Asking for Yarn Suggestions

[DebraKay]

I just fell in love with this pattern and bought it immediately:

http://lilygo.blogspot.com/2011/02/cassandra-crocheted-shawl-pattern-for.html Don't you think that is just about the prettiest shawl you have ever seen?

 

I want to do this shawl justice and use a quality yarn. I am normally a little on the cheap side when it comes to yarn but I want this to be special. Thought I would ask for advice on a yarn that would be on the same par as this spectacular pattern.

 

Here's the problem: I am allergic to wool -- but not violently. I can get by with a small percentage of wool but not all wool -- it just makes me itch & break out a little.

 

I love the color used in the picture, but the yarn there is 100% Merino. I have never tried it, but I know I have had a wool blazer lined with silk. Where the wool hem was turned under at the cuff, it broke me out fierce -- looked like I had two bracelets of rash. So, I am reluctant to make something like this in 100% wool. I have used wool combination yarn and had no problem other than a little itchiness where the project would rest on my wrist & arm. But those were items I did not wear myself.

 

I an open to blends and in fact found this yarn that I love: http://www.zibbet.com/LifesAnExpedition/artwork?artworkId=119391 I think it would look good for this pattern but just would like to get more suggestions from those of you with experience and more artistic flare than I have. I am usually a "straight by the pattern" person to ensure I get it right. Help if you can and thanks in advance!

 

Ah, the pattern calls for a fingering weight or sock yarn. If you have made a shawl similar to this one and found a perfect yarn, pls share!

[DogCatMom]

Is there an LYS near you whose advice you trust? Take them the pattern and see what they say. There are many fibers with good drape and good "hand feel" which I can envision in this shawl; maybe the LYS has some of them.

 

DCM

[ReniC]

If it is lamb's wool you are allergic to, maybe alpaca or one of the other "wools" in a blend would be more suitable. Do you have a LYS? Maybe the clerk could help you on this. Let us know how it turns out.

[Real Deal]

The yarn you are looking at from zibbet is really a worsted weight / light worsted weight according to the sts per inch. It would probably not give you the drape you're looking for. You've got to get down into the fingering, sock, or sport weight.

 

Have you considered 100% cotton thread? A heavy thread, like #3 might be good, or double strands of it.

[DebraKay]

The yarn you are looking at from zibbet is really a worsted weight / light worsted weight according to the sts per inch. It would probably not give you the drape you're looking for. You've got to get down into the fingering, sock, or sport weight.

 

Have you considered 100% cotton thread? A heavy thread, like #3 might be good, or double strands of it.

 

Thanks -- I almost ordered it and actually I think I may still, just for a different project!

 

I knew the pattern called for fingering weight or sock yarn so I don't know what I was thinking except I was posting after one of my "up all night with insomnia" binges. I usually have a couple nights a week that I just cannot sleep at all. Messes me up the next day too as I wind up too tired to function properly as I am today). Excuses!!!

 

Cotton thread is an idea but not too sure. I might be able to manage the #3. My arthritic fingers have not been too happy with thread for the last few years. I think I will keep looking for something with silk or maybe the alpaca. I can carry a skein around in the store on my wrist while I look at other things and see if the itch or redness comes on. I want that "drape" you referred to and I really want to make it special. Every once in a while an item really takes my breath away and this one did! No one wears shawls here (in FL) but when I like something, it doesn't really matter to me if I'm the only one wearing it.

 

There is no LYS near me. There is one about an hour away but I just don't get to it. I am planning a trip to Illinois. Maybe I will look for a good LYS while I am there! I wouldn't mind ordering online but then I would feel cheated out of getting to "feel" all that yarn!

 

I wonder if Noro Sekku (2 ply lace weight)would be too fine. It seems perfect :

50% cotton

17% wool

17% nylon

16% silk

 

Here's another: Noro Taiyo. It is a similar make up to the Sekku. But I'm not sure on the weight. Will have to look it up. I am just going on pictures I have seen others post. I won't rush into it. I'll find the right yarn. Any and all suggestions welcome. I will make a list and when I do get t a LYS, I can get my hands on them and decide.

[DogCatMom]

Ah. No LYS nearby.

 

Maybe you'd like to consider ordering sample cards from Halcyon Yarns in Maine. If a lot of the sample cards look interesting, Halcyon has a "Yarn Store in a Box"--LOTS of sample cards. You can actually feel a few inches of the yarn!

