Could you tell me the difference between 8/2 cotton, 8/4 cotton, and 8/8 cotton?

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I was wondering if your 16/2 cotton was unmercerized?  I’m assuming if your cotton doesn’t say mercerized then it isn’t.  Could you tell me the difference between 8/2, 8/4, and 8/8?

Our 16/2 is unmercerized.  The difference between all those cottons is simply the size.  They are all plys of a base yarn which is the #8 part of the fraction.  8/2 is a 2 ply, 8/4 is a 4 ply and 8/8 is an 8 ply.  They get progressively fatter and therefore have less yardage per pound.  The 16/2 is half of the size of a #8……so that first number sort of gives you an idea of the size of the yarn.  The higher that number is the finer the yarn.  Most sewing cotton is a 50/2.  16/2 is quite fine, 8/2 makes a lovely tea towel, 8/4 makes a medium weight placemat or lovely cotton blanket and 8/8 makes a great placemat.   Sometimes those numbers are reversed.  2/8 or 8/2 are the same.


Jane shows us the difference in size between commonly used cotton yarns.

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