These reviews are really helpful for people like me. I live in a teeny tiny remote town in the Canadian Arctic, with zero places to buy yarn for about 1,000 kms (about 620 miles, for my American friends), and even then it’s a plane ride! Basically I have three options for buying yarn: 1. wait until I get to civilization so k can feel it myself; 2. only buy super expensive, high end yarns online that I know will be fantastic; or 3. find a cadre of people that I can trust who give honest reviews. That’s where you come in. I have found you to be honest, intelligent, and just so much fun; like the kind of person I look for in a friend - I honestly think if we met, we could have some laughs over coffee and stitching! Thank you Toni, as this kind of advice is really helpful for me. We don’t have Joann’s stores here in Canada (as far as I know), but with online shopping, that is less of a hinderance than it used to be. Have a lovely day❣️
wanted to reply since i find it interesting to see someone in remote Canada. isnt often you read a comment like this online. finally someone i can somewhat relate to in that respect. im not in the far north, but in northern manitoba, so close in a sense. there are roads for travelling but not much in terms of shopping. there is nowhere to buy yarn locally, however there is a walmart thats over an hour away. its the only place to buy yarn in the area from what i know. theres one local store that sometimes has yarn, but its just a couple baskets off to the corner and usually just cheap stuff. we had a tiny craft store for many years but it shut down during covid sadly. if it werent for online shopping, there would be very few options or none at all. even just to pick up the mail at the post office its a 20 min drive. we need to go to the post office to get all our mail, even bills etc. they dont deliver it to the door.
Wow! I find that fascinating. What different lives we probably lead (I'm in southern US) yet here we are, united by a shared hobby and interest. I love it. ❤
I made a huge blanket for a friend with the Big Twist rainbow and surprisingly, I found it far softer than Red Heart, etc. Also I love that their rainbow actually has purple in it.
I made a cardigan for my partner using what I call the not so Trans flag 😅 she was also a little dissatisfied with the color mixing rather then actual flag order but I absolutely loved working with it I found it to be softer then big twists normal kinds
New Colorama has gone to Joann first to stock their stores before going to online warehouses that serve Yarnspirations fulfillment on their website. Priority is always given to retail stores to ensure enough quantity before Yarnspirations puts it on their site. So it’s not a case of Yarnspirations not having faith in the product, it’s about stock volume. There are others yarns just releasing at Joann that Yarnspirations doesn’t have on website yet as well. Some yarns are given exclusivity to retailer for a small window of time as well.
I love that you give suggestions for yarns that people may have bought even if you don’t love it! It can be so hard to use something you know won’t work out.
Do be warned! After working with K&C for a while in a project, I began to hate it. While it was soft, and had good stitch definition, this yarn strips your hands of moisture like nobody’s business. I had to moisturize my hands every other row and there was a dry and raggedy strip of skin on my finger from how I hold the yarn in my off-hand. It might be good for weaving, but I’m left with half a project I can’t finish without hurting myself.
@@TheMaddestHatter234 I've noticed that a lot of people have a problem working with cotton. Either I haven't worked with it enough or I'm unaffected because not even kitchen cotton bothers me but thanks for the heads up.
@@tinahairston6383 normally I love working with cotton, even kitchen cottons - lily sugar and cream cotton was one of the first yarns I learned to stitch with and I’ve never had any issues with it, drops saffron is a mainstay of my stash, juniper moons farm nimbus is one of my favorite yarns, and I’ve worked with other cotton yarns as well - K&C is the only one I’ve had this issue with
I made a sweater with K&C essentials earlier this year and it’s the best yarn I’ve worked with so far but I’m poor so I’ve primarily used acrylic yarns all my time crafting. That being said my only con is my sweater is really heavy but it is so soft and doesn’t pill the way acrylic does
I see two yarns I love in the thumbnail, and now I’m nervous 😬 Update: My fave got 10/10. Yay! Though I was a little bummed by the low score on big twist living. I’ve liked it for hats and scarves. The pride colors being out of order made them feel like subtle pride flags to me, like for people who aren’t safe to come out but still want to have their colors, but I can see why it might also bother some people.
Being a stocker at Joann, I was ecstatic when I opened up a tote full of K&C Essentials! Even being a huge novice when it comes to yarn, I could tell it was gorgeous! Speaking of the O'Go format being "retired" this year, I cannot wait until it is out of my store. The packaging fails so frequently and just can't be put back together the way it was, and even the intact ones have a footprint which makes it hard to keep a large amount looking nice on the shelves. Cakes and traditional skeins are just so much easier to wrestle with.
I think it's noteworthy to remember that these yarns are reviewed by *crocheting* yarn snob. As a knitter _and_ crocheter (and fellow certified yarn snob) myself, I know that there are yarns that just lend themselves better for knitting than for crocheting, and vice versa. For example, not knowing anything else about the Caron Colorama Halo and just looking at it here, I know I wouldn't even think of crocheting anything with it, but I can see it working up nicely in a simple knit stitch.
yeah, i saw that granny square with the Colorama Halo and cringed. Like, oof. i get being a master in one thing or the other, but at least level your advice or reviews by saying so.
It's definitely better for knitting than crocheting, but this is a crochet channel and I don't expect the yarn to be reviewed for knitting. Most knitters who crochet will know it's a better knitting yarn.
Agreed for the most part. I would rather knit it than crochet it, but if I was going to crochet it a granny square would be the last thing I’d have chosen to test it on.
