Yarn, Yarn Everywhere and not a stitch to hook!

That’s kind of how I feel these days! I’m so busy doing the CLF stuff, and now helping Candi Jensen (Executive Producer of the Knit and Crochet Today! Show), plus working on the 501(c)(3) paperwork for my library friend’s group, that I have gone from more tan 30hrs a week of crochet time to maybe 10 hrs. SIGH…and all of that yarn is calling my name!

In my last post I urged you all to not feel unworthy of any kind of yarn due to your skills. Budget is one thing, but skill set is another. I brought up spinning some camel/silk for my daughter who is 15. What I didnt’ say is that I taughter her on a “good” yarn. Now, I don’t mean expensive yarn, I mean well made yarn.  I taught her using Cascade 220, a wool yarn that ranges around $7 a skein (some times less in price). It’s a good work horse yarn, and easy to use, it’s well spun, and is very multipurpose. I also taught her how to use cotton by Lily (Sugar and Cream). I didn’t give her the old standby acrylics until her tension improved, and her understanding of how to manipulate the hook increased, from using cotton which has no stretch to it. That way she started out successfully, and didn’t blame herself for the yarn not working up correctly.

Half of a crocheters confidence issue comes into play when the “wrong” yarn is used for the “right” project. If you are expecting a certain stretch, or drape, or feel, knowing your fibers is beyond important. Sometimes it is you, and your skill level, but more often than not it’s the yarn (or the pattern some times those are off)…Four years ago I created a cute little two page guide to fibers and their best uses (not their only uses but the best uses in general for most people.) It’s very affordable and you can purchase it on Lulu.com as a download, it’s The Secrets of Yarn Fiber Guide.

But the comment was” “Can you give a review or list?”

Answer: Sure I can. I can list all of my favorite yarns and fibers. But you know what, I don’t want you to run out and buy a specific yarn because I said it was Fabulous, only to find out that you can’t stand it. What I can do is let you know which yarns I use, and about what they cost, and why I like them.

1) Anything from Cascade Yarns. From their cotton to their acrylic Cascade yarns are very affordable, running from around $5 a skein to $12 a skein and they always have a good amount of yardage.  Pistazza is my favorite from them, it’s a llama/wool blend and felts up like a dream.

2) Newton’s Yarn Country: I buy their yarn at West Coast shows. I really like their merino sock yarn, but I recently got a really lovely brushed cotton/bamboo blend (over 1400 yds) on sale for $25! I’m currently making a pretty broomstick lace over dress for myself with this yummy stuff!

3) Lion Brand’s Vanna’s Choice. Ok, this is probably the BEST acrylic yarn I have ever used. I like it because it has a non-scratchy texture and reacts to crochet like wool does. Meaning it has a lot of stretch to it, and can indeed drape! I used the Vanna’s Choice Glamour (sparkly) for a skirt for my daughter and I just adore it! Nice, affordable, around $3-$5 a skein with excellent yardage.

4)  Fiesta yarns “Heaven” it’s a mohair yarn. Not cheap but a nice lace weight. It cost me something like $21 if I remember correctly.

5) I love love love love Dale of Norways “Baby Ull” it’s a sock weight yarn, it’s washable and oooh la la, it crochets up like a dream. This yarn is under $7 a skein and has more than 200 yds  LOVELY!

See I like wool. You may not. I really am not fond of plant fibers, but I love silk. I don’t buy a lot of silk, and when I do it’s usually either handspun or indie dyer stuff. It’s my treat. Other wise I handspin and dye the silk myself, because it’s such a pleasure.

So, if you like plant fibers and not wool, then don’t use my recommendations for those yarns

Saving the best (yarn) for later…Why?

Hippocrates said, “The life so short, the craft so long to learn (master).”  I think that is a very applicable statement when it comes to we who craft in fiber, with hooks or other implements.

So, often I am dismayed by crocheters who will relate that they are not “good enough” at their chosen craft to use nicer yarns. Now, often that is translated into expensive yarns, but nicer and expense do not have to go hand in hand. There are many nice inexpensive yarns, and there are almost an equal amount of not so nice expensive yarns!

But here’s the real rub, it isn’t your budget that bothers me, it’s how you feel about your self and your crochet abilities.

You will never, ever, ever improve your skills to the point of satisfaction by working with one kind of yarn for every single kind of project you crochet. If you only choose to use the standard worsted weight acrylic for everything from hot pads to socks to sweaters you will never feel good enough to use another yarn. Why?

Each kind of yarn, from weight to fiber content has different properties, just like in fabric and clothes, you cannot expect silk to be substitued by polyester (maybe nylon), nor can you expect wool to really be substituted by traditional acrylic. Now, refining has improved and there are some lovely new acrylics with various fiber properties from more stretch, to softness, to drape and memory. The fiber world is more open for exploration to we who hook today than ever before in human history!

Life is far too short to wait until you are an expert to use the good yarn. I’m not saying you should use the really spendy stuff in every ,or even just one project! But, if you can save up for a treat, and buy yourself just one little skein of something you have really always wanted to try, don’t stop yourself because you think you’re not good enough. Budgets are one thing, not thinking you’re worth a treat now and then is another. There’s no justification for thinking you aren’t good enough to deserve a bit of luscious fibery goodness.

I don’t use silk/camel every day, but recently I spun some. It’s for my 15 year old daughter to use in a project, is she the expert her mother is?  Nope. Why let her use this scrumptious yarn I spun? Because, I’m teaching her to allow herself the tactile, and simple pleasures, and it isn’t about how good you are that matters. Besides it will rip out if she needs it to, most yarn does.

So, don’t let me hear you say you aren’t good enough to use the good stuff. That’s a crock, of course YOU are good enough, maybe you just need some confidence, and that’s what the CLF is here to do! Join us on Ravelry.com, and if you need ideas, support, or just answers to your questions, we are 3700+ strong and we’ve been there, will be there, or are there!