The Papa
yarn substitutes · what to use when you cannot get the one the pattern says

This is a starting point, not a promise.Knit a swatch before you commit the whole sweater.

Substitutes for Biches et Bûches Le Gros Silk & Mohair

weight
sport
thickness
300 m per 100 g
put-up
50 g
fibre
72% Mohair, 28% Silk
in Australia
listed by 1 Australian shop we track
Heads up. label says worsted (10 ply), metreage says sport (300.0 m/100g) We have gone with the measurement, because metreage is measured and a ply number is a word on a label. Check the band.

closest first

sport · 300 m/100g · 50g · 100% Alpaca
  • warmer
  • crisper, with less halo
  • less hard-wearing
  • more matte
  • softer next to skin
sport · 300 m/100g · 50g · 68% Alpaca, 32% Cotton
  • crisper, with less halo
  • more matte
sport · 300 m/100g · 50g · 80% Alpaca, 20% Merino
  • warmer
  • crisper, with less halo
  • less hard-wearing
  • more matte
  • softer next to skin
sport · 300 m/100g · 50g · 100% Alpaca
  • warmer
  • crisper, with less halo
  • less hard-wearing
  • more matte
  • softer next to skin
sport · 300 m/100g · 50g · 100% Alpaca
  • warmer
  • crisper, with less halo
  • less hard-wearing
  • more matte
  • softer next to skin
sport · 300 m/100g · 50g · 50% Linen, 27% Alpaca, 18% Cotton, 5% Merino
  • cooler
  • crisper, with less halo
  • more matte
sport · 260 m/100g · 50g · 70% Alpaca, 23% Nylon, 7% Wool
  • thicker: 260 m/100g against 300 -- expect a 13% difference in yardage needed
  • crisper, with less halo
  • more matte
sport · 300 m/100g · 100g · 70% Merino, 30% Linen
  • crisper, with less halo
  • springier
  • stiffer, holding its shape more
  • more matte
  • sold in 100g put-ups, not 50g -- check how many balls the pattern needs
sport · 300 m/100g · 100g · 40% Wool, 25% Silk, 25% Nylon, 10% Mohair
  • crisper, with less halo
  • springier
  • stiffer, holding its shape more
  • more matte
  • sold in 100g put-ups, not 50g -- check how many balls the pattern needs
sport · 300 m/100g · 100g · 100% Cotton
  • cooler
  • crisper, with less halo
  • stiffer, holding its shape more
  • more matte
  • sold in 100g put-ups, not 50g -- check how many balls the pattern needs
sport · 300 m/100g · 25g · 100% Cashmere
  • warmer
  • crisper, with less halo
  • springier
  • less hard-wearing
  • more matte
  • softer next to skin
  • sold in 25g put-ups, not 50g -- check how many balls the pattern needs
sport · 300 m/100g · 25g · 100% Cashmere
  • warmer
  • crisper, with less halo
  • springier
  • less hard-wearing
  • more matte
  • softer next to skin
  • sold in 25g put-ups, not 50g -- check how many balls the pattern needs

how this was worked out

Thickness comes from metreage per 100 g, which is a measurement. Fibre behaviour - warmth, halo, springiness, drape - is scored per fibre and blended by proportion, so a merino and a Bluefaced Leicester read as near neighbours while a merino and a cotton do not, even at the same gauge. Where a record is thin, the match is discounted rather than quietly flattered, and the gap is named above.

Yardage is always rounded up. If we ever sell you the yarn and the number is short, the extra skein is on us, from your dye lot.