Hobbies and Crafts

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

MarthaMFI — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:33:17 GMT

bumping up for the good info for those interested in yarn care.

my faves are lion brand homespun or bernat cotton yarn. though the new vannas choice line is nice.

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

zohnerfarms — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:02:01 GMT

I am using a small amount of leftover black wool yarn to tie the denim quilt for my grandson. When it shrinks, the knots get tighter, not looser.

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

MarthaMFI — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:35:45 GMT

bumping up!

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Gigi — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:23:28 GMT

elovestea:
The first was Palette 100% wool fingering weight, but after making the socks I realized I was going to have to wash by hand, and did shrink the first pair I made accidentally when I forgot and thru them in with the laundry.

I have had wool socks shrink due to one accidentally getting into the laundry. If you save up your wool items, and your machine has a very nice delicate cycle, you can use that without handwashing. The Essential sock yarn sounds really nice. Thanks.

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Edey — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:48:37 GMT

I'm satisfied with the Knitpicks yarn, so haven't branched out to anything else since using it. It was the price of the yarn that made me pick it. The first was Palette 100% wool fingering weight, but after making the socks I realized I was going to have to wash by hand, and did shrink the first pair I made accidentally when I forgot and thru them in with the laundry. After that the next batch of yarn was the Essential superwash wool and nylon fingering weight. If they have a worsted weight with the same name, no, I haven't used that.

Paton Kroy is a wool yarn. It badly discolored with each washing, and it was a natural color. It was picking up color from everything that came into contact with it, like the blue shower gel I washed them in. It was very difficult to get them clean looking again, no matter how much I soaked them. They also smelled very much like "animal" when wet. I would not recommend Paton Kroy wool yarn.

The Essential yarn gets softer with each washing, but has enough body to stay up on the leg. I'm happy with it. Edey

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Gigi — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:30:12 GMT

elovestea:
I'm using Knitpicks Bare Essential fingering weight right now for a pair of socks.

Not only are their Bare yarns the less expensive option, I happen to like the "natural" color. I have knit socks out of some really nice yarns, but they are not necessarily sock yarn with nylon in them. If it is fingering yarn, it may become a sock. I thought the Bare yarns with silk looked like I would like to try it, but for starters, I will purchase the sock yarn. At a 50% off sale, I was able to purchase hand painted art yarn. I now have a problem. Do I really want to make socks out of the five skeins? Is this an emotional attachment? hehehe. I also have lovely fingering weight alpaca that I purchased for socks. Lovely stuff. I knit a lot of crew socks with a really nice Italian yarn--sport weight. The merino superwash was great when I was able to get it. I knit a lot of presents with that one and they all came back begging for more. Of course. You could get socks for five dollars a pair at Walmart, but they aren't the same! LOL I wish I could tell you that I have told all about my sock yarn stash--but I cannot!! They will remain nameless skeins awaiting their full potential. :-)

I am considering making my husband the bomber jacket using the Essential worsted weight yarn. This style jacket is "him" and he has even approved. Is this the yarn you are speaking of? Do you like it? Is it scratchy? If I buy it now, will have it knit in time for his birthday in September? LOL

Is Paton Kroy an acrylic yarn? When the recipient, and in this case my DIL, loves the dryer, I will knit with acrylic. My (ex)LYS even carried lovely acrylic sock yarn in times past. I knit my son his wedding socks out of acrylic.I wish I had recorded the brand as they have held up very well over time. I made lovely crew socks for my DIL out of the Italian yarn and she shrunk them. She now wants me to make my GK's socks, but I must think about it. I have a problem making expensive socks for a five year old. I would make spiral socks with the intent of them "growing" with her (from knee sock to trouser length) but the young mother's today--and this includes my own married daughter, think much differently then I did at that age. In all honesty, the kid wants pink knee highs, and I was thinking about buying Wal-Mart pink acrylic baby fingering yarn!!

Of the yarns you have tried from Knit Picks, are you happy with them?

