What Is A Dye Lot Number?

Hello! This week’s hot topic is dye lot numbers! Understanding dye lots is an essential skill for creating beautiful, consistent projects so I’m going to unpack what dye lots are, why they matter and how to work with them effectively. 

What are dye lots?

A dye lot is the batch number assigned to a specific quantity of yarn, given to it by the manufacturer or dyer. You'll typically find this information on the yarn band or label, usually beside the colour name or colour number. Eg. Col: Scarlet, Dye lot: 571

Have you ever experienced this?

Can you recall an incident when you crocheted a blanket or a sweater and when you looked at it on completion, there was a strange, noticeable stripe that was a slightly different shade? This is because yarn from different dye lots was used - the subtle variation suddenly becomes very obvious! Read on to find out how you can go about counteracting this.

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Why are dye lots important?

Due to the nature of the dyeing process, each batch of yarn can have slight variations in colour. This isn't a problem if you're only using one skein or ball, but if you're working on a larger project that requires multiple skeins or balls, it's crucial to ensure they all come from the same dye lot. Otherwise, you might end up with unsightly colour variations in your finished piece. Today’s topic was inspired by the fact that I am about to run out of the main colour for my Battenberg Blanket (eeeek!) and need to make sure that the extra yarn is from the same dye lot.

My pro tips for working with dye lots:

1. Hand-dyed yarn: If you're working with hand-dyed yarn, there might not always be a batch number, and even if there is, there could still be variations between skeins. To avoid these colour inconsistencies, try alternating between skeins every round or two to blend them together.

2. Local yarn shops: Many yarn shops offer a great service where they can hold back yarn for you for a large scale project and you may (or may not) need to buy more. This is a FANTASTIC service, so support your local yarn shops whenever possible (and remember to let them know when you've finished your project so they can pop the yarn back on the shelf).

3. Online yarn shopping: If you order your yarn online and need more, you may be able to contact the company with your dye lot number because you might be able to buy yarn from the same batch. Larger companies are unlikely to help you here, but smaller ones might - it’s worth a try!

4. Keep Those Yarn Bands!: Don't forget to hang onto your yarn bands! They're the only way you’ll be able to identify dye lots and ensure colour consistency in your projects. If you’d like to see how I look after my ball bands, check out this blog post to find out more.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Marta xx

PS. Want to learn more crochet tips from me? Sign up for my free ‘25 Crochet Tips’ PDF to improve your crocheting skills even further!