Find alternative yarns for your project

Finding alternative yarns: The best alternatives to Cool Wool, Lana Grossa, Sandnes and others.

If you're looking for the perfect alternative yarn for your next knitting project, you've come to the right place! We'll show you how to find suitable alternatives to popular yarns like Cool Wool , Cool Wool Baby , Sandnes Garn , and many others, how to calculate the yardage , and how to compare gauge to achieve the best possible result.

What is an alternative yarn?

An alternative yarn is a yarn you can use as a substitute for the original yarn specified in a knitting pattern. Sometimes the original yarn isn't available, or you might want to try a different material or color. It's important that the alternative yarn has similar properties to achieve a comparable knitting result.

The best alternatives to Cool Wool and Sandnes Garn

Cool Wool by Lana Grossa

Lana Grossa's Cool Wool is a classic among merino yarns. With a length of approximately 160 meters per 50 grams and a gauge of 24 stitches per 10 cm, it is one of the finer yarns.

Alternative yarn for Cool Wool:

• The Merry Merino 140 yarn (from Kremke Soul Wool) is a good comparison for Cool Wool (from Lana Grossa), as both yarns are very similar in their main technical properties and fiber quality .

  Here are the most important points for comparison:

  • Fiber composition: Both are made from 100% extra-fine virgin wool (Merino Extrafine) . This ensures the well-known softness and itch-free feel, ideal for babies and sensitive skin.

  • Yarn weight and yardage: The yarns are very similar, which generally makes them interchangeable for knitting patterns:

    • Merry Merino 140: approx. 140 m per 50 g

    • Cool Wool (Uni/Print/Big): approx. 160 m per 50 g (Cool Wool Uni) or 120 m per 50 g (Cool Wool Big) – with Merry Merino 140 often falling exactly between the common Cool Wool variants at 140 m.

  • Recommended needle size and gauge:

    • Merry Merino 140 : Recommended needle size approx. 3.0 – 4.0 mm ; gauge approx. 20 sts per 10 cm.

    • Cool Wool (Uni): Recommended needle size approx. 3.0 – 3.5 mm ; gauge approx. 24 sts per 10 cm (Cool Wool Uni is slightly finer).

    • For many projects, they can often be used as alternative yarns due to their similar strength.

  • Easy care: Thanks to a special treatment (superwash finish or enzyme treatment), both yarns are machine washable on a gentle cycle at 30°C, making them very suitable for everyday use .

Alternative yarn for Silkhair:

Lana Grossa's Silkhair is a classic among fluffy yarns used in knitting projects, defined by its luxurious blend and its ultra-fine thickness (lace yarn). Both Kremke Soul Wool's Silky Kid and Sandnes Garn's Tynn Silk Mohair are excellent and reliable alternatives, as they perfectly meet the three critical criteria: material composition, yardage , and stitch definition .

1. Identical material composition

All three yarns rely on the tried and tested, luxurious combination of two precious fibers that provide the characteristic "halo" effect (fluffiness) and the fine sheen:

• Mohair (Kid Mohair): Provides extremely soft, durable fluff and warmth.

• Silk: Serves as a smooth and tear-resistant carrier thread that gives the yarn support and a beautiful sheen.

2. Nearly identical running length (lace yarn thickness)

The yarns are all designed as ultra-thin lace yarns , making them ideal for knitting with thick needles (for airy textures) or as a companion yarn (e.g., to Sunday or Cool Wool).

Sunday and Double Sunday by Sandnes Garn

Sandnes Sunday and Double Sunday yarns are especially popular with knitting enthusiasts. Sunday yarn is made from 100% merino wool, is soft, and has a length of 235 meters per 50 grams. Double Sunday is the thicker version with 108 meters per 50 grams and is ideal for warm and durable garments.

Alternative yarn for Sandnes Sunday:

• Due to its technical specifications , Merry Merino 220 from Kremke Soul Wool is an excellent alternative to Sunday from Sandnes Garn. Both yarns are made from 100% fine merino wool , making them exceptionally soft and itch-free.

  In terms of yarn thickness, they are very close: Merry Merino 220 has a running length of approximately 220 meters per 50 grams , while Sandnes Sunday, at around 235 meters per 50 grams, runs only slightly longer.

  This similarity is also reflected in the recommended gauge : Both yarns achieve approximately 28 stitches per 10 cm, making them ideal for projects using needle sizes between 2.5 and 3.5 mm (or 3.0 mm for Sunday).

  A key difference, however, lies in the finish and care : Merry Merino 220 is often GOTS-certified and either superwash or enzyme-treated, making it particularly easy to care for. Sandnes Sunday, on the other hand, is often labeled as non-superwash , but is still machine washable at 30°C on a wool cycle. Despite this difference in care, the yarns are interchangeable due to their nearly identical yardage and gauge.

Alternative yarn for Sandnes Double Sunday:

• Merry Merino 140 (from Kremke Soul Wool)
  The Merry Merino 140 (the thicker version of the 140) is an excellent direct comparison:

• • Running length: approx. 140 meters per 50 g

  • Material: 100% Merino virgin wool (superwash finish)

  • Compatibility: It is very similar in strength to Double Sunday and is in the DK range.

  • Care difference: The Merry Merino 140 is usually superwash treated, which makes it smoother and more defined, while the Double Sunday has a more natural feel (non-superwash).

How to calculate and compare running lengths

To find a good alternative yarn , it's important to calculate and compare the yardage . The yardage indicates how many meters of yarn are in a ball or skein and helps you calculate yarn quantities correctly.

Example calculation: You want to replace a yarn with a yardage of 100 meters per 50 grams with another yarn. The alternative yarn, however, has a yardage of 150 meters per 50 grams. To find out how much you need, you can simply compare the yardages. If the original yarn has 100 meters and the alternative yarn has 150 meters, you will need approximately two-thirds the amount of the original yarn.

Comparing gauge swatches – The key to the perfect result

A crucial step when using an alternative yarn is comparing the gauge . The gauge indicates how many stitches and rows you need to knit in a specific area (usually 10x10 cm). If you're using an alternative yarn with a different gauge, you should adjust your needles or knit a new gauge swatch to ensure your project is the correct size and fit.

Tip: If you're switching from Silkhair (with a length of 210 meters per 25 grams) to Ecopuno by Lana Grossa (with a length of 215 meters per 50 grams), you should pay particular attention to your gauge, as the two yarns have different textures. Silkhair is a fluffy mohair yarn, while Ecopuno is a soft cotton blend.

Conclusion

When switching to an alternative yarn, it's important to pay attention to the yardage and gauge to achieve a comparable result. Whether you're looking for an alternative to Cool Wool , Sandnes Garn , or another popular yarn, with the right information you can successfully complete your knitting project.

Don't forget to always knit a gauge swatch when trying out a new yarn! This way you can be sure that your finished piece turns out exactly as you imagined.

Original yarn	Gauge swatch	needle	Running length	material	Alternative yarn	Gauge swatch (alternative)	Material (Alternative)	Vegan Alternative	Gauge swatch (vegan)	Material (Vegan)
Peer Gynt	22M	3.5 - 4mm	91m - 50g	100% Norwegian virgin wool	Merino 120	22M	100% virgin wool (Merino extrafine, superwash)	Landlust Cotton GOTS	22M	100% organic cotton
Cool Wool	24M	3 - 3.5mm	160m - 50g	100% virgin wool (extra-fine Merino)	Cashmere Classic	24M	100% Cashmere	Elastico	24M	96% cotton, 4% polyester