Category Archives: Yarn Review

Apr 1 2013

Monday Yarn Review – Captiva Yarn by Berroco Yarns

Today I knit and crocheted swatchs with Captiva yarn by Berrocco. The yarn is 60% cotton, 23% polyster, 17% acrylic. The colorway is #5520, which is called Honey. The yarn is shiny and would make a nice necklace or bracelet or can be knit or crocheted into a dressy top. It comes in a 98 yd. hank and a size 8 knitting needle and H crochet hook are recommended.  I would say that the yarn is about a dk weight.

I love the way the yarn looks but wasn’t so impressed by the way that it works up particularly how it knit. Even with the acrylic and polyester, the cotton stretched and some of the stitches were elongated. I believe that I would try the jewelry before I would make clothes with it. It comes in beautiful colors.

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knitted piece

 

 

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Crocheted Piece

Mar 18 2013

Monday Night Yarn Review – Baah! Yarn

So last week I finished the My Blue Valentine 3 way shawl/scarf design. This is a design done by designs of Kimberly McAlindin. I purchased the yarn and pattern from my LYS,  Knitknack which is in Maplewood, N.J. I made this as a gift and the recipient knows that it was made with love because it sure doesn’t look like the picture.

IMG_0522 by knitizen

My Blue Valentine

My Blue Valentine

Anyway I haven’t blocked mine yet so I’ll let you know what the fine piece looks like.

The yarn was easy to work with and the colorway is beautiful. I had a bit of trouble knitting the simple pattern because the yarn and my needles were dark. My 60+ eyes found it difficult to see stitches and several times I knit two stitches together. Eventually I had to finish the project sitting very close to a lamp. The yarn is elegant and although I have never paid over $15.00 for a hank of yarn (this was just over $30.00) the project only took one hank and the yarn was well worth it! I will be buying more of this yarn.

Feb 25 2013

Yummy Yarnie Goodies — Monday Review

Couldn’t pass up this sale bag of  yarn. I have several maniacal plans running around in my head and this yarn was cheap enough ($25.00)  to play with. Fifty mini skeins of Elsa Williams 100% Tapestry Wool. Actually it says needlepoint yarn. It’s going to be crochet/knit  yarn for me. You’ll get to see the creation as it materializes.

A plan is coming together!

A plan is coming together!

 

Hey while your here check out the blogs I follow and visit some of them.

Feb 12 2013

Monday Yarn Review — Grand Rapide by KFI

I was doing the Yarn of the Month Club  for a while and I still have samples that I didn’t review. This is one of them. It is a bulky yarn by Knitting Fever inc. called Grand Rapide. It is 5o% acrylic and 50% wool. The sample I got is Color: 06  which is a blend of blue, gray and black fibers. The yarn is soft and the color is very nice for this time of year but crocheting this yarn I kept getting the hook caught on the various fibers. Not sure that I would make a garment with it but it would make a nice blanket. Perhaps someone can show us garments made with it. According to the website the cost is $28.00 per skein which is 130 yards.

Grand Rapide yarn by KFI

Grand Rapide yarn by KFI

Feb 4 2013

Monday Yarn Day Frog Tree Merino Yarn

I needed a contrasting yarn for my Lucy hat so I went to Knitknack my LYS and Meera (the owner) suggested that I add this Frog Tree merino yarn.  The yarn is 100% merino and is made in Peru. The color was right and I only needed one skein so I bought it. I was pleasantly surprised by this yarn. It knit up nicely and is so soft. I am thinking about getting more of it and turning it into another project.

Frog Tree merino yarn

Frog Tree merino yarn

Frog Tree yarn in white in Lucy hat

Frog Tree yarn in white in Lucy hat

 

Jan 28 2013

Monday Yarn Day I’m Thinking Spring!

summertweedCP01.jpg

The picture above is of Summer Tweed,  part of Skacels 2013  spring collection. The description says that the yarn is a “shimmering cotton, viscose and nylon blend” that knits into an open fabric. The colors speak to lighter garments and I can picture tops and perhaps dresses made of it. The description says the “jewel like slubs” lend themselves to the creation of dressy garments.  A pretty top and a nice pair of silky pants. Can you see it with me?

summertweed02.jpg

#02 and

summertweed03.jpg

#03 are my favorites so far. I hope to have some of this yarn soon so that I can give you a true review. Let’s think spring!

Jan 13 2013

Simpliworsted by HiKoo

As you may know I am working on the Building Blocks throw  by Knit Purl Hunter. We are using the yarn suggested in the book which is simpliworsted by HiKoo and distributed by skacel. The yarn is 55% merino superwash wool, 28% Acrylic and 17% Nylon. Each hank is 140 yards/100g. I cannot say enough about this yarn. It is soft to the touch and knits up beautifully. Wool is always iffy for me because of my allergic responses. No problem with this one. I imagine that it would also be great to make garments out of and I intend to use it in other projects.

There is a generous palette of colors which should satisfy lots of knitters/crocheters.  I have used Old Gold, Turkish Coffee and Amber Waves. Try it and enjoy!

Building Blocks so far

Feb 20 2012

Monday – Yarn Review Mega by Ella Rae

Ella Rae is one of my favorite brands of yarn. My as yet unfinished shrug is being made of their super wash merino chunky. This Mega is my kind of yarn. 100% wool, 2 stitches to the inch and 137 yards to a skein.  A three on my itchy scale and because it’s bulky it works up quickly. I would definitely use this yarn in a project. Maybe I would even finish one.

EllaRae Mega

Feb 14 2012

Monday Yarn Day – Tracie Too by Imperial Yarn

This yarn is one of the Yarn of the Month clubs selections. It is called Tracie Too and is a sport weight 100% wool yarn. The color way is Rain. Included with the yarn selections for the club is a pattern for each yarn that makes a square that can become part of a sampler blanket. This is the first for me and I did use the pattern included to knit this yarn up. The easy cable pattern was fun to work. This is a nice d k weight yarn. Easy to knit, nice ply. About a six on my itchy meter. I do like the color and the way that the square developed. According to the  Imperials website the yarn is $21.00 for 4oz.

Tracie Too yarn by Imperial cabled square

Tracie Too yarn by Imperial

Feb 6 2012

Monday Yarn Review – Paton Merino

My friend Bobbie was nice enough to send me a bag of yarn from her stash that was all Paton Merino yarn. She knows how much I love to felt/full and she thought that I could use this yarn to do that. So I know what some of you are going to say. You only buy certain brands of yarn. You may not have heard of Paton yarn but I believe that it is the perfect yarn to full/felt. It is a moderately priced  yarn that will give you the results you want. Right yarn for the right project.

The attached picture is supposed to be the beginning of a heart but my pattern challenges strike again. Anyway, I’ll try again tomorrow when I’m not tired.

Heart? in Paton Burgundy Merino yarn