Noro Kochoran

Kochoran
Noro Yarns
50% Wool, 20% Silk, 30% Angora
100 g = 176 yds
Gauge: 3.5 per inch on US needle size: 10
My color: 57
My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN


Finally, a soft yarn from Noro! I stand corrected. They CAN make a soft yarn. Obviously, the colors are gorgeous. I am very bothered my angora when I'm knitted, but this did not bother me at all. I really love the colors in this particular hank. However, as usual with Noro, I found a knot right away, which throws off the color patterning.

Ty-Dy Socks

Ty-Dy Socks
Knit One Crochet Too
80% wool/20% nylon
100 gr = 436 yards
Gauge: 34 sts per 4" on US size 1 (2.25mm) needles
My color: 1689 BUTTER BLUE

Interesting yarn with fairly long color repeats. The blending of colors is slightly different than Noro, with little bits of the other colors bleeped here and there before you get a full run of the next color. I actually knit this sock on a size 2 because that's what I had available at the time, and the fabric is nice and taut. Check out their range of colors. There are some really pretty ones.

Jo Sharp Classic DK Wool

Classic DK Wool
Jo Sharp
100% Pure Wool
50g = 107 yds
Gauge: 22.5 sts and 30 rows to 4 in. using US size 6 needle
My color: Smoke 339
My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Pattern Stitch: Baudelaire, by Cookie A., Knitty.com Summer 2006

A sturdy yarn, this one comes in quite an array of colors, and would be great for color work. It is somewhat stiff in the ball, but may soften up after washing. Its crispness would make it great for cables.

Hi Ho Taiyo

Taiyo

Noro Yarns

40% Cotton, 30% Silk, 15% Wool, 15% Nylon

100 g=220 yds

Gauge: 4-4.5 on US Needle size: 7-8

My Color: 4

My Source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

My Pattern: Aria by Lynne Barr from her book, Knitting New Scarves

Another lovely blend of colors by Noro. The yarn is soft, but there were several little colorful stick-like things stuck in here and there. I just pulled them out as I came to them. This little scarf-ette swatch was fun to do. If you haven't seen Lynne Barr's book, I suggest you check it out. Very interesting.

Elsebeth Lavold Angora

Angora
Elsebeth Lavold
60% Angora, 20% Wool, 20% Polyamide
50g = 91 yds.
Gauge: 17 sts /4" on US 7-8 needles
My Color: 026 Citric
My Source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

I expected this yarn to be limpy and wimpy, as some angora yarns can be. However, it was surprisingly robust. It made a nice, thick swatch, and I can definitely see it in a very cozy cardigan, or a hat and gloves for a nice warm winter set.

Rowan Tapestry

Tapestry

Rowan Yarns

70% wool and 30% soybean protein fiber

50 Grams=131 Yards

Gauge: 5.5sts per 1" #6 US needle

My Color: 172

My Source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

One of my pet peeves: knots in balls of yarn. Within 5 rows of knitting 22 stitches, I encountered my first knot in this ball. Still, the colors are beautiful, the hand is soft and comfortable, and the sheen is lovely. If you don't like Edamame, you can get your soybeans in your yarn!

Noro Kureyon

Kureyon

Noro

Fiber: 100% Wool

Yardage: 110

Gauge: 5 st per inch on US needle size: 7

My color: #188 - Moss, Purples, Navy, Black, Pink

My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

I made this sweater to match the Kureyon socks I made. This is a medium soft wool of beautiful colors, but unfortunately, it has slubs of unspun fiber along the way. To manage these slubs, I just wet those spots and rubbed the heck out of them between my hands to felt them down to the same size as the rest of the yarn.

Tonalita, Tonalita, Men Have Named You

Tonalita
Trendsetter Yarns
52% Wool, 48% Acrylic
50 gr = +/- 100 yards
Gauge: 4.5sts = 1" on US #9 needles
Non-Felting
My Color: 2348 Sunset
Retail price: $7.95


This is really a beautiful yarn, very soft and nice to work with. I enjoyed the changing colors, and the way the solids melded together as a strand of each was spun together, then changed to the next color singularly. I was surprised to learn that a yarn this soft had acrylic in it, but that may, indeed, be part of what makes it so soft. Unfortunately for you felters out there, it's also what makes it unfeltable. It's against-the-skin-soft, though, so it would be great for a scarf, sweater, hat, or even mittens.

Homespun?

Homespun Silk

Great Adirondack Yarn Co.

50 % silk, 50 % wool

220 yards

Gauge: 4 stiches =1" on US size 9 needle

Retail price: $37.00

This yarn is as lovely to work with as it is to look at. The colors are amazing, and it shows no signs of being "homespun." It would make a gorgeous summer top or shawl.

Drops Dead Gorgeous

Left to right: Muskat Color 22 w/ Vivaldi Color 13; Muskat Color 22 w/ Vivaldi Color 8; Safran Color 01 w/ Vivaldi Color 8; Safran Color 01 w/ Vivaldi Color 13



Left to right: Cotton Viscose Color 12 w/ Vivaldi Color 13; Cotton Viscose Color 12 w/ Vivaldi Color 8; Cotton Viscose Color 12 w/ Vivaldi Color 18; Safran Color 50 w/ Vivaldi Color13; Safran Color 50 w/ Vivaldi Color 8



Left to right: Cotton Viscose Color 12 w/ Vivaldi Color 13; Cotton Viscose Color 12 w/ Vivaldi Color 8; Cotton Viscose Color 12 w/ Vivaldi Color 18



