When it comes to knitting, I still feel like a bit of a beginner . . especially when it comes to choosing yarn. One thing I’ve learned is that yarn is pretty similar to quilting fabric in that some folks will love the feel of one fabric, while others don’t like it at all. For fabric, I like the heavier type fabrics. I love Sandy’s Solids (Sandy Gervais/Moda) but I don’t like the feel of Moda Marbles. It seems to be exactly the same with yarn . . the yarns that some folks rave about, I don’t like at all. I’m not going to say it’s a “problem” but since all the yarn I get is mail ordered, I’m not able to feel it before I buy it.
Last year I kept hearing folks rave about a particular yarn. I ordered enough to make three sweaters. I made the first sweater and in the process of making the second sweater, began wearing the first sweater. It pilled so badly that after the second wearing, I was ready to toss it in the trash. Both times, I had worn it for less than three hours . . while we had gone out to eat dinner. The yarn did not come from The Loopy Ewe and I knew folks had been asking Sheri to start carrying this particular yarn so I wrote her and told her how horribly my sweater was holding up. Sheri suggested this shaver.
Shaver
TLE doesn’t keep it in stock but Sheri can order it for you. I liked that it could be battery operated or plugged in and if it works for Sheri, I figured it would work for me so I ordered one. I will admit that it cleaned up the pills and I will get a few more wearings out of the sweater but I do not like that yarn at all! It’s very soft and I think that’s why people like it. Apparently pilling is what you get with soft yarn and that’s just not what I like.
All that to say that I may have found my favorite worsted weight yarn . . Mrs. Crosby’s Steamer Trunk. I’m using this for my second Camp Loopy project so over the weekend, I did a swatch.
Steamer Trunk
I tried to get a closeup so you could see how tightly this yarn is twisted. To me, that’s what makes a yarn hold up and not pill. When I first began knitting the swatch, the feel of the yarn is obvious . . it’s not real soft. It isn’t scratchy by any means but I would describe it as feeling a bit “spongy”.
Swatch
Once the swatch was washed and dried, it softened up quite a bit but still isn’t soft and squishy like the yarn that pilled. Once I realized how much it had softened up, I decided to wash it a couple more times, and scrub it a bit to see how it held up. The swatch above has been washed once by hand, three times in the machine, and dried in the dryer four times. The laundry instructions are: “Machine wash cold. Machine dry just til damp. Lay flat to finish.”
I understand that we don’t all like the same kinds/types of yarn but this may be my favorite ever worsted weight yarn.
No more yarn is going to be ordered until I see what the third Camp Loopy project will be but these two projects are calling my name:
- Netherwood
- Mya’s Jacket for Addie
In the interest of being completely honest, I did order extra yarn to make hats for Nicole and Addie, to match their sweaters. I’m really liking Mrs. Crosby’s Steamer Trunk worsted yarn!
FrancesB says
I’m with you on the Moda Marbles — downright flimsy!
Pat (EagleKnits) says
The best solution I’ve found for knitting with soft yarn is to go down a couple of needle sizes and knit it at a tighter gauge. Love the color of your yarn!
JudyL says
That only works if it doesn’t throw off the gauge of the pattern. For me, it’s best just to avoid the soft yarn.
JanetB says
I love the jacket pattern for Addie. I wish I had a little one to knit for. Re: fabric — I’m not a big fan of batiks. I love the color you can get with batik fabric, but like you, I like the feel of the heavier cottons.
Denise ~ justquiltin says
I just saw that Mya pattern yesterday and wished I had a little girl in the family to make it for. It is so adorable! Love the look of Netherwood too – I’ve got one or two of that designers patterns on my short list of “want to make”.
Frankie says
Thanks so much for the honest review Judy. I’ve been wondering about this yarn and now think I’ll order some and try it out myself. I like soft yarn as much as anyone, but after all the time spent knitting a project, I want it to wear well and last a long time — that’s my #1 priority.
Tracy says
I found an interesting web site yesterday called Yarnsub.com
It allows you to find good matches for gauge and texture/drape, while it gives you the fiber content and some general notes about each match. I had a similar piling problem with a silk merino blend, I seldom wear that pullover.
Rebecca in SoCal says
Interesting yarn review, Judy…nicely thorough. Did the swatch maintain its size through the machine(!) drying?
As a shopper, not a knitter, I know that when I feel a very soft knit, I look at the fiber content, and if it is acrylic, back on the rack it goes!
JudyL says
There’s no acrylic in any of the yarns at the online shops where I order but 100% merino, can be way too soft for my liking.. The Steamer Trunk is 100% superwash merino. Yes, the swatch stayed almost exactly the same size. Superwash has a tendency to grow if hand washed and laid flat to dry but I put this in the dryer, as recommended and then finished off the drying by lying flat and it came out just right.
Susan T says
FYI For the last few days, when I view your blog, there is a gray band at the top, then your blog name etc. It leaves a very small area to see the actual post. I am using Firefox for my browser, and reading through the blogger dashboard. I wasn’t sure if anyone else reported the same problem…
Judy S says
Interesting post, Judy. I need to try Mrs.Cosby…. Is that Mya’s Jacket by the same Denise that posts On the Needles? It’s very cute, and one of the few that includes sz. 8. As I’ve said before, you find great patterns. Thanks!