by Erin Doherty

Created on: October 07, 2009   Last Updated: October 08, 2009

Any dyed yarn will have variations and since most yarn is dyed in batches, matching the dye lot number is crucial to ensure that your skeins of yarn will match. Either accidentally or because of supply issues, you may end up with yarn of the same color, but different dye lots. Your options depend on how much you have of the off dye lot and how different the two dye lots are. Before you begin, look at both dye lots in different types of light, including sunlight, incandescent light, and fluorescent light, to determine how different the two dye lots look. It may even be helpful to make a swatch using both lots to see how different the yarns will look in your project.

If you have a small amount of a dye lot that is not significantly different from the rest of the yarn for your project, you should be able to work the yarn from the odd lot into an unobtrusive area. These would include the edge or fringe of a blanket, a sweater hem, sleeve cuffs, or the bottom of a bag. If the yarn is significantly different, treat it as a contrasting yarn. It could be used for trim, or you could design an intarsia or stranded color work pattern using the contrasting yarn. In a cabled project, you could make one cable in the contrasting color.

If you have roughly equal amounts of each of the two dye lots and they do not contrast too much, the easiest thing to do is to alternate skeins every two rows, carrying both yarns as you work. With lace projects or projects where the edge of the work will be exposed, using equal amounts is slightly more complicated. You may need to alternate skeins each pattern repeat and join the yarn instead of carrying it to reduce bulk. With two highly contrasting dye lots, you can work stripes alternating on an even number of rows or design color work (intarsia, stranded) to take advantage of the contrast. If neither of those options will work for your project, you should consider using each dye lot separately in two smaller projects or finding a pattern that takes a heavier yarn weight and use the yarn doubled, with one strand from each lot.

Matching the dye lot number is crucial to ensure that your skeins of yarn will match. Depending on your project, the amount of yarn of each lot, and the degree of contrast, you have several options to finish your project

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