 

Figure out the cost, though, of the sample cards you're interested in; maybe you just need one or two....

 

I'm just a *very occasional* (every couple or three years) customer of Halcyon, but the quality of their stuff is good.

 

Hope it all works out.

 

DCM

[Real Deal]

Silk would probably give you a wonderful drape.

 

I'm allergic to wool also, and I wouldn't even consider making something for myself with wool in it. Really, do you want to spend all that money, and go to all that work making something special for yourself, then discover you can't wear it? That would be soooo horrible!

[magiccrochetfan]

Debra, are you positive you are allergic to wool? in your post you said you got a rash from a blazer, is that the only time you have had a reaction to wool? if so, it could have been something else like dry-cleaning chemicals, or some kind of sizing or dye in the fabric.

 

But since you live in Florida, 100% wool in any weight might not be the best choice anyway. I can wear wool next to my skin when it's cold but if I get hot then the wool starts to feel prickly. However I have a wool-silk blend top that I can wear when it's warmer but not hot. It's so hard to know how a yarn is going to feel. I made myself an alpaca neckwarmer and a scarf, but the yarn really bothers my neck, but it seems to feel ok on my arms or back.

[DebraKay]

Debra, are you positive you are allergic to wool? in your post you said you got a rash from a blazer, is that the only time you have had a reaction to wool? if so, it could have been something else like dry-cleaning chemicals, or some kind of sizing or dye in the fabric.

 

But since you live in Florida, 100% wool in any weight might not be the best choice anyway. I can wear wool next to my skin when it's cold but if I get hot then the wool starts to feel prickly. However I have a wool-silk blend top that I can wear when it's warmer but not hot. It's so hard to know how a yarn is going to feel. I made myself an alpaca neckwarmer and a scarf, but the yarn really bothers my neck, but it seems to feel ok on my arms or back.

 

I'm not completely sure -- maybe sensitivity more than allergy??? I have had small rashes from other wools too. If it is just a short exposure, the rash goes away pretty quick, but like the blazer being on for a while, the "bracelets of red rash" stayed for several days. I had a wool sweater that I could wear over something but it would give me redness where it touched my neck. I have crocheted with some Woolese (I think it runs 10-20% wool depending on the type) and it did not really bother me much -- maybe a little feeling of itchiness, but I did not break out. So, I have thought about crocheting something for me to wear made of it. But not this particular project.

 

I just wanted something with the luxury look, perfect drape and something that would not break me out or make me feel uncomfortable. Not asking for much, am I?

[DebraKay]

Silk would probably give you a wonderful drape.

 

I'm allergic to wool also, and I wouldn't even consider making something for myself with wool in it. Really, do you want to spend all that money, and go to all that work making something special for yourself, then discover you can't wear it? That would be soooo horrible!

 

To your question in bold: No.....that is why I was asking for suggestions and mentioning about the allergy. I am thinking silk or at least a silk blend -- that is what the yarn I linked is -- a silk blend with cotton & rayon, but it is a bit too thick for the project to drape prettily (As another member was so nic eto point out to me!)

 

I have crocheted with Woolese without any rash at all, so that is why I was thinking a small percentage of wool might work, if otherwise perfect. But I would still prefer a blend that had no wool at all and kept the drape like the one pictured with the pattern. I am being so picky, I know -- I really want mine to look just like the pattern! Too many times, I have substituted and wound up ruining the "look" I loved about the pattern in the first place. I just did not want to do that with this one.

 

Doesn't it sometimes make you a little sad when you see a project done in a perfect yarn ...... except for the wool content? Not a major health problem and I don't want to make a big deal of it as I am blessed in so many ways..... but I do think it is difficult for a crocheter or knitter to be allergic to the traditional art medium!

 

If there is a silk that you have used for a project similar to this one, can you refer the brand? I just do not have a lot of exerience outside of the all cotton or acrylic lines. So, I was looking for more savvy minds!

[allieliz]

 

 

I wonder if Noro Sekku (2 ply lace weight)would be too fine. It seems perfect :

50% cotton

17% wool

17% nylon

16% silk

 

Here's another: Noro Taiyo. It is a similar make up to the Sekku. But I'm not sure on the weight. Will have to look it up. I am just going on pictures I have seen others post. I won't rush into it. I'll find the right yarn. Any and all suggestions welcome. I will make a list and when I do get t a LYS, I can get my hands on them and decide.

