# What is difference between DK and Sport Wt.?



## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

I have a pattern that calls for DK yarn. I understand the DK stands for double knitting. I don't know why they call it that. My confusion stems from the fact that in a yarn catalog that I have on hand, the sport weight yarn and DK yarn are both classified as a #3 yarn. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the two?


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## impatient knitter (Oct 5, 2011)

Evie RM said:


> I have a pattern that calls for DK yarn. I understand the DK stands for double knitting. I don't know why they call it that. My confusion stems from the fact that in a yarn catalog that I have on hand, the sport weight yarn and DK yarn are both classified as a #3 yarn. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the two?


Someone once told me it was the "ply." In the DK there are 3 strands twined together, and in the sport, there may be only 2 strands. My personal opinion? They're the same thing!


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## Gini_knits (Apr 3, 2013)

Maybe the chart here will help you. Sport weight is listed as #2 and DK as #3 with characteristics of each.

http://www.ravelry.com/help/yarn/weights


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

Gini_knits said:


> Maybe the chart here will help you. Sport weight is listed as #2 and DK as #3 with characteristics of each.
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/help/yarn/weights


Thank you for this chart. It is very clear. I want to use up yarn from my stash, but do not have DK yarn in my stash.


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## hilltopper (Jul 16, 2014)

Maybe try a swatch with two strands of sport weight held together? ??


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## rainie (Jan 12, 2013)

Try swatching with the sport yarn. Other charts say sport is # 3. http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/convert.htm http://www.crochet-knit.com/yarn_conversion.html
This one says DK and worsted are the same. http://www.angelyarns.com/yarn/charts.php
Most of my vintage stash sport yarns swatch out as #3.


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## grandmann (Feb 4, 2011)

When I'm working with yarns I also look at the needle size. 
I guess my favorite yarn is sport or DK because I like knitting with size 6 or 7.


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## MrsB (Jun 3, 2011)

Go to Ice Yarns for a visual clue as to the difference. Here's a chart they use for reference when looking for yarns. Click the "Shop By" category.

http://www.iceyarns.com

Yarn Thickness
0 Lace: Fingering Crochet Thread
1 SuperFine: Sock, Fingering, Baby
2 Fine: Sport, Baby
3 Light: DK, Light, Worsted
4 Medium: Worsted, Afghan, Aran
5 Bulky: Chunky, Craft, Rug
6 SuperBulky: Bulky, Roving


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## paljoey46 (Nov 20, 2011)

Gini_knits said:


> Maybe the chart here will help you. Sport weight is listed as #2 and DK as #3 with characteristics of each.
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/help/yarn/weights


Thanks for this chart. I get confused too, at times.


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## Ditsy (Nov 18, 2014)

When I started knitting, in days of yore, there was only 3 ply or 4 ply (sock, fingering) yarn. Then they brought in Double Knit. Two strands of fingering is the same as DK. That's why it's called double knit. Twice the 4 ply. Not that it helps. The whole thing is a nightmare. I always go by the needle sizes and although I regret the loss of the old numbering system, the metric sizing gives a much easier way of knowing what you actually need.


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## AmyKnits (Aug 20, 2011)

Gini_knits said:


> Maybe the chart here will help you. Sport weight is listed as #2 and DK as #3 with characteristics of each.
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/help/yarn/weights


That is correct. Sport is a lighter weight than DK. Sport is #2 and DK is thicker and listed as a #3. Two differed weights of yarn.

You will either need to buy the correct DK yarn for your project OR adjust the pattern to use your yarn.


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## flhusker (Feb 17, 2011)

As with Ditsy I miss the older system of yarn. I have found that even two yarns labeled the same but different brands are different. Therefore you cannot use say Caron and I Love This Yarn on the same project although they are both DK. For instance if I was to use just a little gold for trim on something and have enough of it in a certain brand I have to run all over to get the main color in that brand. Or buy two full skeins of another brand and then have a lot of gold left over that I may never use. I have even found different weight among the same brand (talking same type of yarn now) but different colors. Why do we need a master degree just to buy yarn.


