Whether you’re trying to substitute yarn from your stash, work with a yarn you love or adapt a pattern for a different season, learning how to modify a knitting pattern or how to modify a crochet pattern is an incredibly empowering skill. It gives you freedom, confidence and creativity and saves a lot of frustration. In this guide, we’ll walk through how yarn weight affects fabric and drape, why ease matters when changing yarns and what to do if you don’t get gauge in knitti

This article is your guide to novelty yarns: what they are, the different types available, how to use them confidently in knitting, crochet and weaving and plenty of ideas to help you move past uncertainty and into playful experimentation.