I'm a trans man who is getting back into crochet - and i had to subscribe after seeing how you gave such an unbiased review about a yarn that features pride flags. At first i was wondering if you knew youd gotten pride flag yarn - but once you said you did and gave such thoughtful feedback... it was such a nice change to all of the direct and indirect insults to my community that i see more often than not these days. Thank you
I actually love that the Big Twist yarn is out of order. I've used them a few times for subtle pride items because i live in a conservative area. Obviously, bigots will recognize the rainbow, but the others are subtle enough that even my ally friends don't immediately recognize them. I have a lesbian cardigan that I wear as like a signal for the girls that get it lol
yeah i agree, i love that big twist has it out of order. like, if I'm going to make a pride flag in order, im going to put in the time and money and buy the skeins in the colors i need to make it in order LOL.
Colouramma is fantastic for sweaters or cardigans! If you stick to simple stitches and shapes, it works very well. I'm currently wearing a basic sweater in the colour Silver and Gold.
There is totally a difference between a sad Joann's and "one of those NICE Joann's"... when you go to one you haven't been to before, you don't know which you'll get
First video i've seen from this channel, and wow! What a good first impression! You're knowledgable and passionate about the topic without being condesending or losing someone with less experience, easy to understand, and honest with reviews. I especially appreciated the suggestions for projects, im a fairly new knitter and i always struggle to think of what to make with the yarns i find! You're making me want to get back into fiber arts, work be damned!
The K&C Essentials cotton is the best big box store cotton yarn I’ve ever tried. It reminds me of the Hobbii rainbow or friends cotton but with much more per skein. I really hope they continue this line with new colors each season!
Ong I love Colorama halo. I made a gorgeous baby blanket with it and it turned out so gorgeous. I hope they don't discontinue it, but I wish there were more color ways
Thank you so much for your videos. Not only are they informative and helpful but your format, tone and just overall sweetness make them wonderfully relaxing for those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety. Blessings...
I appreciate the note on the Pride flags. When companies get allyship right, it is great. When they get it wrong (often) they get it very very very wrong.
But sometimes isn't a rainbow just a rainbow? I'm confused that they would deserve criticism over this. I don't believe they advertised the yarns as any kind of representation. Aren't people getting upset over assumptions? Maybe I'm wrong.
@@aksez2u The Pride Flags are often very important to the people who they have meaning for. And a number of indie Yarns have made very good (but expensive) correctly color ordered yarns. So it would be great to have a major brand with Pride support for Ace, Lesbian, etc. But most brands would not necessarily advertise as such, because of Bud Light fears of response. So to attempt to get Close but Wrong smacks of trying to capitalize on the desires of a marginalized community while not respecting them.
@@thewildetyme1112 The limited collection itself is entirely made from the colors of the various pride flags with no non-Pride deviations. These colors popped up just before Pride month (quietly, might I add), and they're limited availability. It's very common for businesses to not explicitly name these color combinations after the LGBTQIA+ community for both legal and safety reasons for themselves and their consumers. So just because they weren't named after Pride flags doesn't mean they were not intentionally designed for Pride. There are plenty of rainbow-esque yarn brands where their collections are designed off of other themes (candy, fruits, vacation destinations, etc). You have to look at the collection as a whole and not just the one rainbow color to determine the collection's intention.
Also working on a blanket with it and I love it, it’s sooooo soft. I tried a few different stitches before settling on a moss stitch because that seems to work up the best.
I loooove the Caron colorama! I’m using the solid white to make clouds on a sweater I’m crocheting. The halo makes for the most beautiful soft cloud shape. ☁️
Caron Halo yarn: I| made a large queen-sized blanket, all in half double crochet (the lightness and softness screamed high end luxury) with 8 donuts when this yarn came out in the donut style last year. I love how slippery the yarn is when doing the same stitch over and over. My family all flipped and wanted a blanket in this yarn too so I had to buy up all the remaining donuts I could find for $5 when Joann discounted them in fall/winter 2023.
I’m quite pleased that the title of this video is at least partially clickbait. I know a lot of people (especially in my knitting group) who are super snobbish about yarns made of synthetics or purchased from Michaels or Joann’s. If I’m making a sweater, it’s just prohibitively expensive to use yarn which costs $20 or more per hank! I also remember my grandma, who knit constantly and beautifully, and always used the huge skeins of red heart. I have a couple sweaters of hers which are probably thirty years old and get washed in the machine and they are still perfect.
Oh I see Caron colorama halo in that thumbnail 😮 I love that yarn and just made a beautiful cardigan and matching scarf with it 😂😂😂 but everyone is entitled to enjoy what yarn they enjoy. Just leaves more for me 😂❤
I just started Susan Kennedy’s Gateway Blanket using Colorama Halo in the Tin & Tan color-way and it is gorgeous. Changed to a wooden hook makes it easier. 😊
I just finished using the Caron Colorama Halo last night to crochet my first poncho. 2 skeins were enough for a nice sized poncho, 3 were more than enough for it to be a little more oversized. I absolutely love it. The gradient is so pretty (I used the colour rosemary frost) and it works up so soft and warm. It's literally like a fluffy blanket for my shoulders. I'll definitely be buying more, it's just a shame it's a little expensive here in Australia ($16.50 per skein)
I'm still looking for a poncho pattern I like, but I think that yarn would be great for a poncho or a sweater. I'm not a fan of the granny square because it is so holey, but when she did it in this yarn, it filled the holes. That's a plus for me.
