The Knitters Thread

timehastoldme

Thank you! OH chose it and it's been a jolly knit so far

basketcase

Hi all!

I need some advice please.

Background

DD and I both suffer from 'itchy wool' syndrome.  I've accumulated a fair amount of acrylic for that reason, I won't waste the acrylic, I'll use it up on throws etc but want to start using natural fibres because:

• they're warmer oz for oz
  
• various pets are fed up of being zapped by static!

I used to use baby wool, but that's not really hard-wearing and I do use cotton for summer.

Question (at last!)

Can anyone recommend yarns that I can use that are soft to touch and not itchy? It doesn't have to be wool - other natura fibres or mixes wouldn't be a problem.  The main reason for asking is that at the mo, before buying anything DD and/or I have to handle the yarns physically, which can be a bit of a bind,

Also, to be MSE, could you suggest online places I could buy them at a reasonable price?

All help gratefully received.

Savvy_Sue

Can't help precisely, but I find bamboo lovely to handle and knit with!

basketcase

Savvy_Sue said:

Can't help precisely, but I find bamboo lovely to handle and knit with!

Thanks for getting back.

Do you happen to know if it's warm for winter, by any chance?  I have some bamboo socks that seem OK, but it's hard to tell if they'd be good for winter...

Savvy_Sue

basketcase said:

Savvy_Sue said:

Can't help precisely, but I find bamboo lovely to handle and knit with!

Thanks for getting back.

Do you happen to know if it's warm for winter, by any chance?  I have some bamboo socks that seem OK, but it's hard to tell if they'd be good for winter...

I think it's like silk: warm in winter, cool in summer. 

Katiehound

Well, bamboo is plant so it will be the same as viscose. I would think warm-ish!

Silk would be your best bet. Not as far as cost obviously and I'm not sure how washable it is.
Just googled & most comes as a mix with wool and I realise you are trying to avoid that.

There are some interesting yarn mixes on this site (haven't used it personally so not a recommendation.) :
https://ritohobby.co.uk/

timehastoldme

Drops: anything with alpaca in is soft, very reasonable and available at wool warehouse online. I'm using drops air and kidsilk on a jumper now and it's gorgeous.

basketcase

@timehastoldme

Thanks for the recommendation.  I've looked at Drops a few times online, but can't find any to handle.  Also the recommendation for alpaca.

@Katiehound

Thanks for the link.  I've had a quick look at the website and, as you say, some interesting mixes.

@Savvy_Sue

Didn't know bamboo was 'temperature controlled'! 

Maybe these yarns for winter and I may have a try at bamboo for summer, rather than cotton.  We'd like to keep the production eco-friendly too...

Thanks again, all

PipneyJane

Some yarn ideas/thoughts for you @basketcase:

On the wool front, the softest wool I have ever encountered is Bluefaced Leicester (aka "BFL").  No prickles.  No itches.  Feels like you are wearing a warm cloud. I've knitted two jumpers with it.  The first is at least 10 years old now and held up to all sorts of rough treatment. Mine came from Blacker. 

If Blacker don't have what you want, other mlls sell their own BFL e.g. West Yorkshire Spinners, who do a BFL DK  (£12.95 per 100g) , an Aran  (£11.50 per 100g) and  a 4-ply BFL sock yarn  (75% wool, 25% nylon), currently sold by them for £8.50 per 100g.  (I've knitted socks and a jumper with it.)

For cheap wool-based yarns, most wool-based sock yarn is soft and doesn't prickle.   An adult sized jumper can be knitted with 200-400g, depending on the size, ease and sleeve length, and can cost less than £20.  (I'm a UK women's size 14 and have knitted several 4-ply jumpers in 250g - 300g.)  Lidl's own brand is really good but supply is intermittent, colours are often weird, and it's been years since I last saw it in the UK.  (I've one jumper made with it and multiple pairs of socks.)

Regia is the big brand in Sock Yarns. It washes well and wears very well. Lovecrafts sell the 4-ply for £7.49 per 100g BUT they often have offers.  For me, that works out at less than £24 for a fitted jumper which I can wear to work under my suit jacket.

Both silk and alpaca are lovely to knit with.  Silk can be extremely expensive >£10 per 50g.  Alpaca is cheaper and someone has already mentioned Drops brand which is usually very well priced.  The only thing to note is that Alpaca doesn't have the elasticity of wool so won't spring back into shape as readily.

HTH,

- Pip

basketcase

@PipneyJane

Many thanks for the info.  I'll look into them all later.

Showing my ignorance here, what's the difference between sock wool and DK?