Fibre Content Calculator — Blend Percentages for Combined Yarns

Fibre content affects how the finished fabric behaves: its warmth, drape, stretch, washability, and how it responds to blocking. When you hold two yarns together, the resulting fabric has properties of both fibres in proportion to their percentages. Knowing the blend helps you predict how the fabric will perform.

Check the ball band (label) on your yarn. It will list fibre content as percentages, e.g. "75% Merino Wool, 25% Nylon". If the ball band is missing, you can do a burn test: wool smells like burning hair, cotton smells like burning paper, and synthetic fibres melt. However, burn tests only identify the dominant fibre.

You can combine any yarns, but consider the care requirements. If one yarn is dry-clean only (e.g. mohair) and the other is machine washable (e.g. superwash wool), the finished item must be cared for according to the most delicate yarn. Also consider that the combined weight will be heavier than either yarn alone, affecting gauge and drape.