10/10 for a COTTON yarn?! from Toni?! Who would have thought we’d ever see the day :0 also, I really loved your note re: the lack of mindfulness with the Pride yarns - the flags are designed the way they are for a reason!! such a shame Big Twist dropped the ball :((
@@averytroester7364 it's incredible for any garments or accessories that will be touching your skin, especially for summer wear. it has the breathability of cotton without the stiffness and scratchiness of other cottons of a comparable price point (it's actually a good chunk cheaper than ones like lily sugar n cream). I cannot overstress how soft it is; at first I didn't even believe it was cotton. I've only ever seen it in white, black, baby blue, and baby pink, but I work mostly in white black and pink so it was fantastic
@@averytroester7364 I use it for tops mostly! I tried making dish cloths and it didn’t work-I think it’s mercerized, so it doesn’t absorb water very well. But I made a cute bralette that’s so soft!!
As a crochet newbie and a recovering "my mother taught me to knit with the cheapest yarn possible" gal, I really appreciate how concise and clearly you describe the things you like and don't like about the kinds of yarn. It's really helpful for me since I'm not at all familiar with store bought brands and their quality yet, so having a guideline for what to reach for first is helpful.
I had been eyeing the K&C Essentials for a while because, like you said, those colors are so dreamy. Before I even watched this video, I finally broke down and bought 4 skeins (cream, light teal, orange, and yellow) with plans to make the Tobago bag! I guess it was just meant to be 😊 Thank you for continuing to put out amazing content ❤
Just wanted to thank you for doing these reviews. As someone who gets overwhelmed in the big box stores with all the options, these really help get the best without wasting money on the trial and error.
I adore your videos so much. As a relatively experienced crocheter who still gets lost from time to time I find your comments and suggestions beyond helpful. Also I wish you were my neighbor - I can so see myself sitting across from you on my porch with a pot of tea between us chatting about a audio book we just finished while working on a blanket. You are so approachable and kind. I appreciate all the time you put in to share tips and reviews . Thank you very very much.
I looooove the colorama yarn! It's so hard to find mohair-esque yarn at Joann. I personally use it for clothing and it works up gorgeously. 10/10 I just wish they had more colors
I've been crocheting for decades and its my opinion given the competition especially among yarn companies here and abroad, it's all about making money. The yarn prices have increaed tremendously, with less yardage and making crochet projects expensive to make. With some yarn manufacturers the quality is not there. When you consider the time it takes to make a project, to end up tossing it out because of it being junk-make me NOT a happy person. Thank you for the review. Was very helpful.
Totally agree. I crochet and knit. I'll never never use any synthetic yarn or thread. I'm not going to spend weeks making gorgeous handmade lace with junk. Crochet cotton, DMC is the only choice. I have some from a thrift store, unused, that is almost 100 years old and in perfect condition. Found some vintage linen online that was near 20$ a spool, but it's not made any more and as strong as steel wire. I love working with wool too... love the feeling of following in the footsteps of our ancestors. We've been wearing wool, cotton and linen for thousands of years. And silk/wool blends make stunning luxurious scarves.
I love halo. I am making a Tunisian crochet baby blanket, and I love the way the colors transition into each other. I am a true yarn snob and I like this yarn. By the way, I have been recommending your channel to a lot of people. You are like the Tunisian queen.
I looked at it in the store and thought it looked and felt really nice. Anymore some of the reviews on these bigger crochet channels seem unauthentic. Idk.
I have followed your suggestions in buying yarns that you love in the past, and I have always loved them too, so thank you for that! BUT, one of my favorite yarns is Colorama Halo! You are right in that it doesn't show stitch definition well, but I love the perfect ombre effect and super soft fuzzy nature of this yarn. I have bought over 30 skeins of it now (on sale or with coupons at JoAnn) and am making afghans for myself and 3 grown kids, as well as a shawl for my mother. My first projects were hats and scarves made on the Addi knitting machine and absolutely loved them - but again, I was not concerned with the stitch definition at all in these projects. I initially tried it because Bag-O-Day raved about it in one of her videos, so I had to try it and it's still one of my favorite yarns and it's much better in these large cakes than those silly O'go things! I appreciate all your videos!!
I have used the Colorama Halo yarn & it made a lovely & super soft baby blanket using a simple half double stitch in rows. The color change blend is lovely & subtle, so I really like this yarn! 🥰
I'm actually a MASSIVE fan of the Forever Fleece! It's so soft and warm! I made a hat out of it that kept my ears nice and toasty all winter. But, in all fairness, I knit the hat, and I used two of the solid colors to make it, which miiiiight affect my opinion- stitch definition wasn't as important, and I didn't have to worry about color striping or the like.
I see what looks like the Big Living rainbow yarn in the preview. Watching this during the premiere, so I don't know yet what Toni thinks of it. But: I personally really liked this yarn. I made a hexi-cardigan out of the sapphic colourway, and am currently working out a blanket from all of the pride related colourways. I found the colours really nice, and texture wise a standard acrliyc. edit now having got to that part of the video: I did notice that the colours weren't in the same order as some of the flags, but that didn't really bother me. I took these yarns as more of "inspired by" the flags, rather than intending to replicate them. I also haven't had any issue with washing my cardigan - I DID get issues with the dye lot variations, but with the projects I choose these yarns for, it didn't matter to me personally
same, I really like how the colors are out of order, especially with the trans and lesbian flags. they're already so aesthetically pleasing, the colors look great. it's perfect for subtle pride accessories/clothes!
