Monday 28 March 2011

A Tale of Two or Three Yarns: lessons yarn addicts learn

As a yarn addict there are some lessons we all have to learn.  Each yarn addict may have to learn that sometimes even though you love the colour or feel or texture of the yarn it is just not going to work for you in the project you are working on.  I have found out that through hard and painful experience that I can not knit with mohair not even a small percentage of mohair mixture. After many years in wilderness of the tropical climate of Northern Australia where I got to knit in lots of cotton and the very very rare wool yarn I thought I would be able to knit with these other wonderful yarns like wool, angora and mohair when we moved to UK.

So like a good rowan knitter who gets her magazine subscription each year (about 2006/7) I was given was given a couple of balls of Kid Silk Haze, (70% mohair, 30% silk).  The Kid Silk Haze is also known as yarn crack in many a yarnie's stash.  When I got these balls it was summer and I thought that it was just my normal summertime hay fever issues were interrupting me when I was playing with yarn. I didnot even think that it might have been the yarn but it must be the high pollen count for the day. I was sneezing and sniffiling aware to the point were I did not feel well enough to knit.  I ended up putting the project and therefore the yarn away for a couple of days and low and behold my nose stopped dripping like a tap. Who had changed the washer? Picked up the yarn and within 20 minutes my nose is like a river and I am ready to rip the eyes out of head.  Mohair is not my friend.  

I have even tried lower percentage count mixes such as 14% mix that I accidentally brought for myself. I had done the colour choice and not read the ball details too closely, as it was online special price on closeout sale from Webs.  Webs is a very bad place for bank balances but great for developing and extending the size of a knitter's stash. Imagine the chagrin in this household when the cause that I was sniffling so much was the 14% mix. But But I love this colour and it was going to be something for MEEEEEEE!!!!!! I had to rip out that cardigan I was working on as there was no way I would be able to wear it.   Imagine having 20 balls in a pretty yarn in your stash and not being able to use it.  Stuff that for a monkey's! Where are the antihistamines and one new carnaby skirt for the daughter since she like the colour as well and has absolutely no problems with the mohair content.  Damn! that is so not fair. Of course since there was no reason for me to use the left over balls Daughter had to put the request in for a matching jacket. This yarn was the one I used for the MIA 1 & 2 projects for the daughter. I still have to finish the sleeves but I have to find another packet of antihistamines first.

Like any yarn junkie there are some yarns I just have to due their colour. I had been drooling over Zauberballs for a while and I finally got my mitts on some.  I was a joy to play with. However, even though I am a yarn junkie there are some yarns that I can never see myself using such as jelly yarns.  When I first learnt about this yarn a number of years ago it was an adamant no sodding way, Hell could freeze over first before I would ever use it. But now I can see the possible potential in this yarn but it is still a case of not for me.  I am not being a yarn snob but I just don't enjoy knitting with 100% acrylics.  I have used them and not liked them.  What is the point with knitting with something you don't like using and therefore decrease your enjoyment to the point that you absolutely hate the project?   There are times when I have to use acrylics but they tend to be acrylic mixed with a natural product so it is a case of choosing a yarn for the purpose.


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