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Knitmama
Seriously Hooked
USA
682 Posts |
 Posted - 09/23/2004 : 12:43:21 PM
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I really haven't knitted with novelty yarns (except for eyelash, once, which I hated), but I'd love to find something that's good for quick gift scarves, etc. I know all the reasons people don't like them, but I'm curious if there are some that you find yourselves using and enjoying.
Rachel |
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cats
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
503 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 12:56:11 PM
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I have pretty much liked all that I have knitted with. The eyelash yarn was a pain in the neck until I switched to plastic needles.
If you're just wanting to know about the stuff in the chain stores, Paton's novelty yarns are nice. I really like the Berroco's Chinchilla and their Plush (if you can call that novelty yarn). I think that they are both 100% nylon but might be wrong on that. If you do a scarf with the chinchilla, their Glace yarn looks really nice as the fringe.
The novelty yarns are great for quick gifts like scarves. Just know that with some of them you might need to use a different type of needle on. |
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Soxy
Gabber Extraordinaire
New Zealand
389 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 2:03:39 PM
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All the novelty yarns are nice for scarves, trimmings etc, I knitted a sweater for myself of one and it felt as if it was crawling all over me! So no garments for me again! Ive also knitted cushion covers and they are great!
I also found that if you knit on very big needles the knitting is nice and loose and airy, otherwise when it is too dense it can very easily look like you have a furry animal draped around your neck! Which Ive done LOL! in a chocolaty brown and to me it looks as if I have a possum around me neck!!!!
Sock Addict |
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Trina
Permanent Resident
USA
1871 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 2:23:51 PM
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I love all types of novelty yarns. They're one of my favorite things to knit with. They can be kind of costly, so I'm trying not to buy them as much as I used to.
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes |
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kbshee
Permanent Resident
USA
4130 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 2:58:25 PM
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I like a lot of novelty yarns too; sometimes alone, sometimes mixed with other yarns. I've also mixed with wool for felting, which can make a pretty cool looking project. I like all the yarns that Crystal Palace makes, even lightpipe! I currently have some squiggle and fizz on hand to do some projects. If tape yarn counts as 'novely', Crystal Palace tape yarns make fun scarves.
kim in oregon
http://kbshee.blogspot.com |
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Yarnni
Permanent Resident
Canada
1021 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:07:33 PM
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I have had good success with Filatura di Crosa's YOGI.
Yarnni
www.knitwerx.com
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KysKnitnMom
Permanent Resident
1050 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:08:31 PM
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I make scarves out of Berrocco Plush for my family in Oregon because it is soft and warm. I guess that is a novelty yarn. I also make tons of scarves from a Linie 43 Punta. I can't see the other name on the tag because my LYS covered it up with their sticker. But that yarn makes gorgeous scarves no matter what needles size you use. I love it!!
Megann, in sunny San Diego.
A turtle doesn't get anywhere without sticking her neck out. |
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Yarnni
Permanent Resident
Canada
1021 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:10:00 PM
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I LOVE Punta! It is so soft.
Yarnni
www.knitwerx.com
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carols
Permanent Resident
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:30:07 PM
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Try Squiggle. It's got a very thin thread but lots of brightly colored squiggly thicker threads hanging off it. I am knitting it with a strand of DK wool on 15 needles and getting a soft, wild scarf. I can't decide if I'm too dowdy to wear it but it's awfully fun!!
Carol S. |
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KAC
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
443 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 4:53:19 PM
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I feel like the lone voice in the wilderness, but I don't like any of them! :-)
Kim
http://sanityknit.blogspot.com/
The largest room in the world is the room for improvement |
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Hello Knitty
Permanent Resident
1069 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 6:24:01 PM
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| I LOVE novelty yarns! I think my all time fave is Gedifra's Tecnohair. One ball makes a dreamy soft scarf and it's a beautiful "fur" trim on hats. I've made myself a scarf in almost every colour adn if you want to get super decadent, knit your Tecnohair double stranded! Phildar's Cygne is another super soft "fur". This year I quite like Frou Frou and Estelle's Crazy. I despise(!!!) Fizz and Funny - they feel like shredded plastic bags. Most of Paton's yarns are good for trim but I had a problem with Boa shedding badly. |
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Cameellie
Honorary Angel
USA
900 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 7:15:34 PM
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I like the eyelas yarnsh like Funny, Salsa and Brasilia. The eyelash yarn by Trendsetter is so sparsely spaced and attached so awkwardly to the core yarn that I about went crazy using it. Never again.
