Just in the past few days I have seen multiple 'new' weavers asking very specific questions about yarn - what to use, how to use it, etc.
I'm glad that they are asking, but answers are difficult within the context of a chat group. The pool of knowledge is huge - an ocean, not a pond.
There are various approaches available - sett charts, fibre characteristics listed in textile science books, reams and reams of actual projects with specific information. It is quite literally endless.
Which is daunting!
Where to start?
The answer is to weave samples. Examine samples, if you can, samples that document the process, the details.
As one person pointed out, yarn charts can get 'stale' very quickly as manufacturers change things frequently.
Weaving yarns are more 'stable' than knitting yarns. But even weaving yarns come and go and tastes change, advice changes, because *change one thing and everything can change*.
I work a lot with 2/8 and 2/16 cotton. And even within just those two counts, I don't always use the same epi/ppi. Sometimes I mix and match - 2/16 cotton warp with fine linen weft was a recent one. Right now it's 2/20 merc cotton warp with singles 6 highly twisted/energized unmerc cotton.
I've used 2/16 at 30, 32, 36 epi - all because the quality of the cloth differs, the weave structure differs, and so on.
So I'm going to remind people of the new book coming in June by Michelle Boyd, who has attempted to qualify how we use yarn and why there may be changes to things like gauge in knitting, or density in weaving, and why sampling matters.
Each of us works with our own preferences, the loom that we have, the goals that we aim to meet. What *I* do may be different from what some other weaver does. And we are both 'right' within our stated goals.
I can tell you what *I* would do - but then it is up to the other weaver to decide if that is appropriate for *them*. And they do that by weaving a sample. Or three.
No, you don't actually have to, but if you want specific information for your purposes, you need to do the investigation - by weaving the sample and wet finishing it.
There is no short cut.
However, there are resources, and Michelle Boyd has done the community (knitters, crocheters and weavers) the service of trying to explore the possibilities and potentials that they each can use to create their own textiles. Hopefully by explaining the dynamics baked into the yarn, future textile workers can apply the principles as yarns come and go.
The information is available. Sometimes you have to dig for it. And don't rely on AI for meaningful answers.
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