Pros and Cons of Knitting With Cotton

Cotton yarn has advantages and disadvantages in knitting. While some don't like to use it, there is no reason to toss out a complete fiber family, unless you’re allergic or sensitive. The important thing when working with cotton is to know its good points and its less-good points and pick your project accordingly.

Pros

These are the advantages of knitting with cotton yarn:

• Cotton is a relatively lightweight fiber that is good for summer clothing and accessories.
• It is quite breathable and comfortable to wear next to the skin.
• Cotton can easily be dyed in a dizzying array of colors, so no matter what your favorite color is, you’re bound to find a shade of cotton to match your every desire.
• Cotton is strong, durable, and machine-washable. It starts out soft and actually gets softer the more you wash it.
• It is usually inexpensive, though you are often rewarded with better quality when you pay a little more.
• Cotton usually holds together well and doesn’t pill.
• Cotton shows every stitch, which can be positive or negative, depending on how you’re knitting that day.

Cons

Cotton yarn has these disadvantages:

• Some colors, especially the darker reds, blues, and blacks, tend to bleed, which can be a problem when laundering or when used in a project with lighter colors.
• Cotton holds water really well and gets heavy when wet, so it can stretch and sag when soggy.
• Cotton yarns can be slippery.
• Cotton is inelastic, which can make it difficult for some knitters to keep an even tension, and it can cause hand strain.
• Conventionally-grown cotton is very pesticide-heavy.

Working With Cotton

It’s a good idea to work to a firm gauge with cotton because the weight of the fiber can cause the work to sag, especially when it's wet. You may want to work with a smaller needle than the ball band suggests so that you can get a firmer, more solid knitted fabric.

Always swatch and wash your swatch—this will tell you a lot about how the particular cotton yarn you are working with will act and whether it is going to bleed. If you’re planning a project with stripes, knit your swatch with all the colors you are planning to use so you’ll know if one bleeds on the others.

When washing your finished project for the first time, adding a tablespoon or so of vinegar to the water can help keep the colors from running. Never hang a cotton item to dry, as it will sag. Machine washing and drying are fine, though you might want to take items out of the dryer before they are completely dry. Reshape as needed, and allow to finish drying flat.