What type of yarn...?

Curlykat · 11-13-2005, 10:44 PM

I'm almost done my first project - a little dishcloth!! I'm feeling confident, so I want to try to knit DH a scarf like this, but am unsure as to what type of yarn I need to buy...

It doesn't necessarily have to be organic cotton or anything like that, but I do like that it's a slub yarn (website's words, not mine, so I don't know if that's the correct terminology). So, do I buy worsted weight, chunky, sport or what????

Help please!!

brendajos · 11-14-2005, 04:13 AM

well i think you could use pretty much any thick/thin yarn you want to. not sure there is much of that at most Hobby Lobby/Michael's type stores. Think you would have to either go to a LYS or find some online. My natural inclination would be to say noro kureyon but i am not sure that would be ideal for hubby.

Ingrid · 11-14-2005, 04:21 AM

http://www.yarndex.com/yarn.cfm?yarn_id=2268

Here's another you could check out.

Curlykat · 11-14-2005, 04:56 PM

So, it sounds like basically, I can choose any yarn I want??? The pattern says that I should use size 6 needles. Does that kind of indicate that the yarn I choose should be a little on the thinner size? Can you knit with thick/chunky yarn on small needles?

On the topic of needles, do you have any recommendations for what type of needle I should get? Circular, DPN, regular ones?? Metal, plastic, bamboo?? It seems like circular needles are more multi-purpose, as you can knit little things, as well as big things that you would actually need the wire part for. Am I correct in thinking this??

Everyone on this site is so great, with lots of super advice!! Thank you very much!

brendajos · 11-14-2005, 05:26 PM

you CAN knit thick/bulky yarns on small needles but it will be super tight and i imagine it would be fairly easy to abandon the work out of frustration if the needles are too small.

as far as what kind of needles to use, that is a personal preference kinda thing. when i started, i used bamboo pretty exclusively. i hated the plastic i bought and for some reason was just kind of opposed to the metal ones. then i bought an interchangeable set of boye needles and fell in love with how easy it is to move hte work on metal. i almost never use my bamboos now and actually look for reasons to use the Addis i bought to fill in where the boyes don't have needles. i am getting a set of Denise's for christmas and something tells me i will almost never use my boye sets after i get them! :rollseyes:

so that being said, if you can do it, i would suggest getting a pair of each that you think you may want and give them a try. use them on the same type of yarn so you can make a fair assessment. (for example if you try wool on the bamboos and ribbon on the metal the decision may not be a fair one because yarn doesn't move quite as easily on bamboo because it isn't as slippery {this makes it great for the new knitter!} while metal slips very easily so the ribbon would easily fall off the metal!) See which one YOU like best and then go from there!