Handknitting and the cost of yarn

ginnyknit

I saw a fab new wool today in a local shop it was like bobbles strung together and was sooo soft, then I overheard a customer saying 'well my DH had better not find out I spent 90 pounds on wool for a cardigan' OMG I was dumbstruck. So I paid my two pounds 25p for a ball of baby wool and left. I have never spent that much on a bin bag full of wool.

I knit and crochet continually as I look after disabled DH. I make a lot of premature baby stuff and toys but my main thing is blankets or throws as they seem to be called now. I really cannot sit doing nothing so it keeps me sane. There are some shops on E Bay that do really good wool at a low price. I got about 10 balls for thirteen pounds and it was excellent quality and so soft. I will check out the name of the shop and post it for you all.

maytaurus

[FONT=&quot]DK machine washable wool[/FONT][FONT=&quot] 100g in B&M for 89p
Store locations
http://www.bmstores.co.uk/maps.htm[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]MASONS WOOL & everything else you might need
P&P at a set charge of £2.00 per[/FONT][FONT=&quot] order[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Specials ...[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sitemap; http://www.masonsneedlecraft.org.uk/..._page=site_map[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Abakhan Online http://www.abakhan.co.uk/index.html[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Knitting Yarns & Accessories, Crafts [/FONT]

Have a look here;
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1384709

Lots more info including free pattern links here post #[FONT=&quot]964[/FONT]

knitknack

It's lovely to find so many other knitters - it's such a beautiful craft isn't it - i call it my 'meditation' LOL

I'm currently working my way through a cabled coat (a debbie bliss pattern) in her cashmerino. Now, there's no way that I could afford to go out and buy the 15 balls or however many it's worked out at (I'm not keeping count so that if OH asks I honestly wouldn't be able to tell him LOL)... but the lovely lady at my LYS (local yarn store in knitter speak!) will put the amount of yarn I need for a project aside and then let me buy as many balls as I want, as often, or infequently, as I want! So I can buy a ball a week, or a ball every two weeks if necessary! It's fab, and one of the main benefits of using local suppliers, I think.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know about http://www.ravelry.com which is FANTASTIC and really worth puttering around until you're happy with how it works. It's a community for knitters, but the most important thing (for me) is it allows you to search for a pattern, and then see REAL people's experiences of that pattern (with lots of pictures) and also the different yarns that they have substituted, and any probs that they have had and how they have overcome them... it's invaluable! I have had questions that have stopped me on a project before now, and had an answer and been back knitting again within 10 mins.

There are groups (forums) dedicated to British knitters, and thrifty knitters (people who buy jumpers just to unravel them and make something new) and all sorts - if you're a knitter, you'll love it!

knithryn

I'll agree about ravelry. I also use charity shops as a source of knitting books, you can get some fab ones. EVen old dated patterns can look good if worked in a modern wool, or with a few modifications. Before ravelry I wouldn't have had the confidence to modify and alter a pattern, but now I accept it is part of the requirement to make the item fit the body shape I have.
I'll be off to BM bargains today to see this machine washable wool, not that I NEED any, but if the colours suit my taste then it might be worth having. I can always create another blanket/rug - I'm currently on my second, the first one being in constant use and the second one being an acrylic-wool blend. Would be nice to put the time into a pure wool one.

Gigervamp

I don't knit, but I do crochet. As I don't like using acrylic yarns, buying natural yarns can be expensive (especially when you love the Debbie Bliss ones!) but I've found that you can get bargains on ebay if you look at the auctions rather than the *buy it now* sales. I managed to win 15 balls of Debbie Bliss cotton angora for about £17 a couple of times, which is about half the price they would have been if bought from a shop.

Rummer

I am just taking my first few steps into knitting so I have been buying inexpensive wool from markets or charity shops and have been trying to make some blankets for the winter. Relaxing and fun although I will take a while to get up to speed and to stop dropping stitches!

amani_2

I can knit and have done since I was a child, Im no pro though. I too am taking my first few steps into crochet not done it before. looking on the net for some tutoring.

Snowy_Owl

Hello!! I'm also a recent returned to knitting. Am nearly finished a funky slinky scarf and am i the process of knitting a large blanket for me. I'm using predominately brighter colours and only buying 1 ball of any particular colour at the moment so don't know what the end price would be of the blanket. It will be made of different sizes of patches so is ideal for leftover wool. Found some in my bag when I found it, got some from a friend (hardly used balls of wool) and so far have only spent @ £10. so far - a scarf and about 6 12"x12" squares with plenty still for more patches and other little projects.

Will try ebay and freecycle and gumtree for wool locally.

Also since when did calling wool "yarn" become more common!!?!?!!?!My gran was a big knitter and just called it wool!:rotfl:

Snowy

Gigervamp

Snowy_Owl wrote: »

Also since when did calling wool "yarn" become more common!!?!?!!?!My gran was a big knitter and just called it wool!:rotfl:

Snowy

Possibly when lots of new types of yarn came onto the market?

When our nans were knitting, they probably only had a choice of wool and maybe cotton, whereas nowadays you can get acrylic, cotton, wool, angora, cashmere, alpaca and all sorts of mixes too.

knitknack

not to mention bamboo, soya, linen, milk-protein etc. etc. LOL

I like 'yarn' because as Gigervamp says it's multi-descriptive... and it's actually an old-fashioned term anyway. 'Wool' is a bit inaccurate (unless you're talking about, you know, wool LOL) these days - i particularly hate hearing acrylic yarn being described as 'wool' - but that's because I am very strange!