Looking for soft acrylic yarn

[sil]

Ok, so here I am, new in America from Europe and I have no clue about so many of the yarns here.

Hope you all can help me.

I can absolutely not wear anything with wool in it so I am trying to find very soft acrylic that washes well and can be made with crochet hook K.10.5. Any good suggestions for that? I would be so thankful after spending so many hours on the internet and not getting anywhere. :-(

 

PS: I want to make a triangular shawl/wrap. I started with the Lionbrand Homespun but I don't care to much about the shine in the yarn for my project. It's perfectly snuggly and soft though.

[Avon Lady]

Welcome to America!

Caron and Bernat both make good acrylic yarn that holds up well.  Also, Lion Brand makes "Vanna's Choice" acrylic, and Red Heart's Super Saver acrylic yarn holds up well.  Some of Red Heart's yarn feels scratchy at first, but becomes nice and soft when washed.  I recommend that you go to a Jo Ann store, if you have one near, and look and touch the yarns.  Walmart carries some yarn--the variety and quantity varies from town to town.  I make prayer shawls all the time, and use mostly Bernat and Red Heart.

Happy crocheting!

[RoseRed]

Caron Natura or Caron Pounders are my favorite to work with.

 

Red Heart Super Soft is really nice as well. 

 

Red Heart Super Saver is the one that's usually a bit scratchy until it's washed.  It's awesome for kids stuff because it wears like iron.

 

Are there any craft stores near you?  Joann's Fabrics, Michaels and Hobby Lobby are the big national chains and they usually have good yarn departments.  Most of the Walmart's cut back on their yarn selection but most still have yarn.

[sil]

Thanks ladies! I found the stores you're mentioning and looked around there but I need acrylic for a size K hook. The only one I found in roughly that thickness was "yarn bee, tender touch" and that had such bad reviews on the internet that I'm thinking of returning it. I want to make this shawl for a good friend who is, hmmmmm, spoiled, picky? She usually buys the best of the best so I want something that washes well and looks and feels good. I don't mind spending a little more money on it if neccesary. (BTW i wrote that i can not wear any wool but that is also the reason I don't make it for other people either. Even the slightest wool content makes me itchy).

Any more good ideas?

[magiccrochetfan]

If your friend is picky, I would go to a shop that specializes in yarn for crocheting and knitting.  In the US, we call these LYS (Local Yarn Store).  they carry different yarn brands than the chain stores.  You can go to a site like Knitmap and look for LYS in your area.    I think in another post you said you are in Houston, I am sure in that large metropolitan area there are several LYS to shop at.  

 

Also, really I would consider other fibers than only acrylic.  For example, cotton, linen, silk, hemp, tencel, bamboo.....there are many lovely "best of the best" type yarns that do not contain wool.  

 

For a K hook, I would also consider doubling the yarn instead of looking for a bulky weight---this will give you a lot more choices.  If you are using a specific pattern, tell us about that---it will help with yarn ideas.  

[sil]

The pattern I want to use is Drops 106-40 (sorry, can't figure out how to get a link:-/).

I want to make it with a thicker yarn so it's a bit warmer. I was worried when i made it with cotton that it would get very heavy. I don't have any experience with the other materials. Doubling the yarn is probably a good idea. Thanks! Is any of the other materials light enough to make a big shawl this thick or is it altogether a bad idea and you girls can give me some more professional advise. Im happy with any ideas from more experienced crocheters. And, what would be the softest of those materials?

Thanks for the idea of the special yarn stores, I will look into that.:-)

[ddc]

I don't know what color you are looking for. If you are going to double it, you might consider Lion Brand Pound of Love. The color range is limited, but the ones they have are all very nice, mostly pastel,  but they have begun to add some intenser colors to the line. I find it to be very soft. and it comes in a gigantic skein.

 

I think the yarn is on the light side for a worsted. I usually use an I hook with worsted, but almost always drop to an H for that one. You could probably double it and use a K, or if that was a little too thick, you could double strand this with an actual baby yarn or a sport yarn - with that I think it would certainly work for a K.

