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by Knit Picks Staff on January 24, 2013
Hey there! Welcome to “Customer Question of the Week”, a new weekly blog feature wherein our crack team of experts (okay, it’s the KP staff) answers your most pressing fiber-crafting queries. Have a ponderance or problem you need solved? Email us at customerquestion@knitpicks.com. Even though we won’t be able to respond to every person, your question may be chosen for this feature! This week's winter-appropriate curiosity was answered by Stacey, our super IDP Coordinator. Q: "Which Knit Picks yarns work best for felting?" A: First of all, a quick definition: Felting (or fulling as it is also called) is the process of intentionally shrinking natural untreated fibers into a dense fabric using hot water and agitation. Many people use this for projects such as slippers, bags, mittens, hats, toys, and housewares - anywhere you would prefer a thick durable fabric. We have a couple of tutorials on how to felt your knitted & crochet projects - either by machine or by hand. We have several yarns that work great for felting. Remember, you will want to use untreated yarns - no superwash! - and yarns that are made up of mostly natural fibers. Different yarns (such as wool vs alpaca) and even different colors will felt at different rates, so make sure you do a swatch before starting a project!Single ply yarns are some of the best for felting so our Full Circle Worsted and Bulky are perfect for felted projects. With the blend of Merino and Highland wools, you’ll not only get very durable accessories such as hats and mittens, the fabric will be soft and warm through the chilliest of winter days.Our 100% Peruvian wools are the most popular for felting - that is, Palette and especially the Wool of the Andes line (sport, worsted and bulky). You can see this is great for projects such as bags, like Meghan Jones’ Intwined Bag, which uses Wool of the Andes Bulky. |
Category Archives: Yarn
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by Knit Picks Staff on January 17, 2013
Hey there! Welcome to “Customer Question of the Week”, a new weekly blog feature wherein our crack team of experts (okay, it’s the KP staff) answers your most pressing fiber-crafting queries. Have a ponderance or problem you need solved? Email us at customerquestion@knitpicks.com. Even though we won’t be able to respond to every person, your question may be chosen for this feature!Our first question comes from no one person in particular—but a chorus of customers over the years. Kudos to our wonderful Multimedia Manger, Jenny K., for tackling this one. Q: “I love colorwork, but not wool! What can I use?” A: If wool isn’t your fiber of choice and just the idea of using 100% wool for a sweater starts to make your skin itch, don’t despair – you still have options when it comes to colorwork. Known for its fine crimp and low micron count (which determines softness), Merino wool is certainly a fiber that will have you thinking twice about using wool. If you’re looking for a yarn with an extra soft touch, the Stroll yarn family blends superwash merino wool (75%) together with a touch of nylon (25%) – making it a wonderful choice for those with sensitive skin. Stroll Fingering substitutes beautifully in place of Palette in most cases, and it boasts a wonderful selection of solids and complicated heathers to make your next colorwork project picture-perfect. |
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by Stacey on January 14, 2013
This week's marks the opening of the About.com 2013 Readers Choice Awards! From now until February 11th, you can nominate your favorite blogs, designers, books, yarn company, and needle brand for the award! We look forward to this every year so I thought I'd show you some of my suggestions - you can nominate up to 3 for each category! |
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by Knit Picks Podcast on December 6, 2012
This week, Kelley talks about different fibers and blends to explore their qualities. Learn about what makes wool so wonderful, why alpaca is so warm, how silk gets it’s shine, and what mercerized means for cotton. This handy guide to fiber basics is sure to help you as you plan out your next project. Next, Kelley reviews some of her favorite audiobooks that she has been listening to lately. Finally, Kelley catches you up with what is on her needles. 3 easy ways to listen… |
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by Knit Picks Staff on November 20, 2012
A pressing public service announcement:Step 1.) Spend a lot of time on Pinterest—particularly, “researching” project patterns. Step 2.) Develop a heretofore unnatural obsession with monster infinity scarves; know solidly that having one would complete you/make you a Winter Fairy. Or Faerie. Step 3.) Get swept up in Knit Picks’ excellent “Free Hank of Biggo” promotion. Let excitement build. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on November 16, 2012
We're going a little Biggo crazy here - if you get our emails (you should!), you'll know that for this week, every order over $5 gets you a free hank of squishy, delectable Biggo yarn! But what can you do with just one hank, you ask? Well, at 110 yards per 100 gram hank, it doesn't seem like much - but with Biggo, a little goes a long way. For instance, it's plenty enough for some fatty mittens, a fluffy earflap hat, or this double seed stitch scarf I'm making for my niece! |
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by Jenny K on November 14, 2012
Like many knitters, as soon as I feel a chill in the air and the days start to get shorter, I start to daydream of what I like to call my perfect autumn sweater. For me - that means it's a sweater that is cozy and super soft, it's longer in length and has a big, billowing cowl neck. If all of the stars alligned and my aesthetic requirements were met, I would also throw in another request: to be made of a light and lofty fiber that is at the same time very warm. And after much contemplation, I finally found the sweater of my dreams: Francis Revisted by Beth Silverstein. Now, I have to admit - usually when I have all of the specifics imagined and planned out, it is almost always close to impossible for that dream to become a reality. So you can imagine how delighted I was as soon as Reverie arrived at the Knit Picks headquarters! It definitely met my light and lofty requirements in addition to being super soft and warm. |
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by Knit Picks Staff on November 12, 2012
First and foremost: A huge thanks to everyone that participated in our stunning, first-ever Yarn Election at Knit Picks. Your clever and passionate appeals were a true delight to read; may you never stop voicing your opinions on the pressing fiber issues of our time! However, there can only be one victor. Winning the election handily by a large margin, I present to you: |
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by Knit Picks Staff on November 8, 2012
Polls are closed! We'll announce the winning candidate on Monday Nov 12- along with the winners of our fabulous prizes! Well everyone, it’s officially November—do you feel a need to exercise your civil duty as a fiber crafter? Your time is now: Knit Picks is pleased to announce “Yarn Elections 2012”, a chance for you to make your opinions heard with the added value of potential prizes! Vying for your vote and devoted affections are two worthy contenders: |
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by Stacey on November 5, 2012
I have a new yarn love and it is Andes del Campo. It's probably rather silly since it's not a new yarn at all. And I had played with it a bit when it first came out & thought it was lovely. But I hadn't used it in a project until recently & now I'm head over heels. |
