Knit Picks Swish Worsted vs Lion Brand Feels Like Butta

Technical verdict: Knit Picks Swish Worsted vs Lion Brand Feels Like Butta

Weight category, yardage and value per ball

Knit Picks Swish Worsted and Lion Brand Feels Like Butta 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: Knit Picks Swish Worsted gives 202 m per 100 g and Lion Brand Feels Like Butta gives 199 m per 100 g. A project that uses 1,000 m of yarn weighs about 495 g in the first and 503 g in the second, so the finished piece will feel equally heavy.

Per ball, Knit Picks Swish Worsted holds 101 m in 50 g and Lion Brand Feels Like Butta holds 199 m in 100 g. Five balls of Knit Picks Swish Worsted (505 m) are replaced by 3 balls of Lion Brand Feels Like Butta, and five balls of Lion Brand Feels Like Butta (995 m) by 10 balls of Knit Picks Swish Worsted. Always convert by length, never by weight or by number of balls.

Drape, fibre and texture

Knit Picks Swish Worsted is 100 % wool. Merino is soft, warm and elastic: it blocks beautifully and recovers after stretching, which makes it a classic for garments and baby items; non-superwash merino must be washed by hand to avoid felting.

Lion Brand Feels Like Butta, on the other hand, is 100 % polyester. Polyester chenille has a soft pile that makes very plush blankets and toys, but stitches are hard to see, so stitch markers help; avoid pulling back too often, as the pile can shed.

With such similar density, Knit Picks Swish Worsted and Lion Brand Feels Like Butta will give fabrics of comparable weight and drape at the same gauge; any difference in hand will come mainly from the fibre.

Their construction differs: Knit Picks Swish Worsted (Plied) versus Lion Brand Feels Like Butta (Velvet). This changes stitch definition and how easy it is to see your stitches, so expect a different look even at the same gauge.

Hook size and gauge

The ball bands recommend 4–5.5 mm for Knit Picks Swish Worsted and 4 mm for Lion Brand Feels Like Butta. The ranges overlap at 4 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?

Lion Brand Feels Like Butta can replace Knit Picks Swish Worsted with some adjustments (Match Score 60 %). Expect small differences in gauge or drape: swatch first and be ready to change the hook by half a size.

Lion Brand Feels Like Butta gives more meters per ball, so you will usually buy fewer balls.

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 Knit Picks Swish Worsted data sheet → Full Lion Brand Feels Like Butta data sheet → Calculate yarn for a whole project →