Tips For Using Handspun Novelty Yarns (by Jennifer Green)

It’s gorgeous, but what do I do with it? …OR… Tips for using those fabulous handspun novelty yarns

We have all drooled over the simply stunning, handspun, novelty yarns available by all kinds of talented spinners these days.  Coilspun, Beehives, Boucle, Tailspun, yarns with added sequins, ornaments, doodads and ribbons.  They capture your attention and light up your creativity!  But, what exactly, do you DO with these fabulous work of art?  Why you use them, of course!!

So many of us are in love with these yarns and absolutely at a loss when it comes time to decide what to make with them.  I’m here to tell you that not only are these yarns fun to work with, but they are meant to be made into treasured objects!  Here are some tips to get you started down the road to crafting with handspun art yarns.

The first thing to do is Keep It Simple.  Any project you decide to make out of these yarns will be best if you are showcasing the beauty of the yarn and not the tricks you are doing with your stitches. 

This is the time to pull out those fun and easy patterns that feature garter stitch, stockinette, simple rows of single or double crochet and simple elegant lines and shapes.  We want our eyes to be drawn to the intricacies of the yarn itself.  

The next important thing in working with these yarns is Keep It Loose.  This is not the time to bear down on your handwork and make those stitches tight.  Take a deep breath, relax and let the yarn lead you in the work.  If there is a cool doodad hanging from your yarn, take a moment to push it to the front of your work so that you can enjoy it. 

Make sure you aren’t pulling the yarn so tight that your beehives and coils are being pulled out of shape.  Give the yarn an opportunity to go the direction it wants and you will find some exciting things happen in your finished fabric. 

Take It Slow.  This is not the time for speed stitching!  You will need to slow down your needles and hooks so that you can use the yarns to their best advantage.  This is not to say that your knitting or crocheting will become painfully slow and boring. 

Quite the contrary.  You will find that you are enjoying the journey all the more because the yarn will entertain you in ways you never imagined along the way. 

By slowing down, you will have opportunities to manipulate the yarn and show off the special areas within your finished piece.

Here’s your chance to Make It Bold!  Most of these yarns are bulky and super bulky weights.  Here is your chance to pull out the really big needles and hooks and make a bold statement in rough, oversized stitches.  You will find these projects go faster than you think and that working in a large gauge gives you a new perspective on the actual creation of the stitches.  I am delighted by the process of the stitches forming and by the raw, almost industrial, feel you get in a project created with super large needles and hooks.  (Yes, I do giggle like a school girl while working on these types of projects!)

In case you needed a little push, I’m here to tell you to Take the Plunge!  Grab hold of one of those eye popping yarns and just jump right in.  Stop waiting for the perfect time, project or person.  This is one of those ‘just do it’ moments!

Above all else, Keep It Fun!  Once you get started working with these yarns, you will likely find that your crafting becomes something of a party.  Go along with it and have a great time.  If you loosen up and have fun with the process, it will show in your finished garment and everyone who sees it will be infected with the spirit!

Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid! (video by Michele Grim)

Michele demonstrates the art of coloring yarn using Kool-Aid. She provides a step-by-step tutorial on dyeing yarn using this favorite childeren’s drink. Kool-Aid provides an inexpensive, environmentally friendly means of coloring your favorite animal fiber or yarn.

Jelly Yarns (by Kathleen G)

 

Jelly Yarn®

• 100% vinyl

•  Fine Jelly Yarn 85 yds , Bulky Jelly Yarn 65 yds,  Super Fine Jelly Yarn 50 yds

•  Waterproof

•  Glow in the Dark, Black Light Reactive neon colors

• Gauge:

New Super Fine (thread weight)

Knit Gauge: (ktbl) 28 sts and 64 rows = 4″ – US 6 (4mm)

Crochet Gauge: (sc) 22 sts and 10 rows = 4″ – F (3.75mm)

Fine Jelly Yarn (sport weight)

