Help identify - type of yarn?

[jgreen431]

Hello all! I am very new to crocheting and am in need of some assistance with a blanket. I would love to make a replica of this (I've attached a few photos of the blanket in question) but I cannot figure out what kind of yarn this is. This was a gift to my family from a friend of ours about 12 years ago.

 

I'd love to know if anyone can identify the type of yarn that was used for this. It is a very heavy blanket (we call it the coma quilt - it is certain that you will fall asleep when you have it on top of you). I've reached out to our friend about it but she cannot remember what kind of yarn she used.

 

I'd really appreciate any help you can give me. I know it might be hard to identify yarn without touching it in person - but any information would be great. Thank you so much!

 

 ~ Jenny

 

 

 

[Granny Square]

Like you said, it's hard to tell without touching it, but it looks like cotton worsted weight to me by the way it is pilling/wearing.  Cotton is also very heavy.  

[Avon Lady]

It looks very soft and cushy to me--could it be chenille yarn?  Or a soft rug yarn?  ?????  Anyone?????

[Real Deal]

Ha, ha! My first thought was that it's wool, because old wool items often clump like that, and are so warm. Think of the Sherpa look.

 

Now that I think of it, does it smell like wool? Wool has a particular smell to it that acrylics and cotton never have. They are kind of neutral.

[Granny Square]

I didn't think of the wet-smell test, the only thing I could think of was the burn test but you wouldn't want to do that!

 

I don't see any felting though, the wool things I've accidentally or on-purpose felted didn't clump, they just got smaller, thicker and smoother (stitch definition sort of dissolved).  The reason I was thinking cotton was my well washed ancient cotton kitchen things sort of look like that, with long 'pills'.

[magiccrochetfan]

I think it might be wool, or a wool blend.  that is what the worn parts look like to me. But GrannySquare has a good point about the weight, cotton is quite heavy.  So maybe a wool-cotton blend???

 

Maybe ask your friend where she shops for yarn.  If she goes to farm stores or fiber fests, it might be a fairly unique yarn that wasn't distributed widely.  Or if she usually goes to chain stores, it would probably be something that more of us would recognize.

 

And if she is like some of us   and collects yarn and holds onto it for a long time before making anything, it could be significantly older than 12 years.  

[magiccrochetfan]

Hiya, Granny Square!  We are synchronized again today 

[jgreen431]

Thank you all for the great suggestions (keep them coming!). I really appreciate your help.

[magiccrochetfan]

 

 

I don't see any felting though, the wool things I've accidentally or on-purpose felted didn't clump, 

 

     oh shoot, just realized that my mental image of worn wool is of Superwash wool.  So I guess that's an important distinction to make.

 

but am also realizing that some older acrylic things i have, do sort of look like the picture too.  

 

Boy I am really a lot of help today, huh 

[Ellie 13]

yarn Looks like a bulky yarn. Home Spun, Lion Brand maybe ?. It looks like their colors too. Any bulky yarn crocheted tight will be heavy and get that way after a few washings. If you want to recreate it, find a bulky yarn you like (or go with 2 strands together) and use the same pattern. Who knows, you might get something better. Good luck.

Ellie 13

[jgreen431]

yarn Looks like a bulky yarn. Home Spun, Lion Brand maybe ?. It looks like their colors too. Any bulky yarn crocheted tight will be heavy and get that way after a few washings. If you want to recreate it, find a bulky yarn you like (or go with 2 strands together) and use the same pattern. Who knows, you might get something better. Good luck.

Ellie 13

 

I wanted to give everyone an update on this project and let you know how it went. Thank you all for your help with it! I ended up going with Lion Brand Homespun Thick & Quick yarn (thanks Ellie 13!) with a 9 mm hook. I wanted to finish it before Christmas so I took it to work and did it on my lunch break. It came out amazing and now everyone wants one for Christmas next year.

 

I've added a couple of pictures of the finished product. Thank you again for all your help!

[redrosesdz]

It is beautiful!  I'm amazed that you had the patients to make something that big with homespun yarn. 

[Granny Square]

Nice!  That is one ginormous blanket!

[Avon Lady]

 I wanted to finish it before Christmas so I took it to work and did it on my lunch break. It came out amazing and now everyone wants one for Christmas next year.

 

Looks like you may have created a Monster!!!  How many want one for Christmas??!!!

[howieann]

So pretty!

[Ellie 13]

Nice! I'm glad I could help.

Ellie 13