Guy's Sweater Yarn

[GlenBoRTR]

I've decided to make the leap into men's sweaters... :XY: I'm a bit nervous , but I've got you guys for advice (if I get stuck!)

I want to make something that I'll actually wear, so I really need some assistance with yarn. There are a few types that I saw on KnitPicks, but was a bit unsure. What's your opinion??? What should I be looking for in yarn for a guy's sweater? ((I thought about Andean Silk, Elegance, Ambrosia, or Elegance)) ~~I was hoping to keep my costs down, since this is my first sweater~~

Also, I was looking at the Leo pattern, but suggestions on a nice sweater would be great too!!

[punkhippiemom]

Love that Leo sweater - very nice...
I know that my DH prefers cotton sweaters - they're sturdy, they don't itch, and they're not (as he puts it) "all fluffy and stuff." (Imagine this said in a tone of utter repulsion! ) You can get Sugar n Cream on the cone cheaply, and dye it whatever color you want (this is the route I will go if I ever make DH a sweater) but it does show all of those 'hand-knit design features' pretty clearly, and it only comes in worsted weight.

[MaryS]

Glen,

That LEO pattern is great, and the one I picked out to knit for DS for Xmas. He was very specific that it NOT have cables (I made both his sisters Aran sweaters) or color work. :(

I haven't experimented with yarn yet, but from the gauge it looks like a DK or sport weight would probably work. Size 3 and 4 needles = LOTS of stitches.

I'll probably use a wool/cotton blend (superwash if I can find one I like, because a college freshman throws everything in the washer and dryer), or Woolease sport which washes and dries very well.

I wouldn't do this sweater in 100% cotton because cotton doesn't have enough 'bounce' and it's likely to pull out of shape. You could go with an acrylic with some wool or cotton in it. There are some that are very soft.

A lot of the yarn manufacturer's websites ie: bernat, lion, paton, plymouth have a yarn selector tool where you can select a gauge and it will give you a list of yarns which knit to that gauge.

If washability isn't an issue then there's SO many choices, but to keep the cost down I'd go with something from Knitpicks. Get KellyK to feel her color cards for you :rofling:

Let us know what you decide on

Happy Knitting :XY: :XY: :XY:
Mary

[dustinac]

:thinking: punkhippiemom I didn't know I could dye it wow you just solved a problem for me.. I have a pattern for cotton but my lys doesn't sell it plus cost and everything I was like boy wish I could use Sugar n' Creme.. didn't give it a second glance but now I can make it with that.. what can you dye it with? Koolaid like regular?? :D


I really like that Sweater I start my first one next month taking a class.. I'm anxious to start though cause it really skeers me I got the pattern and it looked like greek!! LOL can't wait Isaiah (my son) gets to pick out his colors next weekend for it so I'll be prolly making a bright orange and lime green sweater his favorite colors but he will be so happy he picked them out that its worth it :D

[punkhippiemom]

Unfortunately, you can't dye cotton with Kool-Aid (or so I've heard, haven't tried it) so I was just going to get some Rit...there are a lot of ways to dye with natural stuff if you're adventurous, like beet juice and tea, etc... :thinking: I've been wanting to dye with beet juice, accidentally spilled some on my white shirt when I was waitressing, and loved the color -and it doesn't come out - trust me!
I know the SnC won't work too well with Leo because of the ribbing and all, but my DH is a stockinette guy all the way - none of that fancy stuff for him... no stripes, no cables, no fuzzy comfy yarns, just plain ol' cotton in stockinette (I went through his drawers, and all of his sweater are just like that... one has a stripe of chenille, and one is a poly-cotton blend, but other than that... BO-ring :rollseyes: ) which is probably why I'll never make him a sweater, in spite of my determination to do so...

[Ingrid]

Take a look at the Plymouth Encore dk. There are a lot of colors and it's easy care and inexpensive.

[dustinac]

:thinking: ohh thank you thats what I'm making my son's out of the DK.. I need a lesson on yarns what you can substiute for this and that lol so poor Brendajosos quits getting posts with umm I wanna make this what yarn can I use??


I do tea dye and coffee dye.. I love primitive items so when I was selling primitive pillows and tea towels the grubby they looked the better they sold...

[brendajos]

yeah especially since i am mostly just guessing in my answers...lol

[feministmama]

Unfortunately, you can't dye cotton with Kool-Aid

I dyed some cotton with Kool aid. I recycled a J Crew cotton sweater and did a test swatch. I soaked it all day in the hot sun and it wasn't super deep color (I didn't use that much anyway) but it is now blue when it was once white (or natrual) I made sure I washed it with a little soap first and added the kool aid when it was still wet. I read somewhere that helps.

Also I went to an Anny Blatt trunk show yesterday and there was a "man's" sweater made in something called Ksar I think that was really nice and washable. Lemme see if I can find a link.

[feministmama]

Here it is:

http://www.marie-laine.com/index.php...b5386ef4b62a9a

click on the picture of the guy on the right.