Acrylic Yarn...

[kittiminx]

I must say i've never used acrylic to make a FO, my mum taught me to knit and she didn't have acrylics in her stash (but she did have a silk/linen blend destined for a sweater that i used to make a scarf with, which i had no idea was so expensive until mum saw me wearing it - she forgave me tho) (i think... :thinking: hmmmm)
however, i am curious about the caron simply soft, it does sound nice and i don't really have the budget to knit big things out of the yarn i like

[geekgolightly]

i just bought simply soft for a hat and it is dreamy

[quirky]

Personally I love to knit with natural wool. Some projects just dont look or feel right in anything less. (knitpicks has great prices)

But I have to agree with the rest of ya - acrylics are great for most projects. They cant be beat for softness (most) and easy care. Also availability is a big factor. I know I can always get more yarn of the right color if I use the readily available acrylics. But the wools? Its a nearly impossible to buy more if you dont get enough the first round (happens to us all) and I have a good long drive to nearest yarn shop. I dont want to spend 2 hours of my day to find I cant get what I need.

[Mienna]

My Mom crochets all of her stuff in acrylic (she just got some wool last night for the first time to crochet and felt a purse), so that's what I use for knitting and I like it, once it's washed once it's not scratchy at'll. I've had some blankets she made for us out of it for years and I love 'em and so do my cats. I'm glad they're mostly made out of a the Red Heart 'cause of it had cost anymore I would prolly cry when my cats played on them and got claws caught in 'em.

Holly

[knittingdoula]

Ok. at the risk of sounding like a total yarn snob, I have to say I generally wouldn't touch the stuff. I am a major wool fanatic and love the way it keeps me so warm and comfy. There is no doubt that I'm majorly lucky to be able to afford the wool, but I'd rather have less wool than more yarn, generally.

Having said that, I in NO WAY transfer that snobbishness to other knitters. If you want to knit with part wool, part acrylic, all acrylic, heck, all YAK hair, go for it. I just love to see people enjoy knitting.

I've only met one acrylic I like, and it's a lovely, soft yarn at Michael's. Maybe I should buy a couple of skeins and see if I like knitting with it before I dismiss wool so easily. I just hate Red Heart stuff - not my taste.

So there ya go.

Alison

[Ingrid]

Alison, I'm curious. What do you use for all the baby things you make?

[punkhippiemom]

...and what is this lovely soft acrylic at Michael's?


I would love to knit with all yak hair....

[witis1]

So, before I was converted to eBay, I was busily knitting whatever people gave to me out of their old yarn stashes, lots of acrylic. Now I am swimming in huge spools of alpaca purchased inexpensively and deliriously happy with my FOs. It's so soft and warm and lovely. It feels like cashmere for 1/5 the price (often less than wool, certainly less than I would pay in any store). I'm working a project now in pure alpaca fiber for $1.85 per 50g length including shipping!!! (purchased in bulk, waited for the right lot).
notes on eBay: always use sellers with a strong feedback rating, scrutinize the shipping cost and use the advanced search option to see how much similar items have gone for over the past 6 months to get a fair price!!

but for easy wash items I may return to acrylic. Modern Science is a wonderful thing!

whit

[dustinac]

I still use acrylics.. I do like the Encore DK cause its in my budget so when I go to the LYS thats usually what I buy... My grandmother crochets and only uses Red Heart... I want to make lap afghans for the grandmothers this Christmas and I may use red heart... it just depends with me if I can get to the LYS if I can only go to wally world thats ok too...

[Cristy]

Alison...where did you go...we are waiting in suspense to find out about this soft acrylic at Michaels...do tell....