Cascade Yarns 220 vs Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash

Technical verdict: Cascade Yarns 220 vs Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash

Weight category, yardage and value per ball

Cascade Yarns 220 and Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash are both Medium (CYC 4) yarns, so on paper they are interchangeable in the same patterns. The weight class only tells half the story, though: the ball band data below shows how much they really differ in thickness, yardage and behaviour once they are on the hook.

Their linear density is practically identical: Cascade Yarns 220 gives 201 m per 100 g and Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash gives 201 m per 100 g. A project that uses 1,000 m of yarn weighs about 498 g in the first and 498 g in the second, so the finished piece will feel equally heavy.

Per ball, Cascade Yarns 220 holds 201 m in 100 g and Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash holds 201 m in 100 g. Five balls of Cascade Yarns 220 (1,005 m) are replaced by 5 balls of Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash, and five balls of Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash (1,005 m) by 5 balls of Cascade Yarns 220. Always convert by length, never by weight or by number of balls.

Drape, fibre and texture

Both yarns share the same fibre family: Cascade Yarns 220 is 100 % wool and Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash is 100 % wool, so they wash, block and wear in a similar way. Wool is elastic and warm and keeps its shape well; it blocks easily and forgives uneven tension, but non-superwash wool can felt with heat and agitation.

With such similar density, Cascade Yarns 220 and Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash will give fabrics of comparable weight and drape at the same gauge; any difference in hand will come mainly from the fibre.

They also share the same construction (Plied), so stitch definition and the way the yarn behaves on the hook should feel familiar when you switch.

Hook size and gauge

The ball bands recommend 4.5–5.5 mm for Cascade Yarns 220 and 4.3–5 mm for Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash. The ranges overlap at 4.5–5 mm, which is the safest hook to start a test swatch for either yarn.

At least one manufacturer does not publish a reference gauge, so work a 12 × 12 cm swatch with your usual hook before comparing sizes.

Verdict: can you swap them?

Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash is a strong substitute for Cascade Yarns 220, with a Match Score of 96 %. Convert by length with the calculator above, work a quick swatch, and most patterns will need no other changes.

Cascade Yarns 220 and Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash have the same length per ball, so the number of balls you buy stays the same.

Whichever you choose, buy all the balls for a project from the same dye lot and keep the ball band for its care instructions.

Full Cascade Yarns 220 data sheet → Full Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash data sheet → Calculate yarn for a whole project →