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    Home » Crochet » Crochet Tutorials » Crochet Resources » Crochet Educational Articles » Why Some Yarn Splits – The Difference Between S vs Z Twisted Yarn

    Why Some Yarn Splits – The Difference Between S vs Z Twisted Yarn

    February 21, 2020 by Nicole Riley

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    Crocheters and Knitters use yarn, most are s twisted and a few are z twisted. Learn how to distinguish the two and see which one you prefer. It also explains why yarn splits so much using S twisted yarn.


    It’s Saturday morning, and I get an idea about what to crochet next. It will be a beautiful hat with lots of texture and drape. I even have the color visualized. I’m heading to my yarn stash to find just the right skein of yarn in the color and weight I want to use. It doesn’t take me long, I found it. Excited, I sit down, grab my crochet hook and get started. But it doesn’t take long until frustration kicks in. The yarn is splitting and it’s hard to crochet like that. A few minutes later, I’m re-thinking my decision about the yarn I picked from my stash. But WHY does it split?

    Does this sound familiar? It took me a long time to figure out there is not just one type of yarn and not all yarn splits. Let’s talk about the science behind it and allow you to understand why yarn is different so you can make an informed decision about which yarn to work with. And let’s face it, we are all yarn obsessed right?

    Why Yarn Splits - S twisted yarn vs z twisted yarn

    How is yarn spun?

    Yarn is made up of plied strands. Before they are made into plied yarn, the plied strands are spun counter-clockwise (like a Z). But to prevent curling, the plied strands are now spun together clockwise (like an S). That is true for most yarn which turns them into S twisted yarn.

    s twisted yarn

    Now if you would spin the plied strands clockwise and then combine the plied strands counter-clockwise you would create Z twisted yarn.

    z twisted yarn

    How does the S vs Z Twist affect crocheting?

    Well, when you crochet with S twisted yarn and crochet by yarning over, you turn your hook counter-clockwise. But the S twisted yarn was spun clockwise. So, because you crochet in one direction and the yarn is going in the other direction, you automatically split the yarn.

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    Crocheting with s twisted yarn - yarn splits

    However, Z twisted yarn is spun counter-clockwise which is the same direction as you crochet (such as yarning over). That means you prevent the splitting and actually enforce the twist.

    Crocheting with Z twisted yarn - yarn does not split

    How does the twist effect Lefties?

    Everything mentioned above is for right-handed crocheters. So for lefties, it is actually reversed. Lefties have an easier time crocheting with S twisted yarn as both crocheting and yarn spun direction are the same. That means lefties have a harder time crocheting with Z twisted yarn.

    Is Z twisted yarn the best yarn for crocheters to prevent yarn splitting?

    Technically, YES, IF you are right-handed. Because of the direction of the twist of the plied yarn, you can crochet easier, have great drape and stitch definition. And let’s not forget about the frustration when you see your yarn splitting when you use S twisted yarn.

    Here are a few examples of Z twisted yarn, you might want to check out:

    This is ZZ Twist by Lion Brand Yarns and has an incredible texture and softness to it. It’s available only in worsted weight.

    zz twist yarn by Lion Brand Yarns

    This is Furls Crochet’s Whimo Merino Yarn which is available in different sizes (DK and worsted) and has an amazing stitch definition and softness when crocheting with it.

    Whims Merino Yarn by Furls Crochet

    Furls Crochet’s Whims Merino Yarn Review
    CLOSE UP and DEMONSTRATION of how it works up

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    What if I want to use S twisted yarn as righty OR Z twisted yarn as a lefty? What can I do to prevent splitting?

    Well, you could crochet yarn under instead of yarn over, as that changes the direction of how you crochet. But that can create a tighter stitch definition and might even hurt your arm and wrist.

    However, crocheters who frequently crochet amigurumis, like using yarn under as that helps them create tighter stitches which in return creates fewer gaps for the stuffing to peak through.

    If you want to read more about Yarn Under vs Yarn Over, please check out my detailed article about it.

    So how does the twist effect Knitters?

    Well, if you knit the continental style, you actually want to use S twisted yarn as you knit and move the yarn in the same direction. Z twisted yarn would split using the continental style (picking) of knitting. However, if you use the throwing method use actually want to use Z twisted yarn as the direction of knitting and moving the yarn is the same. In this case, S twisted yarn would split with this method of knitting. Again for lefties, this would be reversed.

    If you want to know a little bit more about how the yarn twisting affects knitting and crocheting, check out YarnSub’s article.

    I hope you love this article about why some yarn splits and others don’t, as much as I do. If you love learning about the science behind yarn and crocheting, please use the social media share buttons above or below and share this pattern link with the world and your friends.

    That way you will find it easily again when you need it and you also provide the world and your friends with the ability to gain extra crochet knowledge as well. And to top it off, you help me as it allows me to create more content that you love already and want to see more of – free crochet patterns and tutorials. So, thank you for sharing.

    If you love my crochet patterns and the way I teach, I would suggest subscribing to my newsletter below as I share new patterns, tutorials and special announcements often.

    s vs z twisted yarn - yarn splitting

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sueann

      February 22, 2020 at 9:58 am

      49 yrs experience in crocheting. Always wondered why my yarn split. No one I asked knew why. Now I know. Will definitely check out LB ZZ Twist. Thanks Nicki for another informative article. Goes to show, old dogs can learn [new tricks]. 🙂

    2. Jenny Duczak

      February 22, 2020 at 5:01 pm

      Does the hand one uses effect splitting. Such as I have a lot of splitting but I’m a lefty and assumed the yarn was spun for righties. Do we know if that matters? I do yarn over and yarn under depending on what stitch I’m working with. Quite often it’s opposite of what the pattern suggests because it reduces my splitting.

      • Nicole Riley

        March 20, 2020 at 11:23 am

        I added the info for lefties 🙂 Enjoy

    3. Paula

      February 25, 2020 at 8:50 am

      Thank you for the article! Very interesting! I’ll try to find Z twisted yarn here in France!

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    Hi, I'm Nicole! I’m the designer behind Nicki’s Homemade Crafts. I love teaching you how to crochet & explain the science behind it.

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