I really loved the Big Twist Living yarn. I made a sweater for a friend and it was so fun to work with. I had no trouble with the colors matching, and I washed and dried mine and it did not pill.
Congratulations for the 200K on Instagram! It's great that this time the video premier is in Monday, way more comfortable day for me to come! Thankfully to the concert, I hope you got lots of fun there! 💖
This is the first for me to comment on TH-cam. I loved your tutorial with hooks, yarns, how to connect the last string , how. To connect Granny squares . How to store these items . You are very easy to listen to and watch . Thank you , Brenda N. ❤
I used the Big Twist Living in the Trans colors for my transwonderful niece going to university this month. I loved how it worked, but I totally agree with the order issue. I made her mother a shawl in the rainbow pride and yeah it was all over the place with the colors and the distance on how how long each color was made me a bit crazy. The end products were nice but I wished they'd been more consistent.
Yea i was excited to have bi, trans, and nonbinary yarns, I kinda rolled my eyes at the order but I've also seen yarns that follow the flags and I didn't like how it turned out. Tbh I was just so happy to find it's a year round colorway and wasn't temporary
Thanks for reviewing these. I did a successful no buy 2022 because my stash was ridiculous. Then I was so used to stash busting I didn’t buy yarn in 2023 to date! Now I’ve been shopping around I’m gobsmacked at how much yarn prices have increased I. Just 1.5 years. Wow!!!
I would love to see you review glow in the dark yarn! I just recently found your videos and fell in love with how amazing they are! As a beginner crocheter it is intimidating to see all the items and different yarns is frustrating and confusing. Watching your videos and seeing all the honest product reviews really helps someone who has no idea about what to get or avoid! I love your energy and whole self is just downright amazing! I can't wait to see more videos and what you are working on! Thank you for being awesome and beginner friendly with reviews!
I bought the K&C Essentials yarn a few months ago and I’m planning to make a top with it. Hearing your review of it makes me feel like I’ve made a good choice in the yarn. I loved the stitch definition and can’t wait to work with it!
I made a lovely crochet sweater with Halo, but after washing it twice, it is shedding horribly. I hate that because the swester is so lovely and cozy, but bits of fluff are going everywhere.
a month or two ago i tried k&c for the first time and i absolutely love it! it’s the perfect weight for me, feels so nice, and the colors are lovely. i cannot afford nice yarn and even if i could im stingy as hell so it’s probably already my favorite
I never bought a cake yarn in my life! They have fad written all over them! I enjoyed your opinions and liked to see the swatch of each yarn you talked about. Great shots of each yarn up close with enough time to actually see the stitches without having to hit that pause button. Right on Toni. This was a great review. I like to hear from other crocheters about what they like to help me purchase something I may have been looking at multiple times in the store but just don’t want to take the leap.
I used the slightly thinner Forever fleece to make slippers, so soft and cozy, wash well and don’t stretch out like the ones I’ve made out of other acrylic yarns.
First, lemme say Hi! Im from the CO also & that is my fav Joann store!!! I recently started crochetting (like just a few weeks ago) so i appreciate the gems you dropped on the yarn because I've just been buying what looks pretty to me, lol, so thanks again.
Love it when you post yarn reviews, I’ll definitely look for some of the things you point out at any future yarn haul trips. Much love, thank you for the review, you’re just so amazingly honest, I totally trust your opinions as a fellow crocheter.
Thank you for all your hard work on reviews and tutorials! I agree that the K and C is an awesome cotton yarn! I've made many of your Pilson Blankets with this yarn and it's a match made in crochet heaven!
Do you lay them out flat to dry? Or, can you throw them in the dryer? I wanted to use this for some gifts ( washcloths, etc) but hesitate to give items that can't be thrown in the laundry.
I want to thank you for this video, as the yarn snobs I've come across over the years have not been kind to me, or my choice of go-to yarns. I haven't been to an actual yarn store since the mid-90's for that reason alone. Essentially, I've been treated as an outcast in the handicraft community, because in the past, it was thought by some that straight men can't possibly do anything of any value with a hook or a pair of needles, and that all acrylic yarns smell like a medical condition (and that's putting it mildly, some actually make a face upon hearing the word "acrylic"). It's refreshing to find a so-called yarn snob that dares to touch the evil strands, as it were. I know a lot of great people, and it's my mission in life to gift them with something handmade; everyone gets something. It doesn't have to be anything huge: handbags and hats are quite popular with my people, and I'll throw in the occasional afghan or sweater. I knit and crochet for both women and men, always taking into consideration their personal tastes, because it's not about me. Because of the amount of knitting and crochet that I do in my free time, my go-to yarn is the Caron One Pound; I've been using it since I first started with handicraft back in 1986. It's durable, machine washable, nobody I know is allergic to it, there's no dye lot to worry about if you're running low on a particular color, and most colors work up surprisingly soft. The only drawback is the limited choice of colors, but there's more than enough to get by with. I won't use their off-white, because in my opinion, it should be renamed "permanent dinge". It just looks filthy when it's worked up, cream is a viable alternative. That's my two cents.
