Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Yarn Along.....

Okay, you know when you see yarn online and everyone is talking about it? And everyone loves, loves, loves it? I bought some of that kind of yarn.....popular girl yarn....and I am not impressed. At all. I seriously could have used a Lion brand wool blend and it would have been better.

I contacted the company and expressed my deep disappointment in this yarn, as I continued to knit my daughter’s sweater. They replied they were sorry, and here is 10% off for my next purchase. Hummm....next purchase? The yarn is very soft but I’m sad it already looks pretty well worn. Hopefully it was just a bad run of that particular colorway or something, because I have heard nothing but good stuff.



So, I am going to finish, and hope maybe with a little heat and blocking that the fuzzy will calm down and this will look much better. The pattern is “Cricket” as I have mentioned previously. Here is the link to my Ravelry page for the cardigan.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/malikestoknit/cricket

The color is nice and I think Lily really likes it thus far....check out her preview with double points sticking out all over. She was careful putting that tiny arm in....

I still need to finish that other sleeve, and pick up a gazillion stitches for the neck and button band. Hopefully by next week it will be finished!



My reading time has been a bit split. I have found I LOVE to read while on the treadmill at the Y. I do get off said treadmill looking a tiny bit inebriated. It makes me somewhat dizzy to walk 30 mins rather quickly, while reading, and then to stop and step down. I feel like I weave over to the next machine grabbing for the wall. On my Kindle, (that little thing is amazing, great Christmas present from my sweet husband), I am reading “The Book Thief.” Wow. It is good, not particularly uplifting, but I like the writing style. I hear there is a movie out, I’ll probably watch it when I get done with the book.

I’m also trying to finish a few other book, one on the spirituality of Flannery O’Connor and I still need to read the rest of “The End of the Present World.”

So much yarn, so many books...so little time.

Go check out Ginny’s Yarn Along!




6 comments:

  1. bummer about the yarn, I read your rav page and I love that yarn company-I haven't knit with that thickness. I have lots of yarns that are beautiful and soft for accessories but for sweaters you need a workhorse yarn. it's a pretty color though! and maybe when you wash it it will smooth out? fingers crossed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Karen!! I don’t want to totally dismiss them as a yarn company, because I know they do great work....but I’m disappointed. I know Lily will be fine with it, and I’ll know better next time making her a sweater to pick something out that is a bit heartier. I made her the “In Three’s” cardigan a few years ago with some inexpensive acrylic from Joann’s, maybe Vanna’s Choice or something? It’s still going strong...and looking good for cheap acrylic. I’ll update once I get this one blocked.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for honest yarn review! I have had two bad experiences recently with yarns that everyone raves about and I am ever so grateful that you prevented another, since I was considering trying out Chikadee. I used Malabrigo Rios and it pilled terribly while I was knitting already and of course there are cables so I can't easily shave it; the second was Madelinetosh Merino dk, both are so pilly that it pains me. And both happened to be cardigans for me, so the time investment was huge.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I felt the same way when using Cascade 220 for a project. Since it was a baby sweater for a new mom, I decided to wash it before giving it to her. I followed the directions on the label and what occurred was a pilled, worn looking sweater. I was so disappointed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I’m sorry you both had crummy experiences as well....that is so frustrating!!! Madelinetosh is another one that I have thought about getting, but it is sort of pricey, but I’ve seen it in person, it is lovely stuff. It does seem ironic that some really cheap acrylic that is soft and has a nice drape would be my next choice over something a lot more expensive. Brooklyn Tweed has some amazing looking yarn....and I could knit up about every single item Jared ever puts out in his pattern books....gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Diana. I had to come over and "check you out" after your comment on my blog. We have a lot in common, I think, and I'm adding you to my reader list. :-)

    I, too, have had nasty experiences with yarn pilling. Mine were mostly with knit picks yarn, and I thought maybe it was because it was truly cheap yarn in a pretty package. But, you bought some expensive yarn there! The last yarn I used that I really liked was Cascade ultra Pima. I think I might knit another sweater for my daughter in it, because the tiny tea leaves cardigan I knit her from the knit picks yarn is so pilled I don't know that I would even give it to Goodwill! But she still loves it. Kids are funny.

    ReplyDelete