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Edey — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:25:58 GMT

Gigi:
I am rather interested in their Bare yarn

I'm using Knitpicks Bare Essential fingering weight right now for a pair of socks. I like their yarn, but admit that I have only used their Palette yarn and Essential yarn; the only other brand I have used for socks is Paton Kroy, which I didn't like and Wool-ease for bed socks. Edey

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

cheapChic — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:41:24 GMT

dear zjohn. I suffer like the kids a bad rash from the wool WASH SOAP SOOOOO ??? since working in the dry cleaning its all about rinse repeat two or three times ivory was recomended I only use that with wools and silk its all about the rinse that was told to me by the man who ran the place,I use wools with knitting and make bed socks for sick kids at the hospitals to give me something to do retirement drove me up the wall so back to wools blankets and the wool sweaters just make sure it has the SAME DYE LOT NUMBER iiiiii learned the hard way :(

Take care

cyn

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Pat — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:42:22 GMT

I'm sorry you've been ill, Gigi, hope you get over it soon! Seven times.... is that a record or something? Maybe it's something in the air. I started a lace scarf for the piano, but I didn't even count the times I've started over. I have no idea of why. The last time I came up with too many stitches, I decided to insert a plain stockinette stitch panel and decrease a couple of stitches rather than try to find the mistake again. Works for me.

My brain is out to lunch all day today, but I think I ordered from Knitpicks before. I would have remembered if I hadn't been happy with the order.

Actually, one of the natural dyes for yarn is tea, so sure, that counts! I'm not into dying yarn, but I know that Brianschef uses Koolaid to dye things. Let us know what you think of the Risata yarn when you get it. I still have time before warm weather gets here. (I hope!)

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Gigi — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:21:26 GMT

Sorry about not coming back so soon. I have been ill, hence the 2 am posting.

No, I have not tried it. I am going to place and order with Knit Picks and add Risata to my order . One of the workers at my LYS advocated ordering from them. Their prices seem to be reasonable--much more reasonable then my LYS's new "renovaton." I am willing to take a chance. After all, taking chances is part of being creative! :-)

I am rather interested in their Bare yarn. It is the cheapest of the their yarns, and it comes in all weights. I does not come in cotton, but as the Bare yarns are designed for the individual to dye, it makes sense. Wool and silk dye easily, but cotton and acrylic do not. I am not talking of experience, but what I have read. Well, recently, as I was knitting at the table, my natural colored wool yarn fell into my iced tea! I was not happy, but it was a small amount. Snip. Does that count as an experience in dying yarn? (hehehe) Have you ever dyed yarn with Kool Aid?

I agree with you. I can always knit a pair of socks. If I don't have an on-the-go project, then I am down to dish cloths. Not that I mind dishcloths, but socks are much better. Besides, the average person has not seen a person knit with dpns and they get quite impressed. :-) Socks are much more enjoyable, well, except recently. I started a pair of knee highs for myself. Without going into the boring details, I have started this pair no less then seven times!! The last time I did something that I have only done once before in all my years of knitting socks--twist the stitches! Ugh. I never got beyond the cuff! My husband told me not to even touch them until I feel better. He is probably right.

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Pat — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:47:02 GMT

No, I haven't used the Risata yarn, Edey. I was hoping Gigi would weigh back in with her opinion of it. Since it's made for socks, it would probably be fine. The worst thing about cotton yarn for me is the lack of elasticity, so with the elastic added, this may be just the yarn I want.

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Edey — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:00:16 GMT

Pat - have you used the Risata yarn? I would love to find a cotton yarn to try with socks. I do have a type that I bought from Patternworks several years ago, that is, I think 100% cotton. I found it to be too soft to hold up as a sock, but then that might have been because I was using too large of a needle which made too loose of a stitch. I also didn't have a very good twist to it so was difficult to work with. I've got much more experience with socks so I should try it again. I only make shortie socks for summer anyway. It is much too hot here to wear anything else.

Edey

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Pat — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:09:10 GMT

Do you mean the Risata yarn? I can always put aside a project to knit a pair of socks!

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Gigi — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:59:13 GMT

I tried using crochet thread for knitting socks, and I abandoned the project. I am considering buying this yarn for summer socks The cotton with elastic:

http://www.knitpicks.com/sock+knitting+yarn_YL300106.html?utm_source=KP_homePage_New_Spring_Sock_Yarns&utm_medium=main_graphic&utm_campaign=New_Spring_Sock_Yarns

It won't be any time soon. My project list is too long.

Re: Confessions of a Yarn Heretic

Pat — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:37:02 GMT

elovestea:
I wouldn't want to make a pair of socks only to find they were like standing on fishnet!

I'd like to knit myself socks for summer wear and cotton would be great, but I've hesitated to use it because of the way it feels. What size of crochet thread would you use? Since I don't crochet, I'm not familiar with it.