Love: bernat blanket (making a tunisian blanket out of it) Leaving the: Colorama (Already a fan of the latte cakes, its just to similar to me) & the BT Living (dye lots at my joans are not consistent, they're either faded or muddy) Thank you for highlighting these yarns! These vids allow me to look out for things while the yarns in my stash or introduces new concepts of yarns I originally passed on in store!
omg I picked up the K+C last month to make a shirt and I keep buying that yarn to make more shirts!! It's SO soft and the colors are beautiful. So validating to see you love it so much too!!
I am with you on the cake yarns. My local stores started carrying mostly the cakes instead of solid color yarns. It's frustrating, and it's just hard to ever find a color palette that I want.
I feel like this is a fair review! I'm enjoying the Colorama Halo yarn for now in doing a zig-zag blanket, but I can see the point about stitch definition. I feel like this yarn is definitely for projects where the stitches aren't a focus, but the colours or shape of the piece are key.
Was terrified to click on this video after just purchasing 6 skeins of K&C Essentials AND starting the project as I'm watching, and seeing in the thumbnail of a title claiming the "worst yarns yet" but I am beyond relieved to see the 10/10 review on them instead! Totally agree with your review, it's so nice to work with and I'm excited for this project now:)
Here’s an idea for a Toni video, although it might be a short one… 😂How about a compilation of all of the products you’ve ever given 10/10 to? You might have to expand to all the products you’ve given nines and tens too, but it would be really cool to see all the things you really love in one video.😊
I appreciate so much that you call yourself a yarn snob. I am also a self proclaimed yarn snob and I love getting your input before I spend some of my limited budget on hype. 😘
I enjoy working with Colorama Halo. I made several projects with it and they are all beautiful. Big Twist is a cheap yarn, so no high expectations. However, it’s perfect for making decor. Thank you for the review.
I absolutely adore Colorama Halo yarn. So soft and comfy combined with easy care is a real bonus and all the colorways are just so gorgeous-even the yellow-and I don't even like yellow. 😆
I got worried, based on the title of the video, that you were going to hate the K&C Essentials. I used it recently (the rain forest color) to make a dress for my niece and loved it! One of my favorite yarns I've used recently.
K+C essentials is so good!! They get an extra bonus from me for their packaging! Its so hard to tell what a variegated yarn is gonna look like when it’s worked up, so I adore K+C for showing that on the packaging
The K&C Essential yarn is so unbelievably nice! I did a hexagon motif shawl using the K&C essential and it feels so unbelievably luxurious. It took me literally months and a bit of hand pain, but it's probably the nicest thing I've ever made with crochet. I 100 percent back up everything you've said! absolute 10/10 yarn. Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts about the Big Twist Hush yarn! I grabbed some the other day at joann and I'm really enjoying it so far.
Ironically I was crocheting with the same kxc yarn in the same exact turquoise color while watching this vid! Felt so validated when it got a 10/10. Just bought them at Joann at an unprecedented sales price of $3.50 per. Get yours quick!
I adore colorama halo! I’m currently making a cardigan out of it and it is genuinely one of the nicest yarns I have ever worked with! Glad to hear different perspectives though, I feel way more informed when making other big project purchases! Thanks Toni!
i agree with the caron colorrama being a nice yarn to work with. it's my favorite for lightness but still warm. it screams high end if you use the right stitch
Thank you for the forever fleece review. I fell in love with it the last time I was in JoAnns but sadly couldn't pick any up. It's been on my bucket list. It was so super soft I soo want to make a snuggle blanket with it.
It is always a delight to see your videos, they always inspire me to get back to work on my projects. I tend to like self-striping yarns but a lot of time I do not find colorways I want in certain yarn weights. I have yet to find Christmas colors in anything higher than category 4. I wish companies would move away from 'cakes'. I find that it is harder to find the part of the yarn to start with and that my yarn goes everywhere, even when contained in a yarn bowl. It is nice to see that the essentials got a 10/10 hooks. Keep safe, stay hydrated, and happy crocheting!
If I didn't already have a big enough yarn stash to open my own store, I'd be tempted to run out and get some K&C Essentials. I will say as a word nerd, that I am enjoying all your descriptors. Great video!
I'm so glad I found your channel! I crocheted all my children's baby clothes (aaaannnndd my eldest is 46, so that was a while ago), but not much since. I picked up some lovely Icelandic wool when we were there this past winter and have started looking for adult patterns. So glad to have found you! Subscribed.
Caron Latte Cakes are very similar to colorama Halo yarn. I just bought a skein and love it. It is so soft, easy to work with, and you can easily see stitch definition. Give it a try if you haven't already.
I was about to fight someone when I saw K&C was on the list. It is my absolute favorite yarn to work with and I’m using it right now for a baby blanket. I wasn’t expecting you to give it a 10/10 😂
I’m a newbie crocheter, and I LOVE Bernat forever fleece. It’s so so soft and smooth when crocheting, and I love it for blankets. I’ve made a couple of blankets in various stitches with forever fleece and they’re all soft and heavy. I’m making a sweater now and it’s probably not the best choice for the color work I’m doing, since it does give off some fluffs that can very subtly muddy the colors, but damn is it soft and smooth to work with
I LOVE the colorama halo yarn! Having no options for a mohair-y look near me, it was perfect for a little fuzzy shrug I crocheted. It’s super soft and easy to work with. I also love using the Big Twist yarn for bunches of projects but most recently a latch rug piece. Holds its shape pretty well and still feels pretty nice to the touch! And they have bunches of pretty colors and always seem to be on sale at Joann’s. Definitely better than Red Heart if you need a cheap yarn.
