Yarnspirations FAQ

You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers.

Let us help you discover a world of inspiration and creativity. In this section, you can get answers about our products, patterns, website, and more! If you don’t find the information you're looking for here, please contact our Yarnspirations Consumer Care team— they're always happy to help!

To read our recent letter against racism and in support of diversity and inclusion, please click here.

Updated Shipping Notice

International Shipments

As of October 6th, 2022, we can no longer ship orders to addresses outside of the US and Canada. Instead, our UK and International website features our latest campaigns, collections, lookbooks, and thousands of free patterns to inspire you. To shop, please visit your local craft store or any of our online stockists that ship to your location.

Account & Subscriptions

Your Yarnspirations Account
  • Why would I create a Yarnspirations account?

    Creating an account on Yarnspirations.com has many benefits:

    • Speedy checkout – your account will save multiple addresses.
    • When logged into your account, your shopping cart information will be saved for later!
    • View and track your orders – you can view past orders or track new orders just by logging into your account.
    • Save your favorite patterns and yarns by adding them to your Wishlist.
  • My email address has changed. How do I update this information to my current account?

    You are welcome to update your e-mail address by logging in to your account online. The best way to do this is to take the following steps:

    • Visit the website and click on "My Account" in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
    • Log in to your account by typing your previous e-mail address and password.
    • Once logged in, click on "Edit Profile" towards the right-hand side of the page.
    • Type your new e-mail address on lines 3 and 4.
    • Verify your "Current password" at the bottom.
    • Click "Update Now."
    • Your e-mail will be updated.
  • How do I reset my password?

    Go to the My Account Login page. Click the Recover Your Password link under the Login button. Enter the email address associated with your account in the popup that appears. The email should arrive in your Inbox within a few moments. If you do not see it within 30 minutes, please check your spam/junk folder.

Emails & Newsletter Subscriptions
  • How do I unsubscribe from your email mailing list?

    There are two quick and easy ways to unsubscribe from our mailing list. i. Follow the “UNSUBSCRIBE HERE” link that appears at the bottom of every Yarnspirations newsletter. Note that you will still receive order confirmations and other notifications about your order from us if you choose to unsubscribe from marketing communications from Yarnspirations. ii. Contact our Consumer Care team and note the email address you have registered on our list.

  • I have a new email address. How do I update my subscription to make sure I still receive Yarnspirations newsletters?

    Easy! Just follow the “UPDATE EMAIL PREFERENCES” link that appears at the bottom of any Yarnspirations newsletter. Under the “My Personal Information” section, simply enter your new email address and click the “Update” button. If you have trouble completing these steps, contact our Consumer Care team and note both your new and old email addresses in your message.

  • I want to receive only knit or crochet patterns in my emails, but not both. How do I do that?

    If you follow the “UPDATE EMAIL PREFERENCES” link that appears at the bottom of your Yarnspirations newsletters, you can specify whether you’d like to receive knit and/or crochet content. You still may receive emails that contain both knit and crochet projects, however

Our Products

About Our Products
  • How is your yarn manufactured?

    Yarnspirations carries yarn made with both synthetic and natural fibers.

    The wool used in our yarn comes from sheep raised in Australia, New Zealand, South America, and Falkland. It is brought to the United Kingdom, where it is blended together in a roughly equal combination of content from each region, though this does vary from load to load.

    The cotton used in our yarn is USA grown, though is not classified as organic or GMO-free.

    All of our products are not treated or dyed with any epoxy or varnish compounds. We do not use Urea Formaldehyde Resin or Disperse blues. All of the materials used to manufacture our yarns are OEKO-TEX Standard certified. This standard certifies that the dyestuffs used do not present a health risk or risk to the environment.

  • Are your Patons yarns or patterns the same as Patons UK or Australia?

    Please note that Patons UK and Patons Australia are separate entities and are not affiliated with Patons North America. Our patterns and yarn are produced by Patons North America.

  • My yarn has knots in it, what do I do?

