Splitting Yarn for Meerkats

Aren't these just the cutest things you've ever seen??? I'm in love with them. They are from a pattern design by M J Carlos of Hello Yellow Yarn. I got the pattern from https://www.amigurumi.com/ . It's also included in the book Zoomigurumi 8. I can make one of these in a day so the pattern's quick and easy to follow.

I recently had a dilemna where I needed DK or light worsted weight yarn for a pattern and all I had was a few fingering weight skeins (not in good colors) and worsted weight. I can't just go out and purchase a whole new wardrobe of colors in different weights when I need them and dk or lightweight yarn is not plentiful in the stores near me so I decided to split my 4 ply worsted into 3 ply and 2 ply yarn to see which one gives me the right gauge for some of my amigurumi patterns.

I took the left over 1 ply and doubled it for some 2 ply yarn which may be fingering weight??? I need some dk yarn for a project that needs to measure out at 8 inches when finished and I know for a fact that worsted will make it 11 to 12 inches and that's way too big. I don't want to make toys that big.

I have a little bit of arthritis in my hands and crochet really makes them sore for days, especially the tight stitches in amigurumi. I alternate with knitting to give my hands a rest and I wear compression gloves that are fingerless. Every little thing helps.

I just finished a doll pattern that was suppose to be much smaller but all I had was worsted medium weight yarn and I absolutely hated making this doll. She's so big and ugly at that size. And she took me 4 days to make. My hands were so sore by the time I was done with her. Worsted weight yarn on a dk weight pattern will come out disproportionate. It always comes out too long for me. 

So, I started splitting yarn when I made the meerkats and they are the perfect size. I used 3 ply worsted and 2 ply worsted. The 2 ply gave me the exact size it would have been if I had used DK light worsted yarn. They are 8 and 9 inches tall. The smaller 2 ply meerkat is the perfect size the pattern was written for. 

Now I'm pretty confident that I can live without DK yarn and just use my stash of medium 4 ply worsted and come out with the right proportions. Now I can make some of those Pica Pau animals that I've been wanting to make but thought I had to wait for enough lightweight yarn colors to start. It's a good thing to know you have no limitations on your yarn. Now I love all kinds of yarn and I'm pretty sure I won't be intimidated by a pattern just because I don't have the "right" yarn. 

Give it a try and expand your yarn stash by splitting your heavier yarns if you've been wanting to make some of the smaller projects. By the way... did I say love those meerkats? I can see about a half dozen of them in different colored sweaters, can't you?