I made my first hexagon sweater out of the Colorama Halo and the colors and softness of it make it for me, and it's very comfy so even though the stitch definition isn't great because of the fuzziness, I would still make more things out of it!!
Yarn Snob is how I found Toni. Thank you. The first review was about a yarn I was using and I agreed with you! I think the name was Caboo. I enjoy your videos.
I'm glad I listened to your views on these yarns at JoAnns. It helps to know these things b 4 going to buy n purchase. I like watching your tutorials. They are very helpful. I will keep on watching.😊👍
I was crocheting while watching and when you pulled the halo yarn out I realized I had the same yarn in my hands!! I love using it for small "fur" bows/trim on clothes and as an accent row in larger projects! My only complaint is that there are often spots where the yarn was joined at some point and it has a harsh color change. Thanks for the video 🤗
I wanna be Toni when I grow up. I hope it happens soon bc I’m 54 already!!! 😂
Same! 😂❤
Me too!
lol 😆
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Same here!! Love her spirit.
These reviews are really helpful for people like me. I live in a teeny tiny remote town in the Canadian Arctic, with zero places to buy yarn for about 1,000 kms (about 620 miles, for my American friends), and even then it’s a plane ride! Basically I have three options for buying yarn: 1. wait until I get to civilization so k can feel it myself; 2. only buy super expensive, high end yarns online that I know will be fantastic; or 3. find a cadre of people that I can trust who give honest reviews. That’s where you come in. I have found you to be honest, intelligent, and just so much fun; like the kind of person I look for in a friend - I honestly think if we met, we could have some laughs over coffee and stitching! Thank you Toni, as this kind of advice is really helpful for me. We don’t have Joann’s stores here in Canada (as far as I know), but with online shopping, that is less of a hinderance than it used to be. Have a lovely day❣️
wanted to reply since i find it interesting to see someone in remote Canada. isnt often you read a comment like this online. finally someone i can somewhat relate to in that respect. im not in the far north, but in northern manitoba, so close in a sense. there are roads for travelling but not much in terms of shopping. there is nowhere to buy yarn locally, however there is a walmart thats over an hour away. its the only place to buy yarn in the area from what i know. theres one local store that sometimes has yarn, but its just a couple baskets off to the corner and usually just cheap stuff. we had a tiny craft store for many years but it shut down during covid sadly. if it werent for online shopping, there would be very few options or none at all. even just to pick up the mail at the post office its a 20 min drive. we need to go to the post office to get all our mail, even bills etc. they dont deliver it to the door.
Wow! I find that fascinating. What different lives we probably lead (I'm in southern US) yet here we are, united by a shared hobby and interest. I love it. ❤
I made a huge blanket for a friend with the Big Twist rainbow and surprisingly, I found it far softer than Red Heart, etc. Also I love that their rainbow actually has purple in it.
Same. I was recommended to use big twist for a cardigan because it was cheap, and it was so soft
I was about to say I’m using big twist for the first time and I absolutely love it so far
I made a cardigan for my partner using what I call the not so Trans flag 😅 she was also a little dissatisfied with the color mixing rather then actual flag order but I absolutely loved working with it I found it to be softer then big twists normal kinds
Forever fleece is my favorite. Its so soft. I made a throw with it
@shyannewillingham8944 I hope your partner said thank you for making it whilest being dissatisfied with the colour order!
New Colorama has gone to Joann first to stock their stores before going to online warehouses that serve Yarnspirations fulfillment on their website. Priority is always given to retail stores to ensure enough quantity before Yarnspirations puts it on their site. So it’s not a case of Yarnspirations not having faith in the product, it’s about stock volume. There are others yarns just releasing at Joann that Yarnspirations doesn’t have on website yet as well. Some yarns are given exclusivity to retailer for a small window of time as well.
I love that you give suggestions for yarns that people may have bought even if you don’t love it! It can be so hard to use something you know won’t work out.
Considering I've never seen you give a 10/10, K&C Essentials is a must have. Thanks, Toni!
Do be warned! After working with K&C for a while in a project, I began to hate it. While it was soft, and had good stitch definition, this yarn strips your hands of moisture like nobody’s business. I had to moisturize my hands every other row and there was a dry and raggedy strip of skin on my finger from how I hold the yarn in my off-hand. It might be good for weaving, but I’m left with half a project I can’t finish without hurting myself.
@@TheMaddestHatter234 I've noticed that a lot of people have a problem working with cotton. Either I haven't worked with it enough or I'm unaffected because not even kitchen cotton bothers me but thanks for the heads up.
@@tinahairston6383 normally I love working with cotton, even kitchen cottons - lily sugar and cream cotton was one of the first yarns I learned to stitch with and I’ve never had any issues with it, drops saffron is a mainstay of my stash, juniper moons farm nimbus is one of my favorite yarns, and I’ve worked with other cotton yarns as well - K&C is the only one I’ve had this issue with
I made a sweater with K&C essentials earlier this year and it’s the best yarn I’ve worked with so far but I’m poor so I’ve primarily used acrylic yarns all my time crafting. That being said my only con is my sweater is really heavy but it is so soft and doesn’t pill the way acrylic does
the colors are gorgeous! I have spent so much time this week chasing yarn for specific projects, but I may have to go to Joann anyway!
