Plying and Spinning Cotton Crochet Thread

2018 Update: For issue #91 of my crochet newsletter I distilled a lot of my thinking, experiences, and other information about the twist of yarn. Twist—the amount of it and the direction of it—is one of the things that makes crochet thread feel and behave so differently from yarn. Even from lace weight yarn.

An image from Issue 91: Crocheting a Yarn's Twist Energy

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[from 2010] I'm collecting here the notes I've written on this over the years and will eventually polish it up into a real post. For now, it serves as a place to help crocheters choose the best yarns or threads for my crochet patterns. It's also a way to appreciate the key differences between what we call "yarn" vs "thread."

Cotton crochet thread of the same thickness as a yarn is often fundamentally different in its behavior when crocheted. One big reason (among others) for this is its direction of twist. Most crochet thread is "z-twisted" while most yarns are "s-twisted." (There aren't many exceptions!)

I find that this factor makes the biggest difference for most crochet jewelry I design, and when I'm using very tall stitches because of all the yarn overs. Yarn overs either add to a yarn's twist, or subtract from it (i.e. unwind it).

I try to use triple trebles with z-twisted yarns because an s-twisted yarn, if it's not tightly plied, will come untwisted from all the yarn-overs and is unpleasant to work with and look at. Splitty yarn can really slow down working off so many loops with each stitch, and I want the stitches to end up looking good enough to be worth the effort, instead of stringy or unbalanced. (I think this matters more for right handed crocheters than left handed because of the kind of working twist we add/subtract, not sure.)

Cotton Crochet Thread Sizes & Equivalents

Here's how I explain the thread weights in my crochet jewelry patterns, in order of thick thread to thin, with US, UK and AUS terms:

Irish Pearl Cords L to R: Size #5 Lanaknits Hemp,
Size #10 Cebelia, and Size #20 Opera threads.

Size #3 crochet thread is fairly equivalent in thickness to CYCA #2 Fine or US "sport weight" yarns {UK Light DK, AUS 5 Ply}; however, yarns don't necessarily behave like a cotton crochet thread of the same thickness. Jewelry patterns often require crochet thread because of its smooth, finely twisted and plied mercerized cotton, usually “z-twisted.”

Size #5 crochet thread is fairly equivalent in thickness to CYCA #1 Super Fine or US "fingering weight' yarn {UK & AUS 3 Ply or 4 Ply}; however, not all yarns behave like a cotton crochet thread of the same thickness, so substitutions may not work well. Six-strand cotton embroidery floss falls in this size range when crocheted with all 6 strands together.

Size #10 crochet thread: some thread crocheters call this popular size “bedspread weight.”  It's lumped together with thinner thread sizes in the yarn industry’s catch-all “lace weight” category: CYCA #0 Lace weight yarn {UK & AUS ??}; and most lace weight yarns don’t behave like a cotton crochet thread of the same thickness. Most of my thread crochet jewelry is designed for use with smooth, finely twisted and plied mercerized cotton, preferably “z-twisted” (i.e. has a counterclockwise twist).

Dichroic Pendant Cords (pattern is adjusted for different thread weights)

Size #20 crochet thread: As with Size #10 & #30 crochet threads, equivalent yarn weight names are not helpful with these extra fine threads. For the best looking and lasting crochet jewelry, use a “6-cord” thread, sometimes called "cordonnet." It has recently become easier to find in more colors than the traditional white and ecru.

Size #30 crochet thread: As with Size #10 & #20 threads, equivalent yarn weight names are not helpful with these extra fine threads. For the best looking and lasting crochet jewelry, use a “6-cord” thread, although it's difficult to find it in modern colors.

Palmetto Cuffs crocheted of yarns spanning the light sport to
aran (heavy worsted) weight categories.
The yarn of the smallest cuff is equivalent to the thickest thread size #3!

Crochet Picots You Can Love

Cute picots border every edge
of the Liebling Shrug.

A picot is a decorative little bump of crochet stitches that adds just the right touch to many kinds of crochet projects, often as a finished edge. It's smaller than a bobble, puff, or cluster; ideally it's a cozy little knot that's "cute as a button."

Check out the cute bowtie picots along this shoulder seam!

I've heard many crocheters say that they don't like the look of their picots. After crocheting for 30 years or so, I can say that no matter how many picots one has under one's belt, the next one may look mediocre for a number of reasons that are easy to fix. 

Rosepuff Shawlette's bead-picot edge

The first thing I do is try my favorite way to make them, below. It comes the closest to producing a fail-safe picot, with the added bonus of being the fastest and smoothest stitching motion for me (keeps the picots from feeling like "speed bumps" LOL). 

Vashti's Favorite Way to Crochet Picots

I used this method for the Liebling Shrug and the flounced Antoinette, Emdash, and Cantina scarves. In fact, I talked about this picot method in this blog post about the picot lace sleeves of the Baroque Tabard.

