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Lion Brand is Crap


smg55039

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I love LB Homespun yarn. You have to go by "feel" when working with it because of it's texture the stitches are hard to see. I haven't had any problems with stretching out of shape and mine has been washed numerous times.

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I think homespun would be great for an afghan. I've made scarfs and a shawl out of it and haven't had any trouble at all.

I don't think I'd make a sweater out of it though because it is so bulky. It'd be hot, itchy, and might have a weird shape to begin with.

Although I did make one for my daughter out of baby clouds and it's cute on her. It hasn't stretch out of shape.

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I have used Homespun and Jiffy and Woolease with no problems. There are some things that don't work well with Homespun-but then again, That is true of any yarn. I really don't consider my finished product so-so, just because I stay within my budget and buy a decent product. "luxury" yarns are great but there would be a very long gap between projects for me! :0)

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Just to let you know, I don't care for Lion Brand yarn either. As for good quality at reasonable prices, I like the Plymouth brand.

I have a scarf knitted with Lion's Homespun which, did not wash well (of course I just throw it into the washer and dryer) and I find that Fun Fur sheds (a lot). In place of Fun Fur, I use a yarn called Happy (distributed by Swedish yarns). It does not shed and washes great (the cats think I made the throw for them). It's actually a better deal because it has 94 vs. 57 yards per skein for around $5.

 

I say use the best quality you can afford and remember, you can't take it with you so just buy what you need, have plans for, is on sale, is simply unresistible or...

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I am so relieved that JoAnn's has extended their selection to include Paton's and Bernat. The only Lion yarn that I think is any good at all is Lion Cotton or Wool-ease. But if I can find Paton's or Bernat wool, I prefer their wool. I actually really like Cascade and Brown Sheep. I don't see any real difference in price between Lion's brands of wool and wool-blends and the LYS brands (Cascade, Brown Sheep, Plymouth.)

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Well said SMG.

Lion Brand is Crap.

I am trying not to buy thier products from now on after I had some trouble with thier felting wool and they didn't respond to my comments.

 

I made the felted beret from the wrapper on the Lion Wool. It needed 2 skiens of the varigated for it (really more like one skien plus a yard from the other one). I felted it, and after a couple of minutes it had contracted into a disc. A Disc. Not a beret. A disc like a dinner plate.

 

I reported it to LB. I wasn't looking for free yarn or monetary compensation just a "Sorry" or a "We'll look into it". I got no reply at all. It's been almost 6 mos now.

 

Thier yarn is all blends, it comes in small balls, and it is way over priced. The Chenille T & Q sheds until it is a thread. Homespun is usually glued to the wrapper. Fun fur is too trendy to even consider using.

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First, a big thanks to Amy for being such a wonderful administrator!:hug

As to whether Homespun will work well in an afghan, I made a gorgeous king-sized afghan with Homespun and Red Heart held together and it has worn wonderfully over the years - been dragged around the house, stuffed in the wash, and still stays really pretty.

I enjoy working with the Microspun as it (in my opinion) has a lovely drape and really gives an item a nice 'clean' look.

Fun Fur?:no

Woolease is also very nice and I've made some pretty garments with it.

Yes, there are many other yarns out there that I use including some very expensive specialty yarns, hand-dyed yarns at $20+ for 250 to 400 yards, I'm making a fitted jacket that will end up at over $100 for the yarn...

I think Lion Brand offers a decent yarn at a decent price and allows for a person to make (and give away) items that might not otherwise fit into their budget. I also enjoy some (not all) of the patterns they make available for free on their site.

The only problem I ever had was with some Homespun that had some 'blotches' of un-dyed fiber sticking out and it was very obviously a manufacturing defect. Michaels allowed me to exchange it with no problem.

It's wonderful that we can all share ~ and respect ~ each other's opinions here!:manyheart

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Thanks for the responses about homespun and it's strength's and limitations. I won't buy homespun for a sweater. Dodged that bullet I guess! ;) However, I do want to at least experience homespun at some point, so I'll purchase some one day and be making an afghan out of it eventually. Found on sale it can be quite affordable to make it worth giving it a try. :)

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I think Lion Brand offers a decent yarn at a decent price and allows for a person to make (and give away) items that might not otherwise fit into their budget. I also enjoy some (not all) of the patterns they make available for free on their site.

 

Well, honestly, I don't think there's any difference in price between Lion Brand and some of the yarns that you find at an LYS. Cascade and Brown Sheep have TONS more colors and cost about the same. Plymouth too. And I do think these are better quality yarns than Lion.