I was sooooo stressed when I saw the title because I just grabbed a TON of kxc... Imagine my relief when it got an unprecedented 10/10
I see two yarns I love in the thumbnail, and now I’m nervous 😬
Update: My fave got 10/10. Yay! Though I was a little bummed by the low score on big twist living. I’ve liked it for hats and scarves. The pride colors being out of order made them feel like subtle pride flags to me, like for people who aren’t safe to come out but still want to have their colors, but I can see why it might also bother some people.
Have you noticed any issues with washing? That nonbinary yarn looks sooo pretty
Same - I adore that it's clearly the flags, but also NOT.. for exactly that reason.
Also, can't we still have beautiful colors that don't make overt sexuality announcements without folks getting triggered?? Geez.
oh immediately checking out the pride colours thank you!!
@@giddygumkins9453 , agreed!
Being a stocker at Joann, I was ecstatic when I opened up a tote full of K&C Essentials! Even being a huge novice when it comes to yarn, I could tell it was gorgeous! Speaking of the O'Go format being "retired" this year, I cannot wait until it is out of my store. The packaging fails so frequently and just can't be put back together the way it was, and even the intact ones have a footprint which makes it hard to keep a large amount looking nice on the shelves. Cakes and traditional skeins are just so much easier to wrestle with.
I think it's noteworthy to remember that these yarns are reviewed by *crocheting* yarn snob. As a knitter _and_ crocheter (and fellow certified yarn snob) myself, I know that there are yarns that just lend themselves better for knitting than for crocheting, and vice versa.
For example, not knowing anything else about the Caron Colorama Halo and just looking at it here, I know I wouldn't even think of crocheting anything with it, but I can see it working up nicely in a simple knit stitch.
yeah, i saw that granny square with the Colorama Halo and cringed. Like, oof. i get being a master in one thing or the other, but at least level your advice or reviews by saying so.
It's definitely better for knitting than crocheting, but this is a crochet channel and I don't expect the yarn to be reviewed for knitting. Most knitters who crochet will know it's a better knitting yarn.
Agreed for the most part. I would rather knit it than crochet it, but if I was going to crochet it a granny square would be the last thing I’d have chosen to test it on.
I'm a trans man who is getting back into crochet - and i had to subscribe after seeing how you gave such an unbiased review about a yarn that features pride flags. At first i was wondering if you knew youd gotten pride flag yarn - but once you said you did and gave such thoughtful feedback... it was such a nice change to all of the direct and indirect insults to my community that i see more often than not these days.
Thank you
I actually love that the Big Twist yarn is out of order. I've used them a few times for subtle pride items because i live in a conservative area. Obviously, bigots will recognize the rainbow, but the others are subtle enough that even my ally friends don't immediately recognize them. I have a lesbian cardigan that I wear as like a signal for the girls that get it lol
yeah i agree, i love that big twist has it out of order. like, if I'm going to make a pride flag in order, im going to put in the time and money and buy the skeins in the colors i need to make it in order LOL.
Colouramma is fantastic for sweaters or cardigans! If you stick to simple stitches and shapes, it works very well. I'm currently wearing a basic sweater in the colour Silver and Gold.
There is totally a difference between a sad Joann's and "one of those NICE Joann's"... when you go to one you haven't been to before, you don't know which you'll get
First video i've seen from this channel, and wow! What a good first impression! You're knowledgable and passionate about the topic without being condesending or losing someone with less experience, easy to understand, and honest with reviews. I especially appreciated the suggestions for projects, im a fairly new knitter and i always struggle to think of what to make with the yarns i find! You're making me want to get back into fiber arts, work be damned!
The K&C Essentials cotton is the best big box store cotton yarn I’ve ever tried. It reminds me of the Hobbii rainbow or friends cotton but with much more per skein. I really hope they continue this line with new colors each season!
Have you thrown it in the dryer? It says no dryer😢
Ong I love Colorama halo. I made a gorgeous baby blanket with it and it turned out so gorgeous. I hope they don't discontinue it, but I wish there were more color ways
It really shines most in blankets. Either as pieced granny squares or as a single piece
I love it too! It makes gorgeous finished goods - probably the problem with only making a small swatch!
I want to make a crochet sweater thing with another yarn I already have though I don’t know how it will act as a sweater
Thank you so much for your videos. Not only are they informative and helpful but your format, tone and just overall sweetness make them wonderfully relaxing for those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety. Blessings...
Hi, Toni's Mom! 👋 Always fun to have a Mom cameo!
I love Toni's Mom.
I appreciate the note on the Pride flags. When companies get allyship right, it is great. When they get it wrong (often) they get it very very very wrong.
But sometimes isn't a rainbow just a rainbow? I'm confused that they would deserve criticism over this. I don't believe they advertised the yarns as any kind of representation. Aren't people getting upset over assumptions? Maybe I'm wrong.
@@aksez2u The Pride Flags are often very important to the people who they have meaning for. And a number of indie Yarns have made very good (but expensive) correctly color ordered yarns. So it would be great to have a major brand with Pride support for Ace, Lesbian, etc. But most brands would not necessarily advertise as such, because of Bud Light fears of response. So to attempt to get Close but Wrong smacks of trying to capitalize on the desires of a marginalized community while not respecting them.
@@DawnBurnthe thing is tho it was never marketed as a pride flag it’s just a rainbow
@@DawnBurn Ah, I see. Thank you for the explanation. I can see why that would be frustrating.
