Here's a question for everyone...

[crochetrenee]

I am curious to know how many crocheters out there prefer synthetic yarn vs. natural fibers, wool, alpaca, angora, silk, etc....? I am working on some book ideas and wanted to know how many are currently using the natural fibers. Thanks!

[crochetrenee]

Great feedback! I really appreciate everyone's input on this subject...I didn't expect such a great response!!!

[MaryPat]

I bought a lot of different wools for several years figuring there had to be at least one wool I wasn't allergic to. Nope. Angora, meriangora, alpaca, sheep wool, cashmere. I'm allergic to them all.

 

I've worked with a linen silk mix. It worked up real nice.

 

I'm currently using a 5/2 mercerized cotton for a sweater. Love the feel of it.

 

My take along project is a geometric motif thaqt is being made from Bernat acryllic. Hope it doesn't pill, but it has a nice sheen to it.

 

I tend to do a bit of crochet each day and not in any great volume with 3 or 4 major projects per year. I buy the yarn to suit the project pretty much.

 

My next stay at home project will be some sort of tunisian I think. Either cross stitch on tunisian or just use a chart to do a photograph. It will probably be a lighter acryllic that's fluffy.

[kilikina]

I like and can afford synthetics. Caron Simply Soft is my yarn of choice for most projects. If I need something special, then I'll consider it.

[gumby28]

I'm not a big fan of wool for fear my hard work will get felted. I like cotton, but have not worked with any natural fibers

[birdlady1]

I would love to work exclusively with natural fibers but they're so darn expensive. So unfortunately most of my crocheting is with acrylic yarn or cotton thread.

[aflute05]

Most of my work right now is in Red Heart ww. However, I really like to work with wool, but the natural fibers are a little expensive. So I stick with what I can afford, which is mostly synthetics.

[Sofia]

I don't paticularly like wool

But I really love Bamboo. have also enjoyed working with cotton, linen, and soy

[faedragon]

I use synthetic fibers, easy of washability, long wearing, most non-allergenic, and more affordable. The only exception is Peaches and Cream cotton.

[candiwv_]

I use synthetics (Mainly RHSS) because of the value. I refuse to spend $60 on a sweater or $100 making an afghan. I actually prefer the stiffness of the yarn when I am crochet, once it is washed it is soft.

[TMKA]

It depends on what I'm making, honestly. I prefer cotton for my market bags, 'cause it won't stretch as much. I like wool and fancier natural fibers for wearables that I want to look super great and be heirloom sorts of things. If I make a wearable for my 4 year old, I use RHSS, 'cause face it, it's going to get trashed before it gets handed down. I use RHSS for amis, too, 'cause I just think it's easiest and sturdiest, and since I intend for my ami creations to be played with, I want something that I wont' be heartbroken if it gets dirty. It doesn't make sense to do those in wool or even cotton, IMO.

[Christina92786]

I use mainly acrylic yarn. I really love cotton, and I would love to work with more natural fibers, but its really expensive for me as a college student! It's like a rare treat! Wool also tends to bother my skin...I get itchy and I tend to get skin irritation somewhat easily! Maybe it would be good to mix it up a bit so you can use either/or?

[losingmymind2]

I use acrylics for ease of care and because they are less expensive than natural fibers...now if I had all the $$$ I ever needed, I'd use only natural fibers and let the laundress worry about the fabric care. I do buy wool for felting, and plan soon to make myself a wool blanket I have the wool already, just not the time. I wish I had that one tonight, lol.

[Selune]

Synthetic. Dump that sucker in the washing maching!!!

[marikamum]

I tend to use mostly natural fibres. I love cotton and am quite fond of washable wool as well (just happens to be what I've used, haven't used feltable wool as of yet). I made a top with a bamboo cotton blend, love the look and feel, but the yarn itself was to splitty. I have some synthetic now that I am using for a friend's birthday shawl (an acrylic and tencel and maybe something else blend).

 

The yarn market is quite different here, though (Australia) - there is no such thing as Caron Simply Soft or Red Heart Super Saver. There are more inexpensive acrylic yarns, but I am not fond of how they feel, and since I am crocheting because I enjoy the experience, I want to enjoy the experience and therefore feel of the yarn I am working with ...

 

Cheers,

Marika

 

PS - That said, my penchant for natural fibres does put many a project out of my reach financially at the moment... I am keen to do an afghan but can't quite summon the courage to plop down the money that would be required to do so in any of the yarns I like the look and feel of.

[Krakovianka]

I'm mostly a thread crocheter, so of course I use cotton for that. Now, I live outside the US, and don't have access to the inexpensive acrylics there, so I can't say for sure I wouldn't use them if I could (I did make my daughters acrylic ponchos when I was there in 2005), but here I only buy natural fibers--or at least blends that include natural fibers. I like to felt, so I buy wool for felting, and for kitchen items I buy cotton. I do think there are things that would better be made with synthetic fibers, but for the most part, I don't crochet those things.