Knit Gauge: (k) 24 sts and 40 rows = 4″ – US 6 (4mm) needles

Knit Gauge Double Strand: (k) 14 sts and 33 rows = 4″ – US10.5 (6.5mm) needles

Crochet Gauge: (sc) 16 sts and 10 rows = 4″ – US H (5mm) hook

Bulky Jelly Yarn (worsted weight)

Knit Gauge: (k) 14 sts and 32 rows = 4″ – US 10 (6mm) needles

Knit Gauge Double Strand: (k) 10 sts and 8 rows = 4″ – US 13 (9mm) needles

Crochet Gauge: (sc) 12 sts and 14 rows = 4″ – US J (6mm) hook

If you’re looking for something fun, colorful and unique to knit or crochet, think outside the yarn box with Jelly Yarn! But what exactly IS Jelly Yarn?

Jelly Yarn was developed by Kathleen Greco while writing her first knitting book titled, Yummy Yarns (Watson Guptill). She had an idea for a purse that when knit, resembled glossy black patent leather. Using her background in plastics, she was able to develop and produce the yarn she envisioned, and Black Licorice Jelly Yarn was born.

Bright colors named after candies and ices soon followed: Hot Pink Candy, Blue Taffy, Lemon-Lime Ice, Raspberry Sorbet, and Pink Peppermint Glow, just to name a few. There now are 13 neon, opaque, metallic, and glow-in-the-dark colorways.

Jelly Yarn is a 100% vinyl, solid round strand. It’s very flexible, waterproof and is formulated for knitting and crochet. This contemporary glossy yarn is ideal for fashion-fun knitting or crocheting for adults and kids. Patterns are available for accessories including: purses, handbags, beach bags, belts, bracelets, ornaments, hair accessories, toys, and coral reef projects.

Tips For Knitting or Crocheting with Jelly Yarn

• The best knit stitch for creating a flat texture in Jelly Yarn is the Knit Through the Back Loop stitch. 

• Metal needles or hooks are recommended when working with Jelly Yarn. Susan Bates® Silvalume® metal needles or hooks are preferred well because of the smooth satin surface, but any metal will work.

• To make your knit or crochet fabric more durable, carry along a strand of Fine Jelly Yarn with your fiber yarn.

• If your tension is too tight, your stitches may not slide on the metal needle easily. To help make the stitches glide easily, we recommend using a little hand lotion, Burt’s Bees Hand Salve, or Vinylex, vinyl protectant applied along the stitches on the needle or hook.

• Knitting or crocheting with Jelly Yarn is a little different then fiber yarn. Instead of weaving ends, make a double knot (square knot) to prevent the stitches from unraveling after the 1st cast on stitch, when joining yarns and, after binding off.

• Blocking Jelly Yarn is easy. Heat the piece, with a hair dryer on low, for a few seconds. Place the piece on a flat hard surface and make the sides even. Tape the edges of the piece to the surface (optional). Place a weight such as a dictionary or phone book on top overnight. Assemble as instructed in the pattern.

Jelly Yarn 20 Cool Projects for Girls to Knit & Crochet (Krause Publishers) features an amazing array of purses, jewelry, belts, pet collar, and other fun projects crafted with Jelly Yarns. http://www.jellyyarns.com/books.html

Bonus: The bright neon and glow colors are idea for kids to learn how to knit or crochet!

Burt’s Bees Hand Salve, or Vinylex free sample is included with Jelly Yarn purchase. There are many knit and crochet free patterns available on the Jelly Yarn website.

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The Fiber Files (by Aubry Mayes)

It is my opinion that every yarn crafter should have what I call the Fiber Files. Whether its stored on a computer, in a recipe box, binder, or even address book, the Fiber Files are a necessary part of crafting for others. The Fiber Files contain vital information necessary to successfully complete a project.