Left to right: Safran Color 50 w/ Vivaldi Color13; Safran Color 50 w/ Vivaldi Color 8



Left to right: Safran Color 01 w/ Vivaldi Color 8; Safran Color 01 w/ Vivaldi Color 13


Left to right: Muskat Color 22 w/ Vivaldi Color 13; Muskat Color 22 w/ Vivaldi Color 8

Muskat
Garnstudio
100% Egyptian mercerized cotton
50g = 100m/109 yds
Gauge: 21 sts x 28 rows = 10x10cm on European needle size 4,
Retail price: $6.50

Safran
Garnstudio
100% Egyptian cotton
50g = 160m
Gauge: 23 sts x 30 rows = 10x10cm on needle size 3.5mm
Retail price: $6.95

Cotton Viscose
Garnstudio
54% Egyptian Cotton, 46% viscose
50g = 110m
Gauge: 23 sts x 30 rows = 10x10cm on needle size 2.5-3.5mm
Retail price $8.50

Vivaldi
Garnstudio
Solid colours: 58% mohair, 19% wool, 23% polyamid.
50g = 280m.
Blends (Vivaldi Special): 76% mohair, 4% wool, 20% polyamid.
50g = 200m,
Gauge: 19 sts x 26 rows = 10x10cm on needle size 4
Retail price: $12.50


So many Drops patterns call for these yarns to be combined, that I thought it might be nice to show how they look when you put them together. I really like the way it makes a totally new fabric. I wish I'd thought of that....

Yarnden of Eden

Eden
The Fibre Co.
20% French Angora 48% Tussah Silk 32% Fine Wool
50 gr = 60 yds
Gauge: 3.5 stitches per inch on US size 10 needles
My color: White
My source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $25.20

This is my new favorite yarn. I will definitely be making a sweater with this stuff. It is like being wrapped up in the softest bunny crossed with the most luscious little lamb you've ever felt. I can't say enough good things about this one!

Where'd You Get Those Peepers?

Sanctuary

Alchemy Yarns
70% wool, 30% silk
Gauge: 6 stitches = 1" on US needle size:5
50 gr = 125 yds
My Color: 08c Sierra
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $29.40
Tilli Thomas Eyeglass Case

I guess I should have had some eyeglasses on while I was knitting this, because the yarn was a bit smaller than the recommended Tilli Thoms Simply Heaven, thus, my case looks a little puny. But at least you get to see what the pretty Alchemy yarn looks like. Like everything else Alchemy I've used, this stuff was great. It feels like heaven while you're knitting it, and continues to do so as a fabric. There are many, many colors to choose from, so don't let the brown get you down.

Loopy: Who Knew?

Above: Before felting 9 1/2" x 5 3/4"
Below: After felting 6 3/4" x 3 1/2"

Loopy
Prism Yarns
74% rayon, 26% wool
2 oz, 58 yds
Gauge 12 sts = 4" on US # 11 needle before felting

From the Prism Yarns website: "Loopy is a great new yarn consisting of a wool core surrounded by rayon boucle. The wool is dyed one solid color, then the rayon is dyed in multi-colors. While it makes a very nice fabric just knitted, once it is felted the real magic happens! The wool core shrinks considerably, forming a nice dense felt, and the rayon loops are contracted and captured, obscuring the individual rows and stitches. The over-all feel is that of Persian Lamb. Try this on your favorite felted bag pattern--you'll love it."

My Color: Peacock
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $15.75

I didn't even know this stuff felted till I started writing this review and checked out the Prism Yarns website. I chose the yarn because it is so beautiful. I wanted it while it was still in the box at the yarn shop. It was great to knit with, and makes a very quick fabric on size 11's. It felted very quickly in my front loader with a tennis ball smacking it around. As you can see, it shrinks considerably, but the beauty of it is, if you knit a bag with this, you only need the one yarn, and voila! You have a beautiful purse when you're done felting.

Elen Cashmere

Elen Cashmere

Filatura di Crosa

25% Cashmere, 35% Extra Fine Wool, 5% Silk, 35% Viscose

Gauge: 5.5 sts per inch on 5-6 US needles

50g = 146 yds

My color: 6

My source: The Knit-Stop, Indianapolis, IN

Retail price: $19.75

Stitch pattern: Moorish Lattice, from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, p. 232

This yarn looks lovely when knitted, and has a drape that would be wonderful in a shawl. This pattern is reversible, so it would make a great scarf, too. The cashmere would give it nice warmth, along with the wool. I think the silk could just as well have been left out of this one, as it didn't add much to the yarn, in my opinion. You don't get the usual sheen of silk with it, and though this effect virtually disappears from view once knitted, while unknitted, the tiny thread of silk running through it makes the yarn look a bit scraggly up close. Mind you, this is unnoticable once you knit it, but I like my yarn to look pretty just sitting there waiting to be knitted, too, since most of it is (waiting, that is!).

Silke-Tweed

Silke-Tweed
Garnstudio
52% Silk, 48% Lambswool
50 g = 200 m./218 yards
My Color: 15
My source: The Knit-Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $13.50
Stitch pattern: From Garnstudio's Drops pattern, Short-sleeved Lace Cardigan in Silke-Tweed

Personally, I don't care for this one. It was as rough as a cob to knit with, though I should be happy that I got a free exfoliation treatment for my hands while using it. I'm not into knitting with Brillo pads, so I don't think I'll be using this one. I will withhold further judgement till I see how it looks after blocking.

Update: Well it is prettier and softer after blocking, I must say. It would probably make a nice, lightweight top or shawl.