 

I'm answering here, just so you'll get a variety of response, but the truth is, that if your book is primarily wearables, I would be unlikely to buy it since I don't crochet those (except for the occasional scarf--in wool or cotton), so my answer shouldn't weigh very heavily for you.

 

I think you'd reach the greatest target audience if you made your projects in such a way that they could be made with either--maybe even show a project made with synthetic fibers and another version made with a natural one. As long as you provide enough information about the weight/yardage requirements for your designs, people are going to use the yarn that they want to, anyway, whether it's what you show or not.

[Amy]

It depends on what I'm making. For most clothing, I usually prefer natural fibers, or at least natural blends. However, for shawls, ponchos, and scarves I'll use acrylic if there's a yarn I really love. For anything a baby or child would have at night, I'd use natural fibers (just in case of fire or something). But for baby blankets or clothing that will be worn during the day, I'd use acrylic for ease of care.

 

I believe all different types of fibers can be suited for a variety of purposes.

[pretty_bug01]

For a book of patterns, I would like to see them use the stuff that I can actually get at the stores where I am at. Too expensive, I spend hours looking for an equivalent. So it is a toss up to me. Wearables should be natural, everything else, it doesn't really matter to me.

[Beknic]

I generally use the fakes! Acrylic yarns are quite cheap here (Australia) and so I tend to mostly use those. However I recently picked up a bunch of bamboo cotton and also some corn yarn which I'm working with at the moment. The corn yarn is awesome! So easy to use - it feels good, and looks really good. I think it's probably one of the easier yarns I've worked with. I generally use the acrylic yarns for scarves (it makes a really nice thick scarf when you crochet it with some of those cool fluffy yarns), and knee rugs/blankets etc. The bamboo and corn I think are really suited to adult clothing.

 

I'm not a huge fan of real wool as I find it to be itchy to wear, and yes pretty expensive too. I think if I was to make something that was really special I'd use the real deal, but while I'm just trying out different techniques and different patterns I'd rather use the acrylics/synthetics.

 

It would be good to see patterns that give you a wider alternative in the yarn stakes. Not all people like the same things, so it would be good to be able to easily customize a pattern to suit the type of yarn you would like to use/wear/have in your stash.

 

Bek

[unicorn37757]

Except for cotton I don't usually work with natural fibers. I'm allergic to wool so that's out & the rest are so expensive they don't make my list:eek

[AutumnWindsong]

I almost always use acrylic...or whatever I can find on sale cheap. I am making so many things...so often, that I have no real choice. The only time I have to use real wool or other types of yarn, is when I am selling the projects to Tamarack. They will sell your projects to anyone who comes in there. But, they won't settle for anything acrylic.

 

Blessed Be.

[amandapace]

It's mostly acrylics for me. I do use a lot of cotton, either in "kitchen cotton" or thread. I'll occasionally go as far as a wool blend or cotton blend, but that's about it. I cant' afford to buy natural fibers! I do try to fit the yarn to the project.

Reason #1 for making things: enjoyment of handmade items and the the process of making.

Reason #2: cheaper than buying an equivalent (quality) item retail. Spending $100 on yarn to make a sweater doesn't make sense to me, when I could buy a nice sweater for less than that. Spending $40 on yarn to make a sweater is a possibility, depending on budget constraints.

When I say "equivalent item," I'm assuming that whatever I make will be better than typical discount store offerings. So, my handmade sweater would be more expensive than buying a sweater from Wal-Mart, but cheaper than buying from Macy's.

 

I also prefer synthetics for ease of care. Not much in my house is gonna get handwashed and laid flat to dry, lol. And I would feel bad giving a gift that required a high level of care.

 

(I would use every awesome yarn out there if there were no budget constraints, of course! )

[Real Deal]

I'm allergic to wool, so I use acrylic almost exclusively. I use a small amount of cotton.

 

Unless or until the prices of the other natural materials come down, I won't be trying them.

[CraftyJen]

I'm allergic to wool so I only use acrylic and cotton.

[kazily]

I'm allergic to wool so I only use acrylic and cotton.

 

Ditto. I use either one of those or a blend of each is wonderful. No wool.

[Addey]

I'd love to use more cotton and other natural fibers (other than wool... because most make me itch...). Quality ones, that aren't WW, are very hard to find in the "big box stores" and cost 2 arms and a leg (and are usually wool...) at the LYS. Synthetics are great for things that have to be washed all the time like blankets and baby things, but cotton can be soooo soft... and soooo nice to work with...