about such terms as light-worsted, sport, or bulky.
The terms are standard ones for the United States, but you may also meet foreigners that speak of DK, Aran, Afghan, and Chunky, to name a few common terms. The 4-ply yarn falls in the category of sport yarns.
The simplest way to look at yarn sizes is that there are hefty ones for double-knitting or the 8-ply yarn, and there are the lightest ones made of only two strands. The lightest yarn is typical on light garments, including neckwear, shrugs, and wraps. 8-ply yarn is for the heavier garments, and you will see it on hats, some hand gloves, scarves, and trousers.
So, 4-ply yarn falls in-between the heaviest and lightest yarns. Most beginner knitters can handle the 4-ply yarn because it is not too heavy or too light. You will realize that 4-ply yarn is easier to manipulate and most of the standard knitting kits come with needles that suit the 4-ply yarn.
Yarn Length, Yarn Weight, and Yarn Ply
Since yarn ply shows its thickness or number of strands, you may need to know that it depends on the threads’ length and weight. The thickness is suitable for judging the crochet hook size, but the manufacturers also rely on length. The manufacturers measure the weight of yarn that emerges from the textile machines and then measure its length as it is cut and packaged.
The most popular way to express a 4-ply yarn in weight and length is 350 to 450m per 100g or 3.5 to 4.5 meters per gram. You can see that it compares the weight and length of the yarn to provide the ply size.
You may encounter many scales, and let us explain them clearly here. The measurements in the US are yards per pound. A 4-ply yarn measures about 1300-1800 yards, which you can multiply by 3 to get the feet.
Therefore, your 4-ply yarn is about 3900 to 5400 feet per pound. It is also possible to view it in other standard measures that you will hear people use because most parts of the world use meters and kgs.
In expressing the 4-ply based on weight and length, you could convert the feet per pound or pounds per foot to kgs and meters too.
The simplest way is to go through feet per kg first. About two pounds make a kg, and you could divide the 3900 or 5400 by 2 to get the feet per kg. Therefore, 1900 to 2700 feet per kg is the other way to look at it.
You may also need to know that one foot is one-third of a meter, which means that you could know the 4-ply measurements in kgs per meter too. You divide the feet by 3. Therefore, 1900 to 2700 feet per kg will be about 630 to 900 meters per foot.
You can see that crochet sizes may vary slightly depending on the needles and yarn’s origin. The thickness of the yarn ply may differ slightly due to practices in one country compared to another.
Knitting is not a completely standardized area, and there is a lot of creativity or ways in how the yarn sizes emerge and the matching crochet hooks. However, you can see that the crochet hook size of 3.5mm is the largest for the 4-ply yarn.
Now you understand how to select a proper crochet hook size for a 4-ply yarn and any yarn. You can already see that it is straightforward to interpret the various measurements and get the right hook for your knitting.
Depending on what you want to knit, the stitches per gauge, or your unique technique, you can use the recommended hook sizes or slight variations for your best selection.
Finally, we are always excited to hear from readers that want to learn more or share their experiences, and you can tell us about it too. You may contact us or respond to this post, and we shall be excited too. Great stitches!