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## mopgenorth (Nov 20, 2011)

Evie RM said:


> I have a pattern that calls for DK yarn. I understand the DK stands for double knitting. I don't know why they call it that. My confusion stems from the fact that in a yarn catalog that I have on hand, the sport weight yarn and DK yarn are both classified as a #3 yarn. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the two?


A little trivia for you: Sport weight is typically a 5-ply and DK is 8-ply. Way back when, 4-ply (what we now call "fingering/sock" yarn) was the norm for knitting yarns, but later a yarn was developed which was twice the thickness, so they called it Double Knitting yarn, which was shortened to DK.


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## RoxyCatlady (Mar 22, 2011)

Evie RM said:


> I have a pattern that calls for DK yarn. I understand the DK stands for double knitting. I don't know why they call it that. My confusion stems from the fact that in a yarn catalog that I have on hand, the sport weight yarn and DK yarn are both classified as a #3 yarn. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the two?


DK weight yarn is called that because at one time, there were two basic thicknesses of yarn available -- knitting worsted used to make sweaters, and fingering weight yarn used to make baby things and fine work like socks and stockings. People wanted something in between, so they began to take the knitting yarn (the thin stuff) and holding it double -- double knit weight.

For some reason, someone decided to call thinner than worsted weight yarn "sport" in the US. Others call baby yarn "sport". I have found no consistency in the word "sport". I find most yarns that have that word on the label are actually thinner than DK yarn. Much closer to fingering. And before some idiot came up with that horrible very general numbering system (I despise it, can you tell?) yarn conversion charts actually listed sport as between fingering and DK. Also, in those days, worsted yarn was also worsted weight - not this nearly DK "light worsted" I find everywhere now.


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## SAMkewel (Mar 5, 2011)

rainie said:


> Try swatching with the sport yarn. Other charts say sport is # 3. http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/convert.htm http://www.crochet-knit.com/yarn_conversion.html
> This one says DK and worsted are the same. http://www.angelyarns.com/yarn/charts.php
> Most of my vintage stash sport yarns swatch out as #3.


Be aware that countries on the metric system have different meanings for their knitting/crocheting terms than the USA does, i.e., DK in the United Kingdom is the same as our worsted, but our DK and our worsted are NOT the same. Gotta watch those details.....


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## Ditsy (Nov 18, 2014)

I want to bury my head in the sand and give up. However, I'm sadly addicted so will have to struggle on. If only there was an e-knitting system, like there is an e-cigarette!


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## Fiona3 (Feb 6, 2014)

Ditsy said:


> I want to bury my head in the sand and give up. However, I'm sadly addicted so will have to struggle on. If only there was an e-knitting system, like there is an e-cigarette!


I agree with you, it it so confusing at times! Thank goodness for all you helpers on KP.

Fiona. 😓😓😓


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

It doesn't really matter what they call it if you can get the right gauge for the garment. That is also on the yarn wrappers, and usually given in the specs for the yarn (on the wrapper, it's that little grid box). I have on occasion and depending on the brand of yarn interchanged DK and sport. You can see from the information below that if you use a larger needle for sport, you can easily get the gauge. Depending on the fluff and twist of the yarns, sometimes they are interchangeable and sometimes not, but you can see that they are not enormously different. That's what swatches are for. 

If I were buying new yarn for a pattern I would buy what the pattern calls for or an obvious substitute. If I were using it from my stash, I'd play around and see what happens. Again, a good reason to swatch.


SIRDAR COUNRY STYLE (and English yarn)
Yarn Weight DK
Length 155m
Ball Weight 50g
Tension 22 stitches, 28 rows to 10cm on 4mm needles (use a smaller needle and you can get the 24 st gauge)
Needle Size 4.00mm

Knitpicks Brava Sport (a U.S. yarn)
Weight: Sport Weight
Knitting Gauge: 6 sts = 1" on #3 - 5 needles (3.25mm-3.75mm)
(24 st on smaller needles)
Yards: 273
Grams: 100


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

Thank you all for your great replies to my inquiry. I used Lion Brand "Jaimie" baby yarn from my stash on size 5 neesles. It is a top down sweater and I finished it last night. The 0-3 month size said the width is supposed to be 16" and the length is 9". My width came out OK, but I had to add quite a few more rows in the bottom to make it to the 9". I am going to make another in the 6 month size using size 6 needles and a different yarn. I am glad it turned out to the correct. Some day when I am at the yarn store, I am going to compare DK to Sport and baby yarns to visually see the difference. Again, thank you all for your comments.


