How to Buy Yarn Online
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Buying yarn online can be intimidating. You don't get to squish it first. You don't know if the color will be what you see on your screen.
But there are some tips you can employ to make the process easier. Elina recently shared great advice on this topic on her Instagram account:
I loved the tips she gave, and want to give more detail than can be provided in an Instagram post. But I don't want to take credit for someone else's work. So I asked, and she had kindly given me permission to write further about this topic on my blog.
OK, here we go:
Ravelry Yarn Pages
You probably know about the huge library of patterns available on Ravelry. Did you know that yarns have Ravelry pages, too? You can search the database by fiber type, weight, rating, origin, and even rating (though almost 40% of them don't have a rating at all).
Most of the yarn pages are managed by the manufacturer or independent dyer, but they can be created by any user. On these pages you will find images of the yarns, and statistics: yarn weight, yardage, skein weight, gauge, recommended needle and hook size, fiber composition, and more.
Researching Yarns
On the right side of the page you will find links which will take you to a listing of all projects that yarn has been used in, and a listing of stashes it has been recorded in. In the projects section you can find pictures and details of items people have made using the yarn in question. You'll be able to see how the yarn might work with different stitches, how it drapes in different garments, and the colors in various different lighting conditions.
The stashes will allow you to see additional pictures of the yarn in various lighting conditions. Some folks will use the stock image from the manufacturer, but many people will take their own photos. At the bottom of the yarn page will be a section called "popular colorways". Here you can focus on a specific colorway within either projects or stashes.
At the top of the page, on the right, is a Comments section. These are comments users have left specifically for that yarn. You can sort them by age, or by most helpful as rated by others.
Other Sources
Another suggestion Elina made in her post is to check colorway pictures from multiple sources on at least two devices. Many sellers will use the manufacturer's stock photos, but some take their own. Different screens also display colors differently. I'll bet if you look at this page on your computer as well as your phone, the colors will be slightly different shades. And research has also found that everyone experiences colors differently based on multiple different factors.
You can also search for yarns on Instagram. Many users will use hastags for the yarn they use. It's another great way to see colors in different lighting conditions, and also get great ideas of future projects. And of course the manufacturers and dyers of yarns will post pictures of their products as well.
After this much research, it's much less likely that you'll be surprised by what shows up in your order. Of course, you'll have received yarn, so there will be something to be happy about regardless.
Do you have any great tips for buying yarn online?