    While they might be annoying, knots in yarn are common and are pretty unavoidable in yarn production. Knots are created when a new strand of fiber is joined to the end of the previous one during the spinning and winding process. By using knots to join sections of fiber together, we also reduce excess waste and make the most of our materials.

    While knots may not always be preferred, they are a normal part of the manufacturing process and do not typically indicate a defect in the yarn. Our products follow industry standards based on weight, gauge, and type of yarn. This ensures that our products are free from weak spots and able to withstand wear and tear.

  • Which of your wool yarns will felt?

    You can use Patons Classic Wool Worsted, Patons Classic Wool Bulky, and Patons Classic Wool Roving for your felting projects.

  • How does the striping effect of Bernat Pop! yarn differ from other yarns?

    Bernat Pop! is a print dyed yarn, which means this yarn undergoes a different dying process than other self-striping yarns. The result is that every ball of Bernat Pop! will have the same colors, though each ball may not start and end with the same color or include the same length of each color.

Availability and Stockists
  • I am looking for a specific product— has it been discontinued?

    You can find our entire product offering on Yarnspirations.com, unless a product is limited-edition or seasonal only. If you do not find the yarn or color you are looking for, more than likely it has been discontinued. We do not keep a back-stock of any of our yarns; once they are discontinued and sold out, they are no longer available through us. You may, however, still be able to find it at your local retailer or even an online discount retailer.

  • I am looking for a specific yarn but don’t see it listed on your website, can you help?

    If you are looking for a specific product made by Caron, Bernat, Patons, Lily Sugar’n Cream, or Phentex, Red Heart, or Coats & Clark but don’t see it listed on our website, it could mean that this product has been discontinued or that the product is sold exclusively at other retailers. Products listed as “Out of Stock” are still in production and will be re-stocked.

  • Do you have a catalog?

    While Yarnspirations does not offer a printed catalog of our products, our website acts as an online catalog of the products we carry and currently have in stock. In order to ensure that our customers have access to the most current styles, prices, shades, and overall selection, we do not publish a catalog that you may purchase directly from us. Plus, with all the styles that we carry, a catalog would be as big as a phone book!

  • Do you have a physical store I can visit?

    The Yarnspirations store is virtual only and can be found at Yarnspirations.com. We encourage you to visit your local craft retailer to touch and feel our yarns in person.

Yarn Shades & Dyes
  • How do I find out what solid colored yarns are in the multi-colored yarns?

    We currently only have this information available for Red Heart yarns. You will can find this information in the Multi-Color Coordinate List here

  • Will my order contain yarn from the same dye lot?

    Some yarns are dyed in large batches with each batch assigned a "dye lot number". Using a color from the same dye batch assures a color match from skein to skein. Other yarns are spun from fiber that is already colored and are labeled as "no dye lot" yarns. Unfortunately, we are not able to match dye lots. We do try, but depending on demand, the warehouse can go through several dye lots in less than a week. And when dye-lots are picked through looking for matching dye-lots to complete a single order we unfortunately sometimes end up with a few skeins in each of several dye-lots. If you cannot find the dye lot you were using, the best thing to do is to take some of what you have to the store and try to get the best match. Look at it in natural and artificial light if possible. Work alternating rows with the two different dye lots to lessen the effect of knitting with a second dye lot. Not all stores carry all of our yarns in all available colors so you will need to check with the individual store. You can order any of our yarns in any color online.

  • How do I set the dye in my yarn?

    While not necessary with most of our products, you may find that you need to set the dye in your yarn to prevent it from bleeding. This is more common with yarns that feature a rich, dark color, because these require a heavier application of dyes, which may not fully absorb into the yarn. After your project is completed, soak it in a solution of cold water with ½ to 1 cup of coarse salt, depending on the size of your item. After half an hour of soaking, rinse your item with clean water. Prepare a solution of equal amounts white vinegar and water, which you will use to soak your item again for half an hour. After this second soaking, rinse your item for the final time. This process will leave your dye set.