Without this information, severe FO crises may occur, with symptoms including short sleeves, too small head-hole, or the dreaded socks that were made to have a 6 inch cuff that, well, doesn’t.

What should be in the Fiber Files?

• Name
• Age
• Gender
• Measurements
• Color Preferences
• Allergies
• Style

Name and age are the first steps to creating a proper Fiber File. Normally, I would suggest that date of birth would be better than age, but this is one place where I find it necessary to keep the number. This step will help to remind you to update your file at least yearly.

The gender listing in the file is strictly a formality. When it comes to crafting and gender, I don’t like getting into the messiness that comes along with it. Yarn crafting is such a feminine sport as it is, we really don’t need to muddy it up by trying TOO hard to find “manly” yarn. All that results is a brown sweater and some black socks.

Sure, gender is a fantastic way to search for a pattern, particularly when it comes to fitted garments. But, being a big girl, I know how hard it can be a to find a “girlie” pattern that doesn’t look like a knitted trash bag.

(Be sure to check out my upcoming article on how to get more girlie bang for a drab pattern buck.) So in simpler terms, be sure to mark gender, but don’t be afraid to cross lines. Its fun to be edgy.

Measurements are probably the most important aspect of the Fiber Files. As I say in my article, “Size Matters”, there are so many measurements that need to be taken in consideration. These are:

• Arm Length (shoulder to elbow, shoulder to wrist, shoulder to middle finger tip, elbow to wrist, and elbow to middle finger tip, as well as upper and lower arm circumferences, all in SUM*
• Standard Shirt Size
• Standard Pants Size
• Standard Shoe Size
• Hips, Waist, in SUM
• Leg Length, in SUM
• Bust (where applicable) in SUM
• Head & Neck Circumference in SUM
• Wrist to tip of middle finger in SUM

*SUM: Standard Unit of Measurement

 To accurately record color preferences, be sure to list both love AND hate colors. For me, I love my purple, but I hate hate hate that horrible brown color that seems to infest men’s sweater patterns in knitting books from the 90′s. By listing color preferences, it simply helps to assure you that your gift is a win.

Style is a similar aspect. Just by remembering that your niece is fashionista, or your son is a punk rocker and crafting accordingly, you can win major brownie points.

Finally, we come to allergies. This subject has arisen a lot in my articles. Personally, I am allergic to sulfates and metals containing nickel. While sulfates don’t usually pop up in knitting, nickel does A LOT. Buttons, zippers, pins, accents- if its not stated as being hypo-allergenic, then it should definitely be expected that it has nickel as at least one of the primary metals.

Wool allergies are also very common. Be sure to check on the allergies of the recipients, as we wouldn’t want to be responsible for health problems, nor would we want our beautiful creations to be discarded.

When it comes to storing your Fiber Files, be sure to keep them organized in a manner you will recognize, as well as a manner that can be updated easily. Some ideas could be:

• Each person on an individual index card in a recipe-type box
• Each person on their own page in a binder
• A separate computer file for each person, in a folder specific to relationship to you, first letter of last name, or any other organization method you can think of.
• A scrapbook page including a picture of each person with detachable pieces for the changing information.
• The possibilities are endless!

The hardest part will always be getting the information from the people themselves. My advice to you: Get it yourself. What woman doesn’t lie about her weight? What man will admit to having small hands? The best way to ensure honesty is to get it yourself.

Hold a party and invite everyone you need measurements from. Bait them with food, booze, movies, whatever it is that gets them to your house and get those measurements!

Measure happy, knit happy!

Yarn Review: ShiBui Knits’ “Sock” (by Jenifer Rank)

ShiBui Knits’ “Sock”

100% Superwash Merino

1.75oz/50G

191yds/175M

This yarn has been called the “perfect sock yarn” by ShiBui, and quite frankly, I am inclined to agree!  A fine wool, it comes in a wide variety of colors, both solids and multicolored – personal favorite is ‘Spectrum – 51301’, and isn’t crazy expensive – about $10. 

