Same Name, Different Yarns

If you walk into a yarn store and ask for the 220, pretty much anyone will know what you want.  We have a huge cabinet devoted to the good ol' classic worsted weight Cascade 220.  This is the yarn we often recommend to beginners for its durability, color range, softness, and price.

Last winter we began carrying Cascade 220 Superwash Sport.  Again, great colors, great price, and the added benefit of being machine washable.  I know quite a few people have used it for kid and baby items.  It's also great when knitting for the people in your life who can't quite grasp "hand wash only".

We have recently added Cascade 220 Sport to the shop as well.  The yarn looks significantly different from the superwash version, but they keep calling it 220.  I'm not going to complain, though...this stuff is really beautiful.  At only $5 per skein, it's hard to beat.

I am usually drawn to the more rustic yarns in the shop, and this one is right up my alley.  This yarn is ideal for colorwork, which I find really fun and satisfying.  The non-superwash version feels like it has a little more stick than its superwash cousin, which I find so helpful when working with multiple colors in a row.

There are a few books out right now focusing solely on the 220 range of yarns, including this lovely one for the 220 sport weights, 60 More Quick Knits.  The original, 60 Quick Knits, focuses on the worsted weight 220, and 60 Quick Baby Knits is pretty cute, too.  (Those are all Ravelry links...I can't find any other good project galleries for you.)

Check out a few of my favorites from 60 More Quick Knits.

Diamond Patterned Mittens

Hourglass Mitts

Embroidered Mushroom Cap

Multi-Lace Scarf

I have been thinking about legwarmers, and Some Cloudy Day from Tiny Owl Knits looks lovely, perhaps in golden mustardy yellow.  Free pattern + 3 skeins of 220 sport = $15 project.

Some Cloudy Day (Photo from Tiny Owl Knits)

My Pirate Hat (free pattern here) has been getting a lot of use lately, and I've been thinking about designing something new.  The 220 Sport would be perfect.

If you are the kind of knitter who knits sport weight sweaters, this lovely stuff is an excellent choice.  With the great yardage and reasonable price, you can make a pretty sizable adult sweater for $50 or much less, depending on your choice of design.

Oddly enough, the only one of these yarns that actually has 220 yards per skein is the original worsted version.  The 220 Superwash Sport has 136 yards, and the 220 Sport has 164 yards.  Who knows what they are doing over there at Cascade, but, like I said, I'm not complaining.  You'll just have to be a little more specific when you ask for the 220 next time you come in.