afghan, not in acrylic help!!!!!!

[Wrennie]

My boyfriend doesnt particularly like the feel of acrylic afghans. I was thinking of making one in cotton like sugar & creme (or whatever brand) Is this going to be too heavy? Any suggestions? Any pattern ideas?

[CLLinda]

It may be too heavy. What about a nice superwash wool? I would give him a sample of the yarn to see if it meets his approval. And then if he likes it, then buy more.

 

[Miss Crochet]

It'll be heavy but it won't be warm. I did a granny square afghan in cottons and use it as a sofa cover. It's not warm at all, no use for snuggling under.

[Tampa Doll]

If you are going with cotton, I would go with the ILTC that Hobby Lobby sells. It is very soft and the colors are beautiful.

I have used cotton in an afghan, Peaches N Cream, which is like Sugar and Cream. It was heavy and I have been told warm. It could depend on the pattern you are using.

I basicly use PNC, but I was given I Love This Cotton once and could not believe how soft it is.

[mamaoso]

Take him along to the yarn/craft store and let him pet the different yarn..

My Hubie does it all the time now.

[magiccrochetfan]

Have him take a look at a wool-acrylic blend like Lion Wool-ease. to me it has enough wool in it that it feels different than 100% acrylic. Berroco Vintage or Plymouth Encore are other blends, look for them at your LYS.

 

also i agree that ILTC is very very soft and seems lighter in weight than S&C or P&C.

 

Berroco Comfort is sold at LYS, comes in great colors, and although it is acrylic and nylon, I think it has a very cottony feel.

[yvetteg]

I was thinking of maybe an acrylic alpaca blend would be nice sometimes something that is a blend as they say of acrylic and another fiber makes all the difference in the feel. If he wont feel at the store buy a couple sample skeins of different blends and have him check it out. You Could return the others he didn't like or keep them in your stash

[RoseRed]

Have him check out JoAnns Sensations Boucle.

 

It's really warm, super lightweight and totally soft.

[Wrennie]

Take him along to the yarn/craft store and let him pet the different yarn..

He wont go to the "big city" {it's really not that big} with me to go to any store. The last time he did it was cause the fridge died, so Lowes. I'd have to clock him one, tie him up & toss him in the back of the truck, then go fast!

 

I don't have Hobby Lobby, I'd have to order online. Its a thought tho'.

 

I didn't mention I'm wicked allergic to wool. I once made a scarf with a blend with 10% wool in it. My hands were OK, but when it was long enough to hit my lap, through denim I itched like crazy, and I had to was my hand before touching any other part of me or it would itch there too.

 

Thanks for all the feedback!

[magiccrochetfan]

what stores are close by? is there any store he will go to with you?

[Empress Busy Bee]

Make it out of either acrylic or cotton and line the back side with fabric:

 

http://nikkiinstitches.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/crocheted-quilt-sorry-for-the-delay/

 

If you are on Ravelry, here are a couple more examples:

 

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Dezarae/babys-abcs-afghan

 

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ladydurer/circles-to-squares-afghan

[darah]

You say he doesn't like the feel of acrylic, but has he felt some of the softer stuff like Caron SS or ILTY? That way you don't have to worry about wrecking your hands working with wool, but the afghan would still be softer (at least IMO) than working with something like RHSS.

[CLLinda]

You say he doesn't like the feel of acrylic, but has he felt some of the softer stuff like Caron SS or ILTY? That way you don't have to worry about wrecking your hands working with wool, but the afghan would still be softer (at least IMO) than working with something like RHSS.

 

That's what I was thinking too. Maybe he has seen the supersavers and decided it was too rough for him. All those new acrylics are softer. Give them a try.

 

[Wrennie]

what stores are close by? is there any store he will go to with you?

Town is close by, but the only store with yarn has super saver. Michaels, JoAnns, and Ben Franklin are in Kingston {the 'big city'} which is about a 30-40 minute car ride.

