yarn for projects/projects for yarn and Trio bag

[willowmom]

Hi everyone,

I’ll bet this question has come up, but I couldn’t find it so here I go…

As an inexperienced knitter I keep finding myself looking at patterns and wanting to use different yarns, or, finding yummy yarns and not sure how they would work with particular patterns. How do I figure out what works with what?

For example, I ordered online (and just received) some mohair yarn/bulky weight. It was very beautiful by it’s picture, and it’s very pretty sitting on my desk, but two things are troubling me about it. (1) I bought it to make a cable scarf for my husband, but not that I’m looking it it I wonder if you can do a cable with something hairy like that or if would just look weird, and (2) I find it to be a little itchy and don’t think the hubster would wear something that wasn’t soft and luscious.

Another example (not that you need one, but it’ll save me a different post). I’ve been wanting to make the Trio bag, but I don’t want to use the Trio yarn. I found something very beautiful and soft and I almost bought it, but than I started to wonder if I’d have the same results. Is the Trio yarn stiffer? Does the Trio bag actually maintain its round shape on its own if just sitting on a table? Would I achieve that same shape with a softer yarn?

I know one of the answers will be to look at the weight of the yarn (either name or number) but oftentimes, that information is not on the label.

This has been rattling in my mind for a while, but it took on a different level this weekend. I just finished my poncho that I have been working on for the last 2 months. I did knit a gauge, but I didn’t used the recommended yarn that had a little elastic in it. I just used cotton. It came out okay, but it’s about 2 times larger than I am. It’s supposed to sit off the shoulder, but it’s about 2 ft too large!!! Instead of casting on the suggested 252 sts, I should have done about 150 (and finished a month ago).

Is this too rambly? Is anyone following me?