  • What does “No Dye Lot” mean?

    Most yarns have a dye lot number assigned to them during the manufacturing process, which identifies yarns that have been dyed together in the same batch. This is important because often the yarn’s color can vary from batch to batch.

    When you see “No Dye Lot” on a ball band it means that extra quality assurance has taken place to ensure that the color is consistent across batches, so there is no need to worry about a dye lot number! You can buy another skein in the same shade to continue your project whenever you’d like. It's important to note that even with "no dye lot" yarn, there may still be slight color variations between different batches due to differences in the manufacturing process.

Yarn Care
  • How do I wash my yarn?
    Washing instructions can be unique to each yarn, so we recommend to check out the ball band! You'll notice on the ball band the yarn information, gauge, and washing instructions.
    Yarn ball shot, back

    In the example of Red Heart Super Saver, you can see icons that mean:

    • This yarn can be machine washed.
    • This yarn can be tumble dried.
    • You should not use an iron on this yarn.
    • You should not use bleach on this yarn.
    • This yarn can be tumble dried.
    • You should not use an iron on this yarn.
    • You should not use bleach on this yarn.
    • You can also search for your yarn on yarnspirations.com and view the yarn care tab.

      Learn more about how to read symbols in our complete guide on ball bands here

      You can also search for your yarn on yarnspirations.com and view the yarn care tab.

      Where to find yarn care on product page guide image
    • Do our yarns have to be wound prior to use?

      No, you do not have to wind our yarn before use. That said, some of our yarns are pulled from the center, and some from the outside.

      Every ball of yarn has two ends, one in the center of the ball, and one usually under the wrapper. We recommend always remove the wrapper first as sometimes after removing the wrapper, the outer end of the yarn is tucked inside the skein and can sometimes be pulled through with the pull end. When this happens, stop and look at the opposite end of the skein. You should see a strand of yarn pulling tightly against the outside of the skein. This is the outer end of the yarn, and it must be pulled free of the interior of the skein before you continue. We suggest holding the inside end firmly while loosening the outer end and pulling it through the opposite end of the skein. Otherwise, it will create a tangled, knotted section in the middle of the skein, resulting in hours of untangling before you can begin your project.

      Depending on which type of ball - aryton or pull skein will determine which way is the best to start your ball of yarn: Learn More.

      We have a great video on how to start a ball of yarn and avoid tangled centers, and it can be viewed here.

Health & Safety
  • Tizzy Recall

    If you have purchased Bernat Tizzy yarn and would like to return it as part of our voluntary product recall, please contact our Customer Care team directly here.

  • What is OEKO-TEX Standard certification?

    Yarns that are OEKO-TEX certified are free of harmful chemicals and substances, making them safe for the environment and to use on projects for your whole family. With OEKO-TEX certification, you can be certain that every component has been tested for harmful substances and it is therefore is harmless in human ecological terms. The test is conducted by independent OEKO-TEX facilities on the basis of an extensive criteria catalog. In the test they take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances that may be harmful to human health. Often, this goes beyond national and international requirements. The criteria catalog is updated at least once a year and expanded with new scientific knowledge or statutory requirements.

  • What is used to dye your yarns? Is it safe?

    All of our products are not treated or dyed with any epoxy or varnish compounds. We do not use Urea Formaldehyde Resin or Disperse blues. All of the materials used to manufacture our yarns are OEKO-TEX Standard certified. This standard certifies that the dyestuffs used do not present a health risk or risk to the environment.

Our Patterns

About Our Patterns
  • Where can I find a list of the abbreviations you use in your patterns?

    Abbreviations used in each pattern are listed with that patterns directions for quick reference. But, if you'd like a full list of all abbreviations, follow the appropriate skill type link below to see the complete list of abbreviations so you can get to stitching!

  • I have found a pattern on your website that I love, can you provide it written for a different size?

