Texture, color and price are all factors in my choice of what yarn I’ll work in. My daughter in law insists only natural fibers for my grandchildren….and since I am allergic to wool (at least I can handle the super wash kind now) most of the stuff I make for her children is in cotton.

My daughter doesn’t worry so much about natural fibers, so her son gets washable and soft stuff.

I didn’t do the knit along for the shrug because it would have looked horrible on my body type. I wish there were a knit along that would work better for us fuller figure gals. Shrugs that open up right at the belly area aren’t going to work for me.

I find knitting very relaxing and enjoyable. I also crochet, make jewelry and paint. Knitting is by far, the easiest on my wrists.

I also want to learn how to design my own patterns but I have had significant trouble getting the guage right on anything I try. I may get the stitch count down but then the vertical guage is off.

Any tips, anyone?

Color so sure since that will catch my eye from afar before I even get close to touch it!!!

What motivates me when I buy yarn? I will say
the color and the feel as well as what I see.
I will check out the yarn. If it bunches up
when I knit it I will rip it out and crochet
like I do Homespun a lot. To me Homespun is
not meant to be knitted. I will take it and
make granny squares. I fell in love with jiffy
as soon as I picked up a skein as well as
Moonlight mohair.
judy tooley

As I become more experienced at knitting and wanting to knit more “designer” items, I am attracted to texture before color. I usually have a color in mind before I shop and if I can’t find it in the yarn I like, I’ll either select a second choice color or I’ll move on to another project. Right now I’m loving the Thick n Quick in Fig and Lemongrass. Every time someone sees me knitting with them, they either want me to knit something for them or they’re inspired to learn to knit themselves!

Color definitely attracts me first. But if I then touch the yarn and it feels itchy, I will try to find a great color in a softer yarn. I find almost all wool/wool blends to be itchy and therefore avoid most of them.

The other really important item is ease of care. If I find a beautiful yarn but it is hand wash only, dry flat, I will only use it for a scarf or a *small* shawl. Those are items that I feel don’t need washing too often and I am willing to hand wash them. However, I will not make anything larger or anything requiring frequent washing, like a sweater, larger shawl, socks, or afghan, out of anything that’s not easy care because I know I won’t use it. I just don’t have time, space, or patience for hand wash, dry flat when it comes to larger or more frequently laundered items. Even if the color is beautiful and the texture great, if I avoid using a finished item because its care is a hassle for me, there’s no point making it.

The yarn I use must work for newborn babies. I knit baby blankets for what I call “premature mothers”…the mothers who become mothers a little early. So often I see the blankets I give the Mums on the babies and its a thrill. So softness and neat colours is a consideration. I knit a blanket every four days so of course cost is another consideration since I give them away. Who has that much time to knit..I have serious medical stuff that allows me to knit and enjoy it.
Peace be with you, Caryn

Texture is my first choice, I am a very tactile person and the feel of the yarn is what grabs my attention. Colour is my second choice. I have my favourite colours, but if I am making a gift for someone, then I go with their favs. I am a compulsive yarnaholic; often buying yarns “just in case.” I have a stash large enough to start my own yarn shop, but when the mood strikes me for a new project, I can just shop at my own LYS.

First, color. Second, texture. If I don’t like the feel for the particular project in mind, then I try to find the right texture in the same or similar color. Third, price. If 1 & 2 don’t really matter, I’ll go for the clearance yarn every time.

I definitely go for color first and then choose the texture. I have to consider price also since I’m disabled and on a fixed income. But color is the one thing that always draws me to a delicious yarn. Then if the color is right for the project and the texture happens to be in my price range too then I’m ready to let the hooks fly!!!

I have some old yarn that was my grandmother’s. There are quite a few projects that she started and I’d now like to finish. One consists of various colors of knitted squares. I thought I’d crochet with one color around each of them and then assemble them into an afghan. There are no labels for the yarn, however, and I don’t know whether it is wool (which most of her yarn is) or acrylic.

Is there a way to tell what type of yarn it is? What is my safest choice for the yarn that will tie the squares together?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Zontee says: Hi Vicki, the best way to test yarn is a burn test — you will find instructions if you do a quick web search. Secondly, when joining the squares, simply use the same type of yarn. You can check out our latest crochet-along with Edie Eckman for a couple of suggestions on different ways to join squares.

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