Yarn Obsession
By Caissa "Cami" McClinton – 33 CommentsYarn yarn yarn yarn yarn. I love yarn. Could you tell? But here’s the thing- up until just a few years ago, I didn’t get it. Before I discovered my lifecraft, (crochet, of course!) I was primarily a scrapbooker, stamper, and card maker. So when I looked at yarn, it just looked like a big, boring mess to me! ‘Why is there so much of it?’ I would wonder. ‘Who does this, and furthermore, why?’ I would ask myself.
That was ages ago! Clearly my perspective has changed quite a bit. Today I am a yarnaholic, a yarnophile, a yarn lover, but NOT a yarn hoarder! (It’s tough, people, but I do exercise restraint sometimes!)
There is so much to love about yarn: colors, fibers, special properties, its use in different projects… I would LOVE to hear what you like about yarn, and which types of yarn you like.
What are your favorite brands and colors? Do you always use the same kind, or do you vary by project? What is your favorite fiber for crochet?
I mianly use Red Heart. Part of that is becuase the store closest to me doesn’t have too big of a variety. Plus right now it’s the cheapest one I can get XD
I’m hoping to expand and use other yarns sometime soon
Thread. Lizbeth by Handy Hands. I can’t buy it here so I order it at http://www.hhtatting.com/
I tend to gravitate towards Lion Brand yarns but a lot of times it depends on what I’m making. For afghans I tend to use Red Heart Super Saver because it makes a sturdy washable afghan.
I mainly use Red Heart Supersaver because it is readily available and cheaper. But I like their new softer yarns too. I love to crochet. It keeps my hands young…arthritis tightens them up and I find that crocheting keeps them flexible. I usually give the things I make to the people I love…but only the ones that I know will love it and take care of it properly. Can’t bear to think that all of those hours of work will go to waste. ha
My favorite brands are I Love This Yarn (available at Hobby Lobby) and Vanna’s Choice. Deborah Norville has some very nice yarns as well. I do have a favorite hook (J) and as far as colors? I can go with just about anything!
Red Heart Super Saver is a classic and it’s very affordable. I love the colors, and it lasts forever. I truly love Lion Brand because they seem to have a yarn for every occasion. 🙂 I have tried I Love This Yarn, and (wait for it) I loved it! I haven’t tried thread yet. I’m a quick projects/big hooks girl, but I should open my mind! 🙂
Does anyone buy their yarn at a luxury yarn store? I love crocheting with acrylic, but I’ve gotten some really special stuff at yarn boutiques…
I love yarn too! I get so excited when I purchase a lovely yarn and dream about all the things I could make with it. I love the possibilities of a new yarn.
I’m currently working with a organic merino wool and it’s fabulous – soft and dreamy. And it’s undyed so it reminds me of sheep. I’ve decided not to work with acrylic yarns anymore -natural fibres offer a more enjoyable creating experience
I also love yarn. I just learned to crochet about 2 years ago. And yes, there is a
difference in a local yarn store yarn versus red heart brand or lion. And the best part I work there one day a week at my downtown store
and get a discount for anything I want to play with! It’s great.
I love to crochet. My mother taught my three sisters and myself years and years ago. I’ve only started crocheting again for about six or seven years. My biggest thing about crocheting is that it keeps my hands busy so I don’t smoke at night. My favorite yarns are Caron’s simply soft, Vanna’s choice and Lion Brand. I have been crocheting sock monkey hats as well as snowman hats for gifts. In the last two months I have crocheted over 20 of these hats. I love it. I crochet anything from dishclothes to baby clothes. I recently started to crochet a dress for myself that I found in a 60’s magazine that I got at an antique shop. Very simple shell pattern and it’s beautiful. Enjoy crocheting everyone.
I love yarn….I’m waiting for two hanks of lace weight 100% alpaca to get delivered (letter carrier is bringing it today), never worked with that fiber, but am excited to do so!
So far, my favourite yarn I’ve used is a cotton/rayon blend that’s hand dyed that I bought while on holiday a couple of months ago. I made a broomstick lace scarf with it and LOVE it! (it must have turned out great as just yesterday the pattern designer clicked my finished product as a favourite on Ravelry!)
I also made myself a cardigan with Cascade Ultra Pima cotton; that was like heaven on a hook, I ADORED working with it.
I’m waiting for my ball winder to arrive before I make something with the lace weight soy silk I bought on holiday (I have 960 yards of it and can’t bring myself to wind it by hand), but it feels quite lovely in the hank, so I’ll probably enjoy working with it.
My favorites are Caron Simply Soft and I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby. Although in recent days my local Walmart and Joanns have started carrying Red Heart With Love that I am falling in love with! I do so love yarn, everything about it, colors, textures, patterns, everything! Nothing can make a day better than a trip through the yarn aisle, in my opinion!
~Zen Mama
There are so many combinations of yarns to use together. I suppose that is my passion at the moment, crocheting hats and neckwarmers with 2 strands. You can get quite a different look of the same pattern. You have a great site. Thanks.
I LOVE Plymouth Encore. But I do use a lot of Red Heart and Lion Brand. Little acrylic, little wool. Seems to be a good blend. I’ve also used soft 100% acrylics, rather silky, for dressy neck cowls so they don’t itch.
🙂
my favorite yarn is Red Heart super saver because it is affordable and comes in many colors. of course i also use what my roommate and i have on hand. and i try to crochet everything.
I love Caron simply soft, Cascade 220 superwash, Caron naturally spa, Red Heart soft, Plymouth dreambaby, LB wool ease. I am a yarnalcoholic, and have a HUGE stash.