 

Make it out of either acrylic or cotton and line the back side with fabric:

 

http://nikkiinstitches.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/crocheted-quilt-sorry-for-the-delay/

 

If you are on Ravelry, here are a couple more examples:

 

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Dezarae/babys-abcs-afghan

 

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ladydurer/circles-to-squares-afghan

Thanks, I am on ravelry. I will look at those. a backing might work.

 

You say he doesn't like the feel of acrylic, but has he felt some of the softer stuff like Caron SS or ILTY? That way you don't have to worry about wrecking your hands working with wool, but the afghan would still be softer (at least IMO) than working with something like RHSS.

I'm not sure if he's ever felt the Caron SS, I've never felt any of hobby lobbys yarn so I doubt he has. But you do have me thinking. I used a 'baby' something or other yarn that was very soft. I don't know though because he can't stand the feel of polar fleece either, and thats way soft.

 

That's what I was thinking too. Maybe he has seen the supersavers and decided it was too rough for him. All those new acrylics are softer. Give them a try.

 

I showed him a SS square and thats the one he said he didn't like the feel of. Then a potholder in sugar & cream {or maybe peaches} and he loved the feel of that.

 

Maybe I'll scrap the whole idea, and make him a coaster.

[tmpinsnty]

well bernat handicrafter cotton comes in 12 oz skeins...you can order it at joanns...

[DesertCrocheter]

Yea, but washing a man-sized cotton afghan would take forever to dry in the dryer, and would stretch way out of shape if you dried outside on the line.

 

I second getting a skein of Simple Soft and let him feel it. While today's RHSS is way softer than the old stuff, it's still not as soft as SS. Or the Caron One Pounders, which are a little rougher than the SS, but come in more 'manly' colors that he might like better. One Pounders wash up very soft. I use them a lot for my teen Project Linus blankets, and one wash with Dreft and one spin through the dryer and they are amazingly soft.

 

Patty

[mclendon1]

If it were me, & it sounds like I'm a lot older than you, I would tell him, if he wants it, & wants it to be what he wants, he WILL go to the store & pick out what HE wants. Otherwise he will get what I want, & better be tickled pink with it.

 

Not trying to be snarky, I've just learned from experience.

[Wrennie]

If it were me, & it sounds like I'm a lot older than you, I would tell him, if he wants it, & wants it to be what he wants, he WILL go to the store & pick out what HE wants. Otherwise he will get what I want, & better be tickled pink with it.

 

Not trying to be snarky, I've just learned from experience.

It was goinmg to be a surprise. If he tried to tell me to make it he would be going to the yarn stores with me. Probably driving at that!!

[yvetteg]

Keep in mind Alpaca is not like wool its totally different animal. And just a little bit of this fiber makes a major difference in the feel of the yarn

[Blueat40]

Well, I'd probably make the trip to the big city and buy examples of all the yarn that felt soft and bring those home for him to pet. (you did say you had a truck and you might need it for all that yarn!)

 

of course, I'm a yarnaholic and you should not listen to me and my evil schemes to get more yarn. that would be wrong

 

Seriously, I made a baby afghan once with cotton yarn and it was pretty heavy. A man size afghan would be really heavy and I think I would look for alternatives. You should check out the SS or ILTY.

 

Lisa

[Wrennie]

I wish there was a Hobby Lobby somewhere near me so I could go pet the ILTY.

I think I've seen the SS here somewhere.

[DawnofMarch]

My boyfriend doesnt particularly like the feel of acrylic afghans.

 

Lion Brand makes a really soft Wool/Acrylic Blend called Wool Ease. It's not the cheapest yarn around but I believe I've gotten it on sale for 2.19 a skein before at Joann's Fabrics and Crafts. I don't particularly like the feel of most acrylics either.

 

As for a pure Acrylic that is soft, Vanna's Choice is very soft IMHO.

[JessicaRenee520]

What about a cotton/acrylic blend. I like LionBrand's Cottonease as well as Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee Hushabye. It would be more expensive than RHSS for sure, but it makes for a nice, soft blankie. I have had lots of success washing and drying both brands of yarn, even several times over. (One blankie....about 20 times, and it still looks almost as good as the day I made it.)

[Nanachar]

What about Homespun even though its acrylic it is very soft and warm.