When I first started knitting, I bought a bunch of cheap yarn. I was new and innocent to the yarn world and did not know there was a difference in yarns. My newbie knitter brain said "haha.. look at all those suckers paying more for yarn when I can get a giant ball of it at Wal-Mart for less than 4$!.
That all changed a few years ago when I ordered a kit from Morehouse Farms. The yarn was the softest wool and it made such a nice scarf. I felt the items I made with the cheaper yarn and was sad because they felt so rough and scratchy compared to the wool. Around the same time, my mother wanted me to make her a pair of mittens. We went to Michaels and she picked out the yarn. Of course it was a cheap variegated acrylic yarn. I made the mittens and was proud of myself. The problem was that every time my mom wore the mittens, they would increase in size. Washing and drying them didn't help, they didn't shrink. Poor mom looked like she was wearing oven mitts at one point. I also made a pair of socks to wear around the house that had the same problem. I got so discouraged that I've never made another pair of mittens and mom still wears her giant ones.
I guess that happened because you can't block acrylic. I'm surprised at how much acrylic yarn the craft store has knowing that you can't block it. Now I have tons of acrylic yarn. I've been making swiffer covers for etsy with it. I also have some random wool-ease yarn and some weird acrylic blend yarn some person gave me. This leads me to my set of questions for the day.
1: How do you make mittens and socks that don't "grow on you" (is it the acrylic yarn that causes this?)
2: What can I do with acrylic yarn?
3: Do you guys have any nice mitten pattern suggestions?
4: can I use Patons sock yarn to make the mittens?
The Blog is Moving
12 years ago
3 comments:
Use your acrylic to make an afghan. That's what I'm going to do with mine. :) You can use sock yarn to make mittens/gloves.Check out Ravelry - there's tons of ideas there. :)
You're doing great! I saw on Ravelry that you're in the "crazy lace" group; I'll have to check that out!
And Wool-Ease; I kinda like it. Not as nice as "Encore" by Plymouth, but still not bad.
As for your questions...
1: How do you make mittens and socks that don't "grow on you" (is it the acrylic yarn that causes this?)
Try knitting at a tighter gauge? And with acrylic, the dryer should "shrink" it back. Otherwise, I just dunno.
2: What can I do with acrylic yarn?
afgans, baby stuff, squishy rugs...?
3: Do you guys have any nice mitten pattern suggestions?
Look on Ravelry for the "vintage" freebies. I *love* those!
4: can I use Patons sock yarn to make the mittens?
yup. They'll be really nice.
have fun!
Nan
Oops. That should be "Scary Lace" not "crazy lace." I need to proofread better!
Nan
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