Prettiest, most interesting yarns; knitters, crochetters, weavers, and collectors......
Last edited Wed Jan 1, 2025, 09:05 AM - Edit history (2)
I didn't even know that are some people who just collect yarns w/o crafting! But it makes sense to me now.
Some history and....
🚨 Lotsa yarn descriptions! 😄
Being exposed to my mom's, and her mom's crochetting, my mom's occasional knitting would set me up for later. I had plenty of Art making, and jewelry making to keep me occupied!
Actually I asked my mom to teach me knitting at 17; BUT her being right handed, and me left handed; we couldn't figure out the reversal for me! Frustration, and forget it! Then I tried again in my mid 30's. I decided to go right handed on this. OK. 👍 But the little instruction sheet did k/p but w/o mentioning blocking, etc - so all it did was curl up. What good was that?!"
End of that attempt!
In my late 40's I lived in Brooklyn.
I fell in love with a very thin (not quite thread thin) knitted shawl - a smiple garter (maaaybe k/p) stitch: but done on size #10 needles so very open. This was at the big Brooklyn green market across from the Grand Arny Plaza Arch w a group women running a sheep farm. Doing the whole process! Gorgeous color combos!
Now I never made that shawl. But maybe I could try a slender scarf.
(Add to to-do list 😄 )
Like many I started w acrylic, and some are still waaay cool. I added wool, a bit of cotton, a little silk, and now bamboo to my buys. I tend to work small, occasional medium pieces for time, and money factors.
One of the first fancy yarns I got was from that sheep farm. Different single, combo colors, and weights. It was brown, turquoise, ?green, and some 1 or 2 more colors. Not sure why I got that instead of the 🥰 red, orange, magenta & ?yellow one. Ah, well. And I bought their sampler card bc so beautiful!
Went down to a (still there) yarn shop in the East Village and got a lovely bright white with irregular small splashes of a mangeta to slightly reddish purple. It reminded me of my favorite double peony flowers! It was a fingerling on the "thicker" size. This one I actually did like that shawl; very open. I used needles ?about 3xs wider, about 5 ft by 5" inches. While I added some garter rows about every 5 to 7 inches- it still partly curled around. Still at that point I deemed it a success, and sooo pretty! 🎉🥰
I had a small skein of NOBO from the second yarn shop I visted. A varied size bright green, olive green, purple, and magenta. Still have a small piece.Going to get eventually some olive yarn, and add it in for a bracelet.
Another place I got this wonderful Italian yarn which I never finished with but was happily surprised to find I still have some(!!!) 2 wks ago. It's a complex, textureyish set of intermixed greens, and pinks, maaaaybe a lavender in there. Lovely - like mini garden! Maybe a bracelet.
Then combine w a green for a decorative scarf.
Fast forward.
I found our first Michael's in Manhattan (maaaybe Queens was first, but I didn't know about it, and I wasn't schelping there). Later they had one in an even better, and easier to get to location in Soho. Still there! Mostly I got acrylics regular, and chunky weights, but sometimes got a few cool textured ones!
The best thing to happen shoping wise was; Lion Brand opening a store for about 10 years; about 2010 - part 2020. Closed just as NYC was very soon to shut down re covid. Several Aves west from Union Sq.
Some cool acrylics, but also wool, cotton, silk, alpaca, bamboo, and more!
They had their fancier collection consisting of some of the fibers above.
Unfortunately a few times I bought stuff that never was used, and got tossed. Mostly, though, I did make stuff.
They had single, and color combos of average weight silk! I got a turquoise, teal, green combo, and a red, magenta, ?violet combo. I made bracelets, and a skinny necklace.
There were ribbon yarns made of tied together sari remnants. The one I still have and made a decorative scarf is a long light aqua green; a bit different green w silver threads; another aqua green with yellow thread, small green & red beads, and silvery sequins; white, with red splashes w "silver" metal doodabs; and a red with yellow threads, and metal doodabs.
There was a specialty named (how it was made) small of combined threads of red, turquoise, and black that added up to an average weight. Can't remember if I finished it, but I started with the idea of making a pendent. Maybe i made a small bracelet instead.
There was a cool mostly red, then about equal quarters of grey, and black ribbon yarn. It reminded of a copper enamel piece colorwise my mom made. Started a complicated crochet semi shawl never finished. Arg.
Very thick wool roving in black tied with black thread. Took me a good while to get the #35 wooden needles (from Michaels) to start it. Have to finish it, at least half to 2/3rds done. Still love it. They still have it.
Finally of the original yarns before the store shut down was frustrating to yet make anything [a bunch of tries] bc somewhat difficult to work w is average sewing-thread thick steel w wool yarn!
I have 2 black skinny cones (said often better to use double yarn), and 2 red purple magentaish cones! Lost the 2 slightly darker teal ones. I haven't given up, but a looong time between tries. Going to be necklace type items. Though maybe just to finally be sucessful with it - a bracelet!
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With a second downward in extra income less yarn etc.
Always peruse the LB site for something I hadn't bought, but wanted (like faux fur - if I start it in the summer I might have something by late fall. But if actually I just make a ear band - that shouldn't take long!), or something totally new.
Well, i found 3 new cool things! 😄
Which I got in 2 different orders.
This faux vegan leather. About 1/2" wide, shiny texture on front side with a close to matching thin base fabric on the back - except for the Bronze which has a black backing. I think they should change it to a brown.
I got the Bronze. Made their suggested crochet chain bracelet. At least I think that what it is; better check, but mine's fine.
Going to try a single, or double crochet decorative scarf.
I also got a shiny Black one [they have a matte version, too]. Going to add it with chunky black acrylic, separate sections and make a vest. Simple rectangular back, two rectangular front panels front, sides & tops sewn.
This is ambitious for me! 😄
Finally this grey-blue light weight rayon strands yam with a thin as a hair polyester strand that has an intermittent bright turquoise to nearly white gleam to it. Like little stars. I got bamboo circular needles w the right size for it. They feel so nice!
I thank anyone who even just scanned this to the end here! 😄👍
Will catch any other typos later!
Eta think I got most
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Let's hear about your favorite special yarns! 🧶