@@thewildetyme1112 The limited collection itself is entirely made from the colors of the various pride flags with no non-Pride deviations. These colors popped up just before Pride month (quietly, might I add), and they're limited availability. It's very common for businesses to not explicitly name these color combinations after the LGBTQIA+ community for both legal and safety reasons for themselves and their consumers. So just because they weren't named after Pride flags doesn't mean they were not intentionally designed for Pride. There are plenty of rainbow-esque yarn brands where their collections are designed off of other themes (candy, fruits, vacation destinations, etc). You have to look at the collection as a whole and not just the one rainbow color to determine the collection's intention.
i LOVE forever fleeve its actually soft unlike a ton of yarns that are not as soft as they claim to be
I've considered using it for a chunky sweater but I'm concerned about pilling. Have you experienced that at all?
Same I’ve made a blanket and I love it. No pilling yet
@@vanessagee3942 i actually havent finished a project with it yet mainly bc i want to do a blanket but havent been able to commit 😭
I love Bernat Forever Fleece. Am working on a cozy granny square blanket. It works up nicely
Also working on a blanket with it and I love it, it’s sooooo soft. I tried a few different stitches before settling on a moss stitch because that seems to work up the best.
I loooove the Caron colorama! I’m using the solid white to make clouds on a sweater I’m crocheting. The halo makes for the most beautiful soft cloud shape. ☁️
Caron Halo yarn: I| made a large queen-sized blanket, all in half double crochet (the lightness and softness screamed high end luxury) with 8 donuts when this yarn came out in the donut style last year. I love how slippery the yarn is when doing the same stitch over and over. My family all flipped and wanted a blanket in this yarn too so I had to buy up all the remaining donuts I could find for $5 when Joann discounted them in fall/winter 2023.
I’m quite pleased that the title of this video is at least partially clickbait. I know a lot of people (especially in my knitting group) who are super snobbish about yarns made of synthetics or purchased from Michaels or Joann’s.
If I’m making a sweater, it’s just prohibitively expensive to use yarn which costs $20 or more per hank!
I also remember my grandma, who knit constantly and beautifully, and always used the huge skeins of red heart. I have a couple sweaters of hers which are probably thirty years old and get washed in the machine and they are still perfect.
Oh I see Caron colorama halo in that thumbnail 😮 I love that yarn and just made a beautiful cardigan and matching scarf with it 😂😂😂 but everyone is entitled to enjoy what yarn they enjoy. Just leaves more for me 😂❤
I just started Susan Kennedy’s Gateway Blanket using Colorama Halo in the Tin & Tan color-way and it is gorgeous. Changed to a wooden hook makes it easier. 😊
My halo tin and tan scarf is gorgeous.
It seems like Caron Latte Cakes in it's look, which I love
Don't worry about others opinions, use what you love and I certainly love Colorama Halo too! One of my favorites:)
@pennydickinson3258 oh yes I agree lol I just thought it was funny that yarn was on the thumbnail
I just finished using the Caron Colorama Halo last night to crochet my first poncho. 2 skeins were enough for a nice sized poncho, 3 were more than enough for it to be a little more oversized. I absolutely love it. The gradient is so pretty (I used the colour rosemary frost) and it works up so soft and warm. It's literally like a fluffy blanket for my shoulders. I'll definitely be buying more, it's just a shame it's a little expensive here in Australia ($16.50 per skein)
I'm still looking for a poncho pattern I like, but I think that yarn would be great for a poncho or a sweater. I'm not a fan of the granny square because it is so holey, but when she did it in this yarn, it filled the holes. That's a plus for me.
10/10 for a COTTON yarn?! from Toni?! Who would have thought we’d ever see the day :0 also, I really loved your note re: the lack of mindfulness with the Pride yarns - the flags are designed the way they are for a reason!! such a shame Big Twist dropped the ball :((
So I actually love Walmarts 100% cotton yarn. It’s super soft and easy to work with! The only downside is that it’s not available in many colors.
@@fennogan4498 my local Walmarts all still have it! Just super limited in colors
@@fennogan4498 i hope they didnt! its so so soft, my walmart only carries a few colors of it
what do you like to use it for?
@@averytroester7364 it's incredible for any garments or accessories that will be touching your skin, especially for summer wear. it has the breathability of cotton without the stiffness and scratchiness of other cottons of a comparable price point (it's actually a good chunk cheaper than ones like lily sugar n cream). I cannot overstress how soft it is; at first I didn't even believe it was cotton. I've only ever seen it in white, black, baby blue, and baby pink, but I work mostly in white black and pink so it was fantastic
@@averytroester7364 I use it for tops mostly! I tried making dish cloths and it didn’t work-I think it’s mercerized, so it doesn’t absorb water very well. But I made a cute bralette that’s so soft!!
I admire how effortless and fast your crocheting is! Thanks for this review and that you show us an example.
As a crochet newbie and a recovering "my mother taught me to knit with the cheapest yarn possible" gal, I really appreciate how concise and clearly you describe the things you like and don't like about the kinds of yarn. It's really helpful for me since I'm not at all familiar with store bought brands and their quality yet, so having a guideline for what to reach for first is helpful.
I had been eyeing the K&C Essentials for a while because, like you said, those colors are so dreamy. Before I even watched this video, I finally broke down and bought 4 skeins (cream, light teal, orange, and yellow) with plans to make the Tobago bag! I guess it was just meant to be 