Yarn 101...please

[LadiBug329]

Okay...I have only purchased store-bought yarns...RH, Lion, Bernat, Caron, Vanna's, etc. and have never been to a LYS...there is none in my area. I have seen on EBay & Etsy several handspun, hand-dyed yarns that are really pretty and intensely colored. They come in a variety of sizes, fibers, etc. All of this amazes me...and I wouldn't have a clue what to buy without feeling it first. (i don't have a touch-screen :rofl wouldn't it be nice if we could get it!!)

Can any of you share what you know about these handmade yarns - what they are really good for, how it wears, how to wash, anything else??
Alpaca
Merino (does this have silk in it?)
Angora
Bamboo
Superwash

What is a good sock yarn?? I can't find warm socks in the stores without paying $10 & up a pair, so I'm going to try my hand at it.
What is DK weight? Fingering weight (i think anyway) is lighter than sock yarn right? What is it good for??

[rshseaeagle]

Chrissie,
I can only help a little on this topic as I am mostly a thread person. I can tell you about some of the weights.

There are tons of sock yarns out there. I have seen Patons Kroy sock yarn in Michaels and Joannes and Paton stretch sock yarn. A sock yarn would be considered a fingering weight yarn. They are very fine and from what I have seen pretty expensive in comparison to other yarns.

A DK weight yarn is a lighter yarn that worsted weight, more like a baby yarn it has a 3 on it whereas a worsted weight is a 4 and a chunky is a 5 and a super chunky is a 6.


Angora would be a fuzzier yarn. I have worked with the Caron Spa yarn which is a bamboo blend. It was a worsted weight, very soft with a slight sheen to it. I have also worked with the Aunt Lydia's Bamboo crochet thread. Bamboo is a yarn made from the Bamboo plant so it is a yarn that comes from a natural renewable source. I had no problem with either the yarn or thread other than the fact that it will split very easily when working with it so it takes a bit of getting used to.

I made the Chakra purse with the Caron Spa and it came out beautiful.

The Merino wool is a very very soft wool. I can't tell you much about it though. They do carry it at Michaels.

If you go to the Daily Crocheter and Look under Yarn Companies, you will see a ton of yarn places that you can go to and they will have descriptions of the yarn like alpaca etc.

Hope this helps some. I want to try to make socks to. I think I am going to wait for the class in March since they seem to be on the more difficult side. Maybe that will help make it easier.

Hope this helps some, and to all you yarn experts out there, if I am wrong on any of this, please correct me. !!!!!!!

TLOL,
Toni

[Craw]

I know some of them...

Bamboo: As Toni said, it tends to split easily but it's soft and silky. I believe it goes in the washer but I've only worked with the Caron Spa yarn and that's a bamboo blend that is machine washable. Being a blend may have something to do with it holding up in the wash.

Merino: Is 100% wool (no silk). It can't be machine washed unless you plan to felt it.

I am too poor to know what Alpaca or Angora is. :lol

[LadiBug329]

so superwash merino would be machine washable??

alpaca & angora are outta my price range too...

[Craw]

Yes, a superwash merino would be machine washable but I would check the label on individual brands before putting in the dryer just to be sure. Here's one that says machine wash and dry ...

http://www.knitpicks.com/Swish+DK+Yarn_YD5420168.html

[losingmymind2]

You can't go wrong with yarn from KnitPicks. Just remember that if a yarn isn't 100% superwash it can felt unless washed gently by hand in cold water.

[adirtyspoon]

alpaca comes from alpacas which are really adorable little animals. It's super warm and soft and it will felt so don't machine wash. angora is the hair of angora bunnies, it's super soft and fluffy and far warmer than wool. It also is not machine washable.

Don't forget about, Soy, Milk, Hemp, Cashmere, Mohair and Llama yarn too! I don't know if you knit but even if you don't, The Knitter's Book of Yarn is a wonderful book to learn about all different kinds of fibers, what to use them for, how to wash them and how they're made.