What is a good soft yarn that is good for crocheting blankets and hats? I have been using the yarn from Wal Mart. But, it is coarse and itchy. Where could I find better suited yarn to use? And what is a good brand to use?
The yarn I have been using is Red Heart. I am fine when I use it to crochet, just when it comes to wearing it does it itch me like crazy. Which totally sucks because my aunt makes me all kinds of cute beanies that I can’t wear if it touches my skin.
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Lion Brand, Red Heart, Caron, Bernat. If it’s itchy you may be allergic to wool. Avoid those and just stick to acrylic yarn.
Here’s a good article comparing yarn brands.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/360814/battle_of_the_yarn_brands_comparing.html?cat=24
Your skin may just be extra-sensitive. The original Red Heart yarns Are made too look, feel, and handle just like real wool — all except for the laundering, praise God. For most folks, this is great. For those with sensitive skin, this is not a plus. Red Heart has other yarns like Red Heart Soft and Light & Lofty (or Baby Clouds, same yarn, different color selection) that are much softer on the skin. Caron Simply Soft is nice, too.
A friend of mine is allergic to anything synthetic, so I have to get cotton yarn for her — I’d use wool, but I’m allergic to that. If you are ok with other synthetic fibers, just switch to a softer yarn.
There are sooooo many yarns out there. There really isn’t just one good brand, it’s whatever YOU would like to use for your project. IMO most acrylic yarns are itchy. I still use them, because I don’t really mind & some are not so bad (I like the Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand). But when I’m making a gift for someone I try to get the nicest yarn I can afford. Go to your local yarn store to find a better selection. Just go around & touch stuff. Tell them what you’re making & ask for yarn suggestions. I love going to yarn stores, & I’ve yet to go to one where the staff is unfriendly.
Just go to google maps, type in your area, then click search nearby & type yarn. That should bring up some local yarn stores (LYS) in your area.
you can give mercerized cotton or bamboo a shot. They are softer and gentler. Also there is some merino wool that is used for making baby things, they are softer as well.
If you’re getting itchy from Red Heart, you’re probably allergic to the fibers. Red Heart is 100% acrylic, so it could be that you have an allergy to synthetic fibers. You’ll want to try to stay away from acrylics (at least high contents), and try to stick with more natural fibers. Bamboo, cotton, wool…these would be the best choices. Cotton and bamboo are both very soft, and bamboo has the added benefit of being naturally anti-bacterial in nature.
Best to hit the stores and check out the various options. Smaller yarn and knitting stores will have all kinds of specialty wools and cottons that can’t be found at your larger stores, and if you look on craigslist at all, you can usually find hand-spun wools and cottons for sale for pretty cheap there (the fun part on that is that you can get an entire cone (quite a lot of yarn as most cones are between 2 and 5 pounds of yarn), and all kinds of specialty colors you won’t find anywhere!)
Caron Simply Soft…sold at Walmart. Very inexpensive, very soft, and ecologically friendly. (something to do with recycled palstic bottles).
At a yarn store I just love Plymouth Brands yarn – encore. It’s about $5 to $6. I use that for gifts. I like that the yarn is really soft, beautiful colors, and the yarn doesn’t split.
Perhaps you are allergic. I purposefully do not buy wool. But I also think that Red Heart is scratchy. I only use it for blankets, afghans because they aren’t right against the skin. When I buy yarn I touch it to my neck…a very sensitive area to see if it itches.
It isn’t necessarily the brand of yarn I would be concerned with. It looks like you are sensitive to certain fibers. Look on the yarn label and try to avoid acrylic and wool. Some nylon can make you itch as well, but not as bad and it is very soft.
Both my sons and I are “yarn sensitive”. This is why I usually stick to cotton only on items which will touch our skin, including garments and afghans.
There are lots of different cotton yarns in all different price ranges. Some less expensive types are Lily – Sugar ‘n Cream, Peaches & Cream, and Kitchen Cotton by Lionbrand. All of these are worsted weight (same as the Red heart you have been using) and are usually available at Wal-Mart, Michaels Crafts Stores and Joann Fabrics. These yarns work up nicely.
If you would like a higher quality yarn for a finer hat or sweater, I really like Plymouth Fantasy Naturale Yarn. You can buy it online here:
http://www.herrschners.com/Product/Plymouth+Fantasy+Naturale+Yarn.aspx
It is a little more expensive, but it has more yards / ounces per skein than most cotton worsted yarns. I like it very much. It is cabled so it doesn’t shred, pill and split as easily as your lower end worsteds. Also, it has a slight sheen which is lovely.
Tahki Stacy Charles makes a good yarn called Cotton Classic. It comes in two weights – worsted and DK “double knitting” weights. DK is between worsted and sport. It is quite a bit more expensive, but, for hats you wouldn’t need a lot.
If you would like to try an even thinner choice, say a sportweight yarn, one I really recommend is Grace by Paton Yarns.
http://www.herrschners.com/Product/Patons+Grace+Yarn+1.aspx
Again, it is more expensive than your lower end cotton or acrylic yarns. But it is worth it if you want a garment which will turn out lovely with a fine hand. Cotton yarns which kind of shimmer are mercerized.
My very favorite cotton yarn is by Bernat and is called Cottontots. It is a larger worsted weight. The skeins are large in yardage as well. It is so soft, really nice to the touch. It is a baby yarn and comes in many pastels. But there are also some brighter colors as well, some varigateds, and some new country colors. I really like it and use it all the time.
http://www.bernat.com/product.php?LGC=cottontots&SPP=999
Make sure you don’t use too small of a hook when working with cotton. If you want garments to drape beautifully, use a slightly larger hook than called for on the label. Cotton shrinks a bit also. You might consider making it in one size larger to account for shrinkage.
Also, please allow me to give you another word of advice. Do NOT trust the knots that the manufacturer uses to join two ends in the skein. These knots are tiny and do NOT hold. If you are crocheting along and come upon a knot where two ends have been tied together, cut the yarn and join the new end just as if you are beginning a new skein of yarn. Leave at least an 8 inch tail and later weave it in with a darning needle, zigzagging back and forth on the back of the work. I took the easy way out a couple of times and learned my lesson the hard way! The baby afghan I had given as a gift had a big gaping hole in it after it was washed. How embarassing! I was able to fix it for her enough to use, but it never looked “perfect” after that.
Good luck!
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