[magiccrochetfan]

Drops 106-40 http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=3518〈=us

 

the recommended hook is a 5mm, which is an H.  is that the right pattern?  

 

edited to add:  I'm sorry, I guess you meant that you wanted to use a bigger hook so you could use bigger yarn---is that right?

 

Personally I think that worsted weight yarn would make a very warm shawl, so I wouldn't think it would need to be made in heavier yarn.  

 

you can order Drops yarn in the US http://www.nordicmart.com/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=59&cat=All+Yarns%2C+A%2DZ

But it seems that particular yarn is discontinued.  

[sil]

The drops yarn they recommend is discontinued and it also has wool in it. I ordered Drops paris cotton what they recommended as an alternative but that does not make a nice cuddly, warm shawl:-(. Fine for summer in freezing restaurants but not for "winter" evenings. What i meant with "heavy yarn" was the weight of the shawl when it is finished. Cotton tends to be heavy is my experience. I hoped somebody could tell me if bamboo is lighter (weight wise) then cotton when i would make the shawl with a double threat and hook size K.

(I'm noticing that we have some communication confusions because I'm using the wrong words here and there. Sorry for that! Still improving my english every day)

[prettywoman030981]

My favorite soft acrylic yarn is I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby. It is durable and they have a LOT of colors. They also have different weights.

[magiccrochetfan]

 

The drops yarn they recommend is discontinued and it also has wool in it. I ordered Drops paris cotton what they recommended as an alternative but that does not make a nice cuddly, warm shawl:-(. Fine for summer in freezing restaurants but not for "winter" evenings. What i meant with "heavy yarn" was the weight of the shawl when it is finished. Cotton tends to be heavy is my experience. I hoped somebody could tell me if bamboo is lighter (weight wise) then cotton when i would make the shawl with a double threat and hook size K.

(I'm noticing that we have some communication confusions because I'm using the wrong words here and there. Sorry for that! Still improving my english every day)

 

 

 

Sil, I think your English is great!  It's just hard to  "talk" by posting i think.  Sometimes I assume people mean something they didn't really mean.  For example, i was assuming that all you would need would be a covering for air conditioning, because i didn't think it really gets very cold in the winter in Houston.   But I should have stopped and thought about the weather a little more!  

 

Bamboo is not warmer than cotton, if anything i think it is cooler to wear.  as far as the physical weight, I think bamboo might be a little lighter, but I guess it would also depend on how the yarn is made---some yarns are "airier" than others.  

 

In your other thread, James C Brett Marble Chunky was recommended.  This is what it looks like http://www.yarn.com/webs-knitting-crochet-yarns-james-c-brett/webs-knitting-crochet-yarns-kertzer-marble-chunky/   The pinks look really pretty and warm to me!  I went to the yarn company site and it said they are distributed in the US via Westminster Fibers.  So I went to that site http://www.westminsterfibers.com/yarn.html   If you use the store locator tab, it shows 2 stores in Houston that carry Westminster Fibers, so you could call to see if they have the Marble Chunky, so you could see and feel it in person.  Or you could order it from the Webs (yarn.com) site.  

[sil]

Oh wow! I had to wipe the drool from my screen while visiting that site. :-))

That is what I was looking for! Thanks so much!

As soon as i get a chance I'm on my way to the wool specialty stores.

Thanks a whole, whole bunch for helping me!

[magiccrochetfan]

Have fun at the stores!  

[sil]

I went to one of the woolly stores! Awesome!! I am so happy right now playing with my yarn:-))). They had beautiful stuff!! I bought three different yarns so that I would remember how awesome they are. The James Brett is just what I was looking for for this project! So soft! And the colors! Drool!!!! Sometimes it's hard adjusting to a new place but i found my happy place here now:-)))

[magiccrochetfan]

That's great!  I'm glad you found what you wanted!