If it is 4ply or medium wt. and soft when I touch it to my cheek and on sale of course, I am in love. Fleur
I love yarn also, anything soft and comfy. I really love the Bernat pipsqueak but plain colors are hard to find. Seems as if it is going out.
Hmmm….Socks that Rock Llightweight, Malabrigo, Indie Yarn, CloudLover oh too many!
I really don’t have a favorite brand. I see it and I buy it. I’ve gone as far as purchasing sweaters from our local thrift shops and taken them apart because I love the yarn! As a matter of fact, bought 3 bags of misc yarn at the thrift store today. Obsessed?? Do you think? I have enough of a stash to start my own shop!!!
I think I may have to start a Yarn Anonymous in Australia to try and quell my addiction. My daughter gets very angry with me if I even so much as look at yarn. Like Georgenia I do not have any favourite brand or ply….I just love it all.
I so could have written your post word for word!! I only taught myself how to crochet a few years ago and had no idea what I was getting into. I love yarn!! I, too, only thought it was nothing special, just something used in kids crafts at daycare. I laugh at that thought today. My stamps and papers are all put away in the closet and I’m pretty sure all my ink is dried up. I can’t say I care, as long as I have my yarn and hook I’m a very happy girl! My fav is “I Love this Yarn” but lately I have also enjoyed Loops & Threads “Charisma” sold at Michael’s. Soft and Chunky! ahhh yarn…
LOL, your reaction to yarn is the one I till have to scrap-booking.
I adore different textures, colours, fibres, etc. It depends on my mood, but ‘twinkle’ DK, size 10 thread, sock ply…cotton, merino, Welsh black sheep wool…
I have a preference for dark and jewel tone colours. A lot of my cotton work is mixed with Lily and Rico brands. In sock ply, I LOVE Zauberball and Rico Poems. In size 10, it’s whatever I can manage to get in a colour that doesn’t include white, ecru, or lilac (so, stuff I have to import)
I love hearing about everyone’s different yarn preferences. 🙂 I am also learning about a lot of different brands that are new to me! I think it’s cool that people use yarn readily available at the craft store, but also some high end luxury fibers. I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s out there in terms of luxury fibers.
Keep telling me about all of your favorites and how you choose your yarn. 🙂
my current favorite, is a merino and coridale top wool yarn that i am spinning myself with drop spindle. it is one of the things that i learned while working day camp a few years ago. Spinning has also allowed me to ply together different colors and/or weights if yarn to create something unique.
When i travel i use redheat, caron, or other brands based on what was cheapest to buy or on clearance.
Yarn is just like paint or sculpture, so many colors, shades, textures to use. I love it all from the lowly Red Heart Super Saver to the beautiful yarns straight off the alpacas or goats! Cottons are marvelous and under rated. The more you was them the softer they are! Wool beautiful wool, felted or superized (my word for the non-shrinking wool. Loving the new bulky yarns with sequins, have gone crazy with the new ruffling yarns. What will you create today? An heirloom to keep forever in the family or a toy for the furbaby to chew and be ecstatic over? I am equally pleased with the smallest or the largest project and must have 5 or 6 going at the same time or I am just not a happy hooker. 🙂
I like Bernat yarns. Red Heart is not soft enough & Vanna’s and Lion are not soft either. I only make blankets and things that are going to be up against skin, so the softer the better. I really love the baby soft yarns. I just wish the baby soft ones came in the jewel tones and not just in pastels. 🙂
I use a variety of yarns. I mostly work on thread crochet these days, so my threads are in my collection rather than yarn. I have used many brands. Lizbeth is my latest favorite because the colors of these threads are deep, gorgeous, jewel like hues.
I am an artist, as well, so the brilliance of these colors particularly attract me. The lizbeth threads are stiffer than the red heart or Aunt Lydia’s in the same sizes, so you must plan accordingly. I am using the lizbeth for the evening bags (with crystal beads for bling) that I make and the Aunt lydia for the angels, snowflakes, etc.
I do believe that the lizbeth would lend itself nicely to placemats as they would hold their body better.
Rachel – it would be easy for me to hord yarn but I’m proud of myself that I don’t. I have made so many Afghans as gifts. I finally made myself a few items with that nice nubby yarn & it has a few colors in it. I made a beret & match shawl & can you believe I didn’t give it away as I usually do with my crochet items “:)
My name is Jeanne and I’m a yarnaholic. Any kind any type. I love the hand dyed wools, so beautiful yet so expensive, so I feed my addiction with Lion and Red Heart yarns. When I travel I bring an empty suitcase as I will be filling it with locally offered yarns.
Hi, Jeanne! Maybe we’ll have to rename this post “Yarnaholics Anonymous!” I love the suitcase idea.
I adore hearing about everyone’s favorite yarns! Everyone has their different reasons for gravitating towards their favorite fibers. I have used handspun yarn for crochet, but I haven’t spun any myself yet. I feel that will happen in the future for me.
Keep talking.
I have been using Red Heart for over 40 years! It started out that way because the local Ben Franklin store had a complete wall of all different colors; and who could resist having an extra one on hand, just in case? I didn’t really start collecting until the past three years, though. I now keep anywhere from 50 to 60 skeins in my bedroom at all times; whenever the mood strikes me, I grab some out and do an afghan or throw, and then re-stock next time I’m at Walmart. I have ventured out into some different styles of yarn lately, trying washable wool (which I love for the softness and warmth) and some of the more exotics, like fun fur and eyelash yarn. The bottom line is, for those of us that love yarn, well, that’s just the way it is!!