It has a slight texture to it, and while the texture helps it stay on the needles, I think it still has a great slide to it, keeping your fingers and hands from getting tired.

This particular yarn holds up well in the machine, with little color bleed, and keeps its shape when dry… I just love that I can actually put it in the machine… it is for socks after all!  It has a recommended gauge of 30sts/40rows = 4in on size 2 (US)/2.75mm needles. 

I have used it for everything from socks to arm warmers to hats, as it also has a pretty good stretch to it. 

If you can’t tell, I REALLY enjoy working with this particular yarn. If your LYS doesn’t carry it, you can always visit the manufacturer’s website (www.shibuiknits.com) for a listing of retailers who do!

Choosing Yarn – Big Box vs. LYS (by Jenifer Rank)

What is the first thing to look for when choosing yarn?  Is it color, weight, feel?  Or is it the location that you purchase it from? 

There are basically three options if you want instant gratification and want to start your project immediately.  You can head to a local farmer’s market, a “big box” craft store – think JoAnn, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, etc., or a local yarn shop (LYS).  What is the difference, really?  They all have yarn and a good variety of yarn at that!

So, let’s start with the largest of the options: the craft store.  This is a fantastic option if you are trying to a project on a small budget.  A ball/skein of yarn can cost anywhere from $2.99 to $10.00 – and that’s the maximum of the range.  There are always sales, and usually coupons. 

There is a wide variety of acrylics, wools, cottons, sequins, blends, eco-friendly, baby yarns, and sock yarns to choose from.  When I started knitting about ten years ago, you could basically get either acrylic or cotton yarns from the craft stores.  The stock (and quality of that stock) has improved drastically in the last decade.  Some of the latest additions that I’ve noticed have been the “Bamboo Ewe” and “Full o’ Sheep” from Debbie Stoller’s new line of yarns. 

The craft stores are a great, economical option – especially if you are trying a new skill, like knitting in the round, or attempting to learn to crochet.  The downside of the craft stores is that chances are, there might be one or two employees there that knit or crochet, and they probably won’t be working when you are there.  It’s an “on your own” type of experience, and if you’re a novice, should the yarn your pattern calls for isn’t there; substitution might not be a possibility.  There is also the environmental factor – these goods are shipped cross country in most cases, made in other countries, and the stores do little to support your local economy.

Next up is the LYS option… awesome choice!  I’m a huge proponent of these, even though they are slightly pricier – anywhere from $7.00 all the way to $50.  The stores are usually staffed with the owner and a small, select group of employees – who have experience with the product.  They are on hand to make recommendations, substitutions, and help with pattern selection. 

Often, patterns that your LYS carries won’t be available anywhere else.  The variety of yarns might be smaller than at a big box store, but orders are usually possible and only take a few days… most also have websites or email where you can arrange an order a few days in advance. 

Many LYS also have knitting space, serve tea or coffee, and are a great place to meet and chat with other knitters and crocheters.  These shops are usually arranged by weight as opposed to by brand or type like in a craft store. 

Smaller, more intimate, and based in your community, your local LYS usually participates in things like school fundraisers or “First Friday” events, and offers special discounts on classes and yarns depending on the month or season.  These stores also tend to stock local products, and occasionally spun yarn from the employees themselves!

Finally, there is the option of the Farmer’s Market.  Talk about choosing to support directly from the source!  Many markets have farmers that also have sheep, and they will bring the wool (from sheep, alpacas, llamas!) as a side product – this is usually already spun, but you can find bags of straight wool.  One of the farmers I’ve seen even puts the name of the sheep it came from on the label. 

So when you name your sweater ‘The Maybelle Sweater’ on Ravelry, it actually came from Maybelle!  A quick word about online shopping – yes, this is a great way to go if you already know the product or are prepared to make a large purchase so that your dye lot is consistent.  Shopping via the internet – or trading too, is perfect if you are in the planning stages of a project and have time to wait.

