Dye Lots Explained: Why the Number Matters

Yarn dyed to the same colour recipe can vary slightly from one production batch to another. The dye-lot number helps group skeins made together.

Shop for the whole project

Estimate the amount from the pattern, add an appropriate margin for swatching and changes, then check that every skein shares the same dye-lot number. Keep the receipt and labels until the work is complete.

If the lot is not available

Compare the skeins in natural light. If the difference is small, alternate the two lots every row or every few rows so the transition is distributed instead of forming one hard line. This works best when the stitch pattern allows tidy yarn changes.

Plan the placement

For pieces assembled later, use one lot for matching visible panels and reserve the other for borders, cuffs or deliberately separated sections. A design break makes a colour shift look intentional.

Solid colours often reveal lot changes more clearly than textured or variegated yarns, but every yarn should be checked before joining a new skein.

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