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## judypfennemore (Feb 28, 2015)

I find that DK varies from brand to brand and is sometimes so fine, its like 4 ply. I find too that UK aran is similar in weight to then US worstedweight . Best solution is knit a gauge swatch and work the pattern back from your swatch.


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## mopgenorth (Nov 20, 2011)

judypfennemore said:


> I find that DK varies from brand to brand and is sometimes so fine, its like 4 ply. I find too that UK aran is similar in weight to then US worstedweight . Best solution is knit a gauge swatch and work the pattern back from your swatch.


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Rule #1 in knitting!


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## rainie (Jan 12, 2013)

mopgenorth said:


> :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Rule #1 in knitting!


Gosh, if there are rules, maybe I don't want to play. :lol: :lol:


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## judypfennemore (Feb 28, 2015)

Hey you know why there are rules?? They are there to be ignored and broken so we can come up with new things. Just go for it and make a plan when it doesn't quite work and come up with something different and unique!!


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

Well, it isn't mandatory - there are no knitting police, but it is a REALLY GOOD IDEA to make a swatch. If you want to take your chances, you end up like Evie above. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but then there are those other times...(sigh, tears) Can we agree that it is "good practice?" 

Also, Judy P's comments are the reason that I stated in my explanation "depending on the brand." Few things in knitting are really standardized. In fact, I can't think of anything off hand.


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## mopgenorth (Nov 20, 2011)

There ARE rules - Stephanie Pearl McPhee says so!

A little excerpt from her book "Knitting Rules" (see? I TOLD you so!)

Click the link and scroll up to page 79 for the beginning of the chapter.

http://books.google.com/books?id=8Sfv3PL2fEMC&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=knitting+rule+swatch+for+gauge&source=bl&ots=gu2QZ0AWaf&sig=JVGwQqX0N3mFXVFYNX8jDVGKQAs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8N72VIW1D8S7ggSs0YGwCg&ved=0CFwQ6AEwDA#v=onepage&q=knitting%20rule%20swatch%20for%20gauge&f=false


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## mavisb (Apr 18, 2011)

In England we have 1 ply, 2 ply, 3 ply, 4 ply, DK, Aran, we do have thicker wool. In Australia we have 2 ply, 3 ply 4 ply, 8 ply (DK), Aran (10 ply), 14 ply. We have a 5 ply. England used to have quickerknit for baby garments. I still have patterns for this yarn. My ladies at my LYS help me get the right ply wool to knit those outfits.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

RoxyCatlady said:


> DK weight yarn is called that because at one time, there were two basic thicknesses of yarn available -- knitting worsted used to make sweaters, and fingering weight yarn used to make baby things and fine work like socks and stockings. People wanted something in between, so they began to take the knitting yarn (the thin stuff) and holding it double -- double knit weight.
> 
> For some reason, someone decided to call thinner than worsted weight yarn "sport" in the US. Others call baby yarn "sport". I have found no consistency in the word "sport". I find most yarns that have that word on the label are actually thinner than DK yarn. Much closer to fingering. And before some idiot came up with that horrible very general numbering system (I despise it, can you tell?) yarn conversion charts actually listed sport as between fingering and DK. Also, in those days, worsted yarn was also worsted weight - not this nearly DK "light worsted" I find everywhere now.


It does get confusing, doesn't it. I guess a visual comparison is the best way to go. I got my first top down sweater completed in the 0-3 month size and it looks great. I am currently working on the 6 month size on a size larger needle (#6) and using "sport weight" yarn instead of the "baby yarn" that I used for the 0-3 month size. I think it will be OK. Don't mind if it is a little big, because babies grow so fast. Hopefully she will be able to wear the one I am making now until she is a year old.


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