    While some patterns are written for multiple sizes or for both adults and children, we are limited in the range of patterns we are able to produce for Yarnspirations.com. All available patterns are listed on our site— if you do not see your size listed, you may be able to modify the pattern yourself.

  • I have found a pattern on your website that I love, but it is written for knit and I only crochet (or vice versa). Can you help?

    While some patterns have been written for both knit and crochet, most patterns have been specifically written for just one craft type. Unfortunately, we cannot provide both versions for every pattern on Yarnspirations.com.

  • Can I sell something I made using one of your patterns?

    Our patterns are only available for home craft knitters and not for commercial use. However, you are permitted to sell your completed item at a small scale, e.g. a small craft fair or church bazaar, under the stipulation that you credit the brand of yarn you used and credit our website: https://www.yarnspirations.com/

Free Pattern PDfs
  • How do I get one of your free patterns?

    All of our patterns are easy to download directly from the pattern's page and are available in Adobe PDF format. They are optimized to print out on your printer at home or view on your device's screen. We recommend installing the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to ensure you aren't missing out on any of the goodies featured in our pattern files.

  • Do you offer print versions of your patterns?

    All patterns are available on Yarnspirations for download. While we do not offer printed patterns, you may print the pattern yourself once you have downloaded it as a PDF. Please note that pattern kits only include an online PDF version of your pattern as well— it will not be printed and included in your shipment.

  • Do you offer paid patterns on your site?

    We no longer offer patterns for purchase on Yarnspirations.com. All patterns on our site are free for all to use, share and inspire crafters everywhere!

  • I purchased a pattern from you in the past, where can I find it to save or re-download?

    If you have purchased a pattern from us in the past you will need to contact our Customer Care team to obtain a copy of your pattern. Paid pattern downloads are not accessible from the My Account section of the website. To get a copy of your pattern, contact our Customer Care team here.

  • Do I have to purchase the items in a kit in order to have access to the pattern?

    No, there is no purchase required to download any pattern on Yarnspirations.com. Our kits are designed to provide a quick and easy way to gather all the materials you may need for each pattern and add them to your cart. To download a pattern without purchasing the kit, simply click the blue DOWNLOAD FREE PATTERN button that appears above the kit on each pattern page.

Pattern Questions
  • What to do if you have a pattern question or concern?

    Reach out to our consumer care team! Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST 1-888-368-8401 OR fill out our form here and we’ll get back to you.

  • Why don’t we recommend substitute yarns?

    The short answer: yarns aren't identical. Our patterns have been written and tested for a specific yarn, so we can’t guarantee similar results using an alternative. Keep reading to see a more detailed explanation.

    • Discontinued colors It can be challenging recommending replacements of discontinued colors. Each person will have their own preferences as to which color is suitable and work with the other colors in the project. Additionally, it must match the rest of the decor, for a home decor item, or look good on the recipient, for an article of clothing or an accessory. We can assist in selecting a replacement color if needed.
    • Discontinued yarns No two yarns are an exact match, so we cannot recommend replacements for discontinued yarns. Some yarns are similar enough that you may be able to make a pattern using a different yarn, but the texture will be different. You will have to experiment with your crochet hook or knitting needles to find the gauge that works for you and for the pattern, since gauge is rarely identical between similar yarns. The color patterns are also different between yarn lines. Even if two yarn lines have irregular coloring that doesn't mean the color changes will look the same or that you will be able to achieve the same effect. Additionally, we may not have any yarn in our current line of products that is similar at all to the discontinued yarn.
Pattern Errata & Updates
  • I found an error in one of your patterns, what do I do?

    We're sorry about that! If you happen to come across an error in one of our patterns, please let us know so we can update our files and make things right! Please contact our Customer Care team directly here and let us know what you've found.

  • How do I know if there has been updates to a pattern I have been working on?

    As of August 2019, Yarnspirations pattern PDFs will contain a last-updated date on the bottom right-hand side of each pattern. All patterns will show a date of August 2019 as a default, even if they have been published and updated prior to this date.