All skeins not created equal

[pineknott]

I have 2 skeins of gold,and 2 of claret red heart brand

I am making 12 inch squares,finished 3 in gold with enough on the skein to get to about 8 inches on my next square,I set it aside and picked up the claret ,that skein was disappearing at an alarming rate,I've made three squares and will have just enough to maybe make a 3 inch square,and thats if I'm being generous in my estimate.

Any one else find that there seems to be a shortage of yardage in the skeins? They weren't used for any other projects,solely for 12 inch squares.

Linda

[Phoenix]

What design of square were you using? I know that some squares take a deceptively large amount of yarn- I can only get a few of the "circle of friends" squares out of a skein. But I love the pattern, so it's worth it.

[pineknott]

nothing fancy,just plain old fashion granny,one color

[VenLuvsCrochet]

I have noticed this with redheart yarn and sometimes with caron simply soft yarn. The skeins don't have the same yardage. I like making a lot of my afghans with 2 strands held together and there have been times when I start two skeins at exactly the same time but one skein will run out before the other does. Sometimes it's only a slight difference, but sometimes I've seen a difference of several yards.

[Phoenix]

Did the skeins have different amounts, or do they both seem to have less than usual? I thought that you wrote that you got three squares out of each, which would be equal, but very odd to only get that many out of a skein.

 

There's something weird going on here...did your skeins go on a diet for new years, perhaps?

[ErinLindsey]

maybe the skeins were purchased previously, and someone used a few yards out of it before deciding to return them to the store?

[pineknott]

Phoenix

Yes,I did say I got three 12 inch squares from each,what didn't match up was the amount to start the 4th square,the gold an 8 in. square,and the claret barely a 3 in.square

In Nov. I did the basic granny 12 inch squares in Orange and in brown,each skein made 3 and 1/2 squares

at time of purchase they seemed pretty equal,for some reason I kind of squish them to see if there is a hollow spot.

Linda

[SaxDragon]

Happens all the time. I've heard many explainations over the years - darker colors weigh more because they absorb more dye so they have less yardage, for one and skeins with knots in them are missing yardage because they were cut, for another. Then there's the uncalibrated equipment theory that some of the "skeiners" put up incorrect amounts towards the end of a run because they loose their yardage accuracy, and the oz/gram problem (if the manufacturer measures in ounces, some skiens are just over the 8 oz mark, others just under the 9 oz mark, and with say 15 yards per ounce it can make a difference). I can see all of them being true, especially the first and third (even the second to a point). Personally I don't think the manufactures, if they are using oz instead of grams, only measure in whole oz - that would be dumb - they'd probably be able to measure in at least quarter oz, and better if in eigths or sixteenths of oz (especially when the problem persists in foreign made yarns who are more likely to use grams in the first place).

 

I still hate it that variegated and ombre skeins are always smaller than solid color ones. Makes me feel kind of cheated out of a full skein ...

[Yammy]

What SaxDragon said: darker colors hold more dye and weigh more.

[Tracey4610]

I'm not sure if I buy the "darker colors weigh more" theory unless it is on natural fibers. There, I can see it. However, what about the acryllics? Those fibers are plastics, and not dyed. The coloring is mixed in while the plastic is in a malleable stage, then it's spun (eventually). If a manufacturer says something like that, they're lying.

[lhasaapsolady]

I notice it, especially if working on double strand projects. I believe it is mostly just the tension.

[craftybutterfly]

Yep, its happened to me too. I also hate it when you get little "fuzzies" of a different color yarn wrapped around the yarn you're using (it comes off the skein like that). I also got a skein once that had a long section (about a foot long) of yarn that was twice as fat, in diameter, as the rest of it, I'm like, "what the?". I had to fasten off, cut that part out, then tie back on again. frustrating, but it happens. Not unusual at all. And if you crochet or knit long enough, you're bound to encounter something like that eventually.

[SaxDragon]

The only problem I have with the "darker colors weigh more" theory is when the two skeins are the same color, yet still not the same length. I guess the "calibration loss" theory explains it.

 

I've often wondered if those tweeds (with little pieces of other colored yarn mixed in) and bloucle yarns (thick and thin at random) didn't start off as a severely bad batch of yarns that some genious marketed as a new product ...

 

and what about those novelty yarns that look like tangled sewing thread somebody barfed dryer lint all over? (I still can't imagine making baby items with it - infants already choke on stuff that isn't part of the yarn).

 

do the moths/roaches/whatever eat the soy and corn silk yarns? Or have the yarns been specially treated with something? If so, are they still environmentally friendly? (I have a friend who buys "all natural" stuff to wear - as being an enviornmentally friendly consumer - yet sprays them with the Scotchguard stuff to keep them clean).

[mythunderbird]

The only problem I have with the "darker colors weigh more" theory is when the two skeins are the same color, yet still not the same length. I guess the "calibration loss" theory explains it.

 

I've often wondered if those tweeds (with little pieces of other colored yarn mixed in) and bloucle yarns (thick and thin at random) didn't start off as a severely bad batch of yarns that some genious marketed as a new product ...

 

and what about those novelty yarns that look like tangled sewing thread somebody barfed dryer lint all over? (I still can't imagine making baby items with it - infants already choke on stuff that isn't part of the yarn).

 

do the moths/roaches/whatever eat the soy and corn silk yarns? Or have the yarns been specially treated with something? If so, are they still environmentally friendly? (I have a friend who buys "all natural" stuff to wear - as being an enviornmentally friendly consumer - yet sprays them with the Scotchguard stuff to keep them clean).

thats too funny, is amazing how people think isn't it