Cameellie
Remember, everybody is somebody else's weirdo. |
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knit_chick
Permanent Resident
1484 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 7:18:59 PM
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I've only ventured into ribbon yarn & it wasn't as traumatic as I thought. A little getting used to, but it wasn't bad. I would use it again. Still trying to see what other type of novelty yarn is out there that would be OK.
My knitting projects and random blathering  |
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carols
Permanent Resident
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2004 : 7:34:05 PM
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Don't forget, you don't have to use novelty yarns for quick-knitting scarves. A bulky-weight or superbulky yarn will knit up very quickly on large needles, too.
Carol S. |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 06:23:31 AM
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I knit a scarf with Gedifra MicroChic yarn. If rats were light blue, it would look like a dead rat. Yech. But, it's soft.
I used On Line Punta 43 with Rowan All Seasons Cotton, 1 strand of each held together and it's beautiful.
Megann, did you use the Punta alone? If so, what size needles did you use? I would use it again - the colors are so pretty. |
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RachelKnitter
Permanent Resident
USA
2995 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 07:52:15 AM
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| GGH Esprit is the SOFTEST yarn I have ever seen, ever. It's like shredded polar fleece with a little bit of an eye-lashy halo to it. There are a couple of similar yarns out there that seem equally soft, but don't recall who makes them. Only downside was I couldn't keep my cat from sleeping on it. I made the poncho on Knitty from it, which I ended up not liking too much, but I love to wear it around the house because it's so cozy (and did I mention SOFT?) |
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yarnlover
Permanent Resident
1729 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 08:11:57 AM
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quote:
Try Squiggle. It's got a very thin thread but lots of brightly colored squiggly thicker threads hanging off it. I am knitting it with a strand of DK wool on 15 needles and getting a soft, wild scarf. I can't decide if I'm too dowdy to wear it but it's awfully fun!!
I tried a scarf from a skein of this yarn on #15 and after a few rows it looked awful so I took it apart. Somewhere I saw a suggestion to knit it alone on that size needle, but I didn't like the look.
Then I did what you did, stranded it with another yarn for a headband. It's really cute - and gives a little frame to the face. I actually pulled all the squiggles to the outside of the band, and now it's pretty full. I wouldn't do that with a scarf, but the little headband only took a little while. It does make a neat project, but I found it very slow to knit and not sure if I'd buy more. |
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Jemma
Chatty Knitter
134 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 08:22:26 AM
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| I'll second (or third) the praise for Linie Punta....it's like a breeze flowing through your fingers! I made long narrow scarves using 12 stitches across on 10 or 10 1/2 needles, and also used it once in combination with some leftover silk-blend yarn. Fun to use, and great results! |
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jade
Permanent Resident
USA
1543 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 08:40:41 AM
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I made a pile of scarves from novelty eyelash last Christmas, I think I used Salsa for many of them. I have some Trendsetter Voila for this Christmas' lot of gift scarves, it feels supersoft and comes in nice muted colors.
If ribbon yarns are novelty, I made a top out of Cherry Tree Hill Cashcott which I liked far better than I might have expected. A quick and easy knit to make a glamorous tee.
I also like CTH Windsong and Zebra Windsong which are ladder yarns. So far I've only played with swatches but I'm planning some simple wraps out of this pretty yarn.
Cheryl |
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achrisvet
Permanent Resident
USA
5986 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 3:16:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by KAC
I feel like the lone voice in the wilderness, but I don't like any of them! :-)
Kim
http://sanityknit.blogspot.com/
The largest room in the world is the room for improvement
You're not! there is a recent thread full of people who hate novelty yarns!
Anita
See my completed projects!
http://www.picturetrail.com/achrisvet |
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meexie
Warming Up
78 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2004 : 5:02:15 PM
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| I like the results from eyelash and furry yarns, but I don't enjoy the knitting. I've been trying out stranding a metallic and/or sequined yarn along with a plainer yarn (Berroco makes some great sequin strands). I picked up a skein of Berroco Quest, thinking that it might be scratchy or hard to work with - nope! It's on the slippery side but much easier to knit than eyelash, and after washing, it's soft. The photos don't do it credit - the colors have a richness and depth as well as that sparkle. |
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