Insert the hook from the top down into two front loops of the "host" stitch (the last stitch made before chaining 3 or 4 to start the picot). This "host" stitch can be any stitch except a slip stitch; a vertical "bar" or "leg" of the stitch is needed to comfortably and swiftly work into. 

The 1,380 Cashmere Picots Scarf.
(The edge is a mix of picots & petals.)

It's so easy to do it, but the words can make it sound difficult. 

Depending on the look (which sometimes has to do with the yarn, or my hook size), I might close with a single crochet (sc) worked into these two loops, OR a slip stitch (sl st). Either way, I love how it stabilizes a picot with a stronger base, and it's is easier to make quickly. Closing with a sc instead of sl st can add more bulk if the picots seem puny. 

When I've chosen *against* this method, such as for the 1,380 Cashmere Picots Scarf, it can be because the picot comes out looking blockish sometimes. Also sort of flat or less of a pearly 3-D knot. Each case is different.

Picot foundation for the
1,380 Cashmere Picots Scarf.

I always try out a range of ways to make picots no matter what the pattern or stitch dictionary says.

For example:

• Chain 4 instead of 3 (most people chain 3)
• Heck, try chaining 2 and then close with a sc (usually makes a little molehill)
• Chain tightly. Or, loosely.
• Close it with a sc if you tried a sl st.
• If you work into the first chain of the picot chains, try working into different loops of that chain.



I used a subtle type of picot for Lotus Chip Charms.

• Invent-A-Picot: I wonder what happens if you chain 1 then do a 2-hdc puff in the top of the stitch just before the chain-1?

I hope each crocheter explores alternate ways to make picots so that each of us always gets the kind that we want!

Choosing Cotton Thread for Crochet Jewelry

Four Mermaid Chains, four brands of crochet thread!
Top right and bottom left corner is #10 Opera thread.
See a lovely variegated #20 Lizbeth one.

I have a handsome stash of a fine quality cotton crochet thread called Opera, ranging in sizes from #5 (approaching "fingering" weight") to #30.

The larger the number, the thinner the thread. Size #30 might look like sewing thread to some folks compared to size #10, but sewing thread is closer to a size #100 or #120.

I use Opera crochet thread mostly for crocheting jewelry. The jewelry I've made with it stays looking great longer because of its high quality cotton fiber, the higher twist, and smooth finish.

Opera is made by Coats, though regrettably I must now say WAS made by Coats. (It's discontinued.) What to do?

I've been having great luck with a crochet thread called Lizbeth. While maybe nothing can replace Opera thread for me completely, the Lizbeth color choices are great fun! Best of all Lizbeth is a six-cord thread (see below).

From the Slider Charms Trio 
pattern set.

What I Look For in a Crochet Thread

I used Lizbeth Size #10 for the green & brown
Sweet Almonds Set. 

Especially for jewelry.

1. The higher the amount of twist, the better. (Known as a hard twist.) It will stay looking new longer and will hold its shape well.
2. The number of plies matters--the more, the better. Threadies will refer to a thread as a "3-cord" or a "6-cord". Perle cotton is a "2-cord" thread. I've seen 6-cord threads referred to as "cordonnet" and heirloom-quality. Generally speaking, 6-cord is great for jewelry--at least, the kind that I like to design. Opera is an extra nice 3-cord thread, so that's why I say generally speaking.
3. The quality of the cotton used. One can't always tell by look and feel because the fibers can have finishes added that give it a smoother, denser, shinier look on the ball. After some use, a lower-quality thread will get fuzzy or hairy, indicating that cheaper, shorter fiber lengths were used.
4. Pretty colors! (Some of the best threads have traditionally been available in only white, off-white, and black.)

The best crochet threads for jewelry seem to be imported. Although your local yarn shop likely has a good selection of imported yarns, very few yarn shops carry heirloom-quality crochet thread.

Where to find great thread for jewelry? A few years ago I wrote "mainly on the internet if you live in the USA", but today it's easy to find Lizbeth thread in craft stores too. 

Learn how & why I developed this stitch pattern
to do planned color pooling with Lizbeth thread.

Occasionally I see DMC Cordonnet (an excellent thread) in a craft chain store, but only in white in a size #50 or crazier thinner (for tatting). I wonder if it's easy to tint with dyes....

Standard Necklace Lengths

I keep a list of standard necklace lengths handy when I write crochet jewelry patterns.

Satin Pillows Necklace is opera length.
(Coincidentally, I crocheted some of them with Opera thread.)

Trailing Vines is lariat length

Collar: 12" – 13"

(30.48 cm – 33 cm)

Choker: 14" – 16"

(36.5 cm – 41.5 cm)

Princess: 17" – 19"

(43 cm – 48 cm)

Matinee: 20" – 24"

(51 cm – 61 cm)

Opera: 25" – 34"

(64.5 cm – 87.5 cm)

Rope: 35" – 44"

(89 cm – 112 cm)

Lariat: 45" – 48"

(114 cm – 122 cm)