Firstly, I bought that pattern too-- it is soooo pretty. Haven't started it yet, though. (I ordered a fingering weight cotton/silk blend from Colourmart for when I make mine)

 

If you have trouble with thread, I would not go with the Sekku-- it is, ummm, quirky yarn, mostly it's thin like size 10 but it has spots where it's super thin and spots that are as thick as sportweight. I have never used the Taiyo.

 

I made a few swatches recently with Aunt Lydia's size 3 bamboo thread, they are quite drape-y.

 

Lately I have been having a yarn craving for is Araucania Lonco Multi (it is 100% cotton fingering) but I have never used it. That might be cool for the Cassandra.

[DebraKay]

Firstly, I bought that pattern too-- it is soooo pretty. Haven't started it yet, though. (I ordered a fingering weight cotton/silk blend from Colourmart for when I make mine)

 

If you have trouble with thread, I would not go with the Sekku-- it is, ummm, quirky yarn, mostly it's thin like size 10 but it has spots where it's super thin and spots that are as thick as sportweight. I have never used the Taiyo.

 

I made a few swatches recently with Aunt Lydia's size 3 bamboo thread, they are quite drape-y.

 

Lately I have been having a yarn craving for is Araucania Lonco Multi (it is 100% cotton fingering) but I have never used it. That might be cool for the Cassandra.

 

Thanks for the idea! I even thought about doing it in Caron Spa as it draped nicely for a scarf/wrap I made last year. But I still think it will be a little thick for this one. Thanks for the heads up on the Sekku -- I have used yarn like that before and did not like it at all! I like consistency much better.

 

I may try some of the Aunt Lydia's size 3 bamboo. I could experiment without a huge cost. I had wanted to stay with the pinkish hues but the Cruise Blue is a very pretty color too!

 

I just googled the Araucania Lonco Multi and found it in a red/orange/purple shade -- I think "this is it!" I will probably keep my options open for a week or so and then order this one. I wish the colors were less orange-ish and more magenta but I think this will work up pretty too! Might even look at the pink/ble/gray. Thank you so much!

[magiccrochetfan]

I'm not completely sure -- maybe sensitivity more than allergy??? I have had small rashes from other wools too. If it is just a short exposure, the rash goes away pretty quick, but like the blazer being on for a while, the "bracelets of red rash" stayed for several days. I had a wool sweater that I could wear over something but it would give me redness where it touched my neck. I have crocheted with some Woolese (I think it runs 10-20% wool depending on the type) and it did not really bother me much -- maybe a little feeling of itchiness, but I did not break out. So, I have thought about crocheting something for me to wear made of it. But not this particular project.

 

I just wanted something with the luxury look, perfect drape and something that would not break me out or make me feel uncomfortable. Not asking for much, am I?

 

It sounds like you definitely have a sensitivity to wool. It is hard to find a yarn that meets all the criteria we want! the Auracania Multi you linked looks really pretty.

[Lorrie]

South West Trading Company Bamboo would be lovely for this. http://www.soysilk.com It is 100% bamboo wich is also nice in the Florida heat. I lived in Florida all my life till 2004 when my husband and I move to Frigid Rochester. Found this info on ehow.com written by Beth Celli "Strong but Soft

Bamboo is a very durable yarn with great stability. It is softer than silk yarn and feels very smooth to the touch.

 

Easily Dyed

Bamboo yarn can easily be dyed to create a wide variety of colors. Bamboo absorbs color more quickly and deeply than acrylic or cotton yarn and typically needs less dye.

 

Protective

Bamboo has natural antibacterial, anti-static and anti-fungal properties and, when incorporated into clothing, protects you from harmful ultraviolet rays. The Japan Textile Inspection Association asserts that even after being washed fifty times, bamboo fibers retain their antimicrobial properties.

 

Absorbent

Bamboo yarn is very absorbent, making it a suitable choice for clothing, as it will wick perspiration away from the skin almost immediately. It is able to hold up to three times its weight in liquid.

 

Adaptable to Temperature

Bamboo yarn is breathable and adapts to the temperature around you. The fibers have an internal structure that is filled with tiny gaps and holes, which allow for ventilation, keeping you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, when those same gaps trap warm air close to the skin.

 

 

 

Read more: Properties of Bamboo Yarn | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6727655_properties-bamboo-yarn.html#ixzz1LJPItQjo