No matter which store you choose, as craft stores are improving their selections, the LYS becomes more endangered.  Support them!  Go to a knitting night, escape from the house and go chat and sip tea and make new, knitty (or crochet-y) friends!

Yarn Review: Patons SWS – Way better than Tofu! (by Jen Chambers)

Decided to try and felt using Patons SWS yarn.  It’s 70% Wool, 30% Soy, so I thought it would probably felt up nicely.   I had a couple of skeins of SWS which stands for Soy Wool Stripes in colorway Natural Earth and thought I’d try making an iPad cover.  I don’t have an iPad, but one day I hope to and I’ll have a beautiful cover to keep it safe from scratches.  I didn’t have a pattern, but figured I just try and see if I could work it out.

I cast on 45 stitches on size 8 needles.  I knit the piece in garter stitch and it used just about the entire 2 skeins of yarn.  The yarn itself is soft and knits up nicely.  The yarn has a slightly different  “twist” then normal worsted weight yarn.  It’s not twisted as tightly and when untwisted it doesn’t consist of 4 threads like most worsted weight.  Instead it untwists into about 50 very fine “hairs” that create a fuzz when separated.  The yarn is self striping and the color changes were subtle from row to row and the pattern repeat was easy to anticipate when it came time to join the 2^nd skein of yarn.

Finished size before felting was 22.5” x 9.5”.  I sewed up the side seams and began the felting process.

I watched closely as the piece felted to make sure I didn’t go too far.  The finished measurement I was shooting for was about 9.5” x 7.5”. I felted this in the washing machine and it took 2 wash cycles to get to the measurement I wanted.

I pulled out the piece and rinsed with cold water then used the book in the picture as my drying form.  I put the book into a zip-top bag, and slid it inside the iPad cover while it dried over the next few days.

After the piece was dry, the felting process had made the finished piece quite fuzzy all over.  So I took a disposable razor and cut away the fuzz and the finished piece was exactly what I wanted.

Overall, I was very pleased with this yarn.  It’s a beautiful yarn that looks great whether you decide to use it for felting or just a normal knitting project.

The Four Faces of Fiber (by Johnny Vasquez)

Yarn. That soft string we love to run over our fingers as we wrap it around a pair of knitting needles. Many a knitter has become obsessed with it, buying innumerable skeins that are stuffed away in every nook and cranny we can find. Often it is the texture, or color, or feel of the yarn that makes us want to have it, or rather, need to have it. And we don’t care if we have a use for it. Just owning that beautiful ball of yarn is enough.

But what is this stuff that we fawn over? Where does it come from? And how many different kinds of yarn are there really? Being new to the knitting world, I have become fascinated with the wonderful world of yarn. I once paid $37 for one skein and I can’t bring myself to knit with it. It is an incredibly unique yarn made from a cotton seed/ rayon blend and has a gorgeous chocolate brown color with a hint of silky sheen. And it got me thinking about all the different types of yarn out there and how they become those twisted strands we all love to play with.

Most of what I’m going to share with you is adapted from Clara Parkes Knitter’s Book of Yarn and her website, Knittersreview.com. These two sources have been invaluable in understanding the fiber arts world. What we will be exploring over the next five weeks are the four faces of fiber. Today I am going to give a quick overview of the different types of fiber used in yarn.

There are four main types of fiber used in making yarn, thus four faces.

“Now hold on a minute Johnny. Knitting for dummies said there are only two kinds of yarn, natural and man made.”

Ok, those are the two categories we can put these fibers in, but there are distinct fiber types within those categories, each with its own unique characteristics. Let’s start with the man made or synthetic fibers.

Synthetic Fibers

Many of you may wrestled with a scratchy ball of $3 Red Heart yarn when you were little. That cheap ball of yarn is made of Acrylic and can be processed to be very soft, or not so much. It is often blended with other natural fibers to make them softer and more affordable. Other synthetic fibers include polyester and nylon.

 

 

 

Natural Fibers

These fibers can be divided up into three types:

Protein Fibers

The darling of the knitting world is wool. But wool is only one of many protein fibers. These are fibers that come from animals, and in the case of silk, insects. They all contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. And since they are almost all made of hair, theoretically your hair could be spun into fiber as well.

Cellulose Fibers

These fibers are those collected from plants. The most popular of these are hemp, linen, and of course, cotton. Cotton is unique not only because it contains the most cellulose, but it is also made from the seed pod of the plant, where as the other fiber are made from the stalks. Fibers derived from plant stalks are referred to as bast fibers.

Cellulosic Fibers

These fibers are made from plant cellulose like cotton, trees, and bamboo. The difference is they must be processed before they can be turned into fiber. This process includes using a chemical to turn the cellulose into liquid, which is then extruded into a spinnable form. You will often see these listed as rayon, which is viscous from bamboo, and Tencel. This process is also used to make SeaCell, which is made from seaweed.

So there you have it. The Four Faces of Fiber.  Which of these four types of fiber does your favorite yarn come from? Or is it a blend of fibers from different types? Right now my personal favorite would have to be Alpaca which is a protein fiber.

PLARN!!! (by Aubrey Mayes)

I recently purchased a wonderful book titled “AwareKnits” by pro knitter Vickie Howell and Adrienne Armstrong (knitter and wife of Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong). Along with dozens of eco-friendly knitting and crochet patterns and tips, there was a fabulous section on Plarn- or plastic yarn.

Plarn can definitely take some getting used to while knitting but its actually fun to make and a clever way to recycle plastic shopping bags. Through trial and error I have some fantastic tips to get you Plarn-ing away.

Here are the supplies you will need:

• Flat surface
• Scissors or Exacto knife, depending on your preference.
• Oodles of plastic bags. More bags = more Plarn!
• Patience

Try to make your bag as flat as possible and remove the handles. You can keep the handles to use as embellishment or just recycle them. Take your cutting implement of choice and make a one inch cut in the top of the bag at the seam going down. That will be the start of your strip. Cut in a spiral until the whole bag is one big strip (the book compares it to peeling an orange). Remember- the longer the strip, the fewer knots you have to tie.

From there, its just wash, rinse, repeat. Keep your strips in a pile until all of your bags are cut. I know it seems like a lot, but once you find your rhythm you’ll be turning out bags a lot more quickly. Once all of your bags are cut, tie them together. Knot them GENTLY so you do not tear the plastic but TIGHTLY because you’ll be knitting or crocheting with it. Snip the ends off the knots. Once they’re all knotted just ball it up and bada bing- PLARN!

Once you’ve made your Plarn there are many different things you can do with it. The book has a pattern for a bag, but you could do some really stellar art- deco items for the home  or some mod or bohemian- esque jewelry. The possibilities are endless, and there are millions of bags out there.

Stitch on and remember to Knit Happy with your PLARN!!! 

Yarn Review: Southwest Trading Company Tofutsies Solid (by Michele Grim)

Southwest Trading Company’s Tofutsies is my favorite sock yarn.  It knits up well, it wears well, washes and dries perfectly, and comes in a great variety of colors.  Tofutsies has finally come in solid colors. 

With fun names like Extra TOErrestrial  (black)and DeTOEnator (red), I had to try it out.  I ended up buying TOEffeta, which is a purplish-pink color.  I ordered it online, and when the yarn came, I couldn’t believe the quality of the color. 

It was so rich and beautiful, I couldn’t wait to make a pair of socks with it.  Tofutsies can do solid colors as well as they make variegated yarns.  I decided to make socks with a 2×2 rib because Tofutsies has great stitch definition. 

The color of the yarn also looks great when knitted up.  This yarn is just as great at Tofutsies variegated, so I highly recommend picking up a ball!

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