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I just bought an Afghan book that has an afghan pattern I want to try. It is made up with Lion Brand Homespun. The picture looks good, but do you think that the afghan would stretch out of shape? Have you used the homespun on an afghan before? Maybe I should use another type of yarn, I haven't purchased the yarn yet . . . . .

 

You know, I've have used Homespun for a poncho and shawls that never stretched out, used it kittyghans that never stretched out...so I would personally say depending on how tight your crocheting is, you can make an afghan out of this and I think it would retain its shape pretty good...and it's machine washable, so if it gets a little "shapeless" wash it and it will go back into shape...

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Well, honestly, I don't think there's any difference in price between Lion Brand and some of the yarns that you find at an LYS. Cascade and Brown Sheep have TONS more colors and cost about the same. Plymouth too. And I do think these are better quality yarns than Lion.

 

I have bought Lion Brand on line, and in some stores...and I want to say that this poster has a point about price being comparative...however...when I've been back to the states and gone shopping at bigger stores, for one thing Lion Brand is right there, where as Plymouth is not...and when I've been able to find something like Plymouth, it's been in a high end shop and Lion Brand has not been. Right now as I see it, Lion Brand is more readily available in store OUTSIDE of LYS. And the bigger the store, like Fred Meyer's in Washington State, quite frankly, the cheaper the price. My last trip to the states, I bought a ton of Lion Brand for one of my Crochet Bees and I paid less than what I normally pay at Joann.com with free shipping and coupons at Fred Meyer's.

 

Since I've gone through years where the only thing available in most stores (including over here at AAFES) was Red Heart, unless I wanted to go to the German shops...I totally appreciate that Lion Brand has made a concerted effort to all but satuate the market with all kinds of yarn. I like the quality. Sure, the high end stuff is really nice, but man, when I dropped $13.00 for a skein of yarn at the high end shop where I live in the states, I turned my husband and said, "I will kiss the ground at the German LYS shops when I get back..."

 

That was the first time I had yarn sticker shock in 20 years...The mark up in the high end LYS is insane...the same sock yarn (same brand) that I can get over here for roughly $4.00 or $5.00 a skein was double that in the high end shop...it actually ticked me off...

 

I won't lie, I haven't tried every brand of yarn out there...but after years of only being able to use Red Heart acrylic, and then actually finding out all the different varieties available at the yarn shop right next door to me (again that are at a reasonable price) and then finding Lion Brand...I find Lion Brand a total godsend simply because it's a big enough company that I'm not gonna have a hard time getting the yarn I need for my projects that I want to use Lion Brand for...it's hit and miss sometimes with the "better" quality yarn. Sure, I can order yarn online and I do...but it's just nice to know that Lion Brand seems to be giving Coats and Clark a bit of a run for their money right now...

 

But in my opinion...yarn's yarn...to a certain extent, you get what you pay for and it's still personal preferance....

 

I'm just drunk on the choices available with all yarn though...the drought is over!!!!

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I personally love Lion Brand's Homespun for afghans/throws. That is my yarn of choice for throws I make for the seniors graduating each year at our church. Trust me, those kids put the throws thru some rough times, but they are machine washable and dryable (is that even a word?) and they still look good and hold their shape. This year, one of the girls graduating was really looking forward to her throw because her brother had gotten one 6 years ago when he graduated and she still loves it.

 

Like so many others, I think it's a matter of choice.

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Hey Blueat40, that's wonderful that you make throws for the graduating seniors at your church...just wanted to say...

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However, I do want to at least experience homespun at some point, so I'll purchase some one day and be making an afghan out of it eventually.

You should try it on a scarf first. They're quick, easy, and small. That is if you like scarfs. :)

 

The bottom line is: if you don't like it (whatever "it" is), don't buy it. Don't make the rest of us feel like dirt because we do buy it. We have our reasons and we don't have to justify them to anyone. :)

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First, a big thanks to Amy for being such a wonderful administrator!:hug

As to whether Homespun will work well in an afghan, I made a gorgeous king-sized afghan with Homespun and Red Heart held together and it has worn wonderfully over the years - been dragged around the house, stuffed in the wash, and still stays really pretty.

I enjoy working with the Microspun as it (in my opinion) has a lovely drape and really gives an item a nice 'clean' look.

Fun Fur?:no

Woolease is also very nice and I've made some pretty garments with it.

Yes, there are many other yarns out there that I use including some very expensive specialty yarns, hand-dyed yarns at $20+ for 250 to 400 yards, I'm making a fitted jacket that will end up at over $100 for the yarn...

I think Lion Brand offers a decent yarn at a decent price and allows for a person to make (and give away) items that might not otherwise fit into their budget. I also enjoy some (not all) of the patterns they make available for free on their site.

The only problem I ever had was with some Homespun that had some 'blotches' of un-dyed fiber sticking out and it was very obviously a manufacturing defect. Michaels allowed me to exchange it with no problem.

It's wonderful that we can all share ~ and respect ~ each other's opinions here!:manyheart

I agree with you on the Homespun. I made and afghan out of it and it has lasted a long time, been dragged thru airports, car trips, around the house. I love it because of the colors, and how soft it is.

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You should try it on a scarf first. They're quick, easy, and small. That is if you like scarfs. :)

 

The bottom line is: if you don't like it (whatever "it" is), don't buy it. Don't make the rest of us feel like dirt because we do buy it. We have our reasons and we don't have to justify them to anyone. :)

 

I'm not a scarfy person actually. :eek Don't wear shawls either. I like making things like shrugs and caplets and blankies the most so far. :hook

 

I'm guessing you aren't talking about me in your second paragraph. Lion Brand is good enough in it's own right I'm sure. It's readily available all over the place without having to order on the internet and pay shipping, etc. Besides, competition is good. It helps keep the prices of other products lower. I tend to prefer Red Heart myself, but I know monopolies are bad for customer prices.

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Lady_of_Roses wasn't sure about the scarf. Not everyone likes them. My sister hates hates them. lol I thought if you did like it, it'd be smaller and easier than an afghan for your first try. Maybe you could do a pillow.

No I wasn't talking to you in my second paragraph, just in general. :lol

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You can make a scarf or something small and if you don't like it to wear yourself, gift it to someone, or better yet, donate it! The first times I worked with Homespun I said a multitude of bad words, even learned a few new ones because I couldn't SEE what I was doing. Now I do a pattern for a shawl I can do by FEEL, and it's worked up beautifully. I've made two recently for my church's Prayer Shawl Ministry; and a third in Bernat Soft Boucle, which is like Homespun but a bit lighter and a lot less expensive.

 

The idea in working with your first skein of a new yarn should be to experiment. What type hooks work best...wood, plastic or aluminum? What size hook is comfortable for you? Don't jump in and commit yourself to a queen size afghan until you know you like the way the yarn works up...unless you like buying a lot of yarn you won't use and are willing to send it to me.

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I have to say, Lion Brand is not always that inexpensive. It depends on the line. Wool-ease is inexpensive, for example. However, Lion Wool is actually pretty pricey compared to ordering from KnitPicks or Elann (and even compared to Paton's Classic, which about the same price for much more yardage and higher quality wool). And many of Lion's more froofy yarns are quite expensive.

 

I've made a pair of (knit) handwarmers out of Wool-Ease and while I like them, they pilled quite badly in a single season.

 

I don't know about Homespun. I have a friend who made a (crochet) afghan out of it that was quite hard-wearing. However, I made a (knit) stuffed toy out of it that looked like it was years old in a few months. (And this was a stuffed animal for me, not for a child, so it's not like it was used roughly in that time.)

 

I don't know if that was the difference between knit and crochet or between colorways (I've heard some colorways tend to be more durable than others) but I admit it makes me personally a little leary of using it for something that I put a lot of work into or that will see a lot of wear. However, YMMV (and obviously has.)

 

I'd be worried about sweating in a tight sweater made from Homespun, myself, as it would be quite heavy and the acrylic won't breathe.

 

I will say that knitting with Homespun blows. I don't see how people can knit prayer shawls with that stuff: when I was knitting it my thoughts weren't especially prayerful. :-) Crocheting it is much easier.

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I have used various lion brands and been pleased. (I try to use a mix of higher and lower end yarns). My sister makes memory bags and solely uses (and loves) microspun. But I agree that its a preference issue. I also agree (I'm sorry, I forgot who posted this!) that just because you use a lower budget yarn, it doesn't mean your finished product is so/so.

 

On homespun for afghans...just wanted to add that I've done a rectangle granny with it, and my mom made me a striped dc afghan with it. Both have seen their share of use, abuse, washing, etc and are just fine...no stretching, etc. The striped on sits on the foot of our bed, I often sleep under it, my dog wallows on it, we have 2 kids (enough said!), etc and it still looks great!

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If you go over to the yarn stores thread, you'll find another problem to be borne in mind--many LYS cannot compete with the bigger stores and close, and many of us don't have a LYS nearby. And many people are uncomfortable ordering online (security issues, etc.). Many people won't buy a yarn sight unseen. But I agree, I'm happy to see more manufacturers showing up in the larger stores as an alternative, simply because I can never look at and touch enough yarn. :yarn I just made a shawl from some pricey (for me) yarn that I ordered online and dang if the thing didn't split the entire 12 skeins I used. Yea, it's pretty, but I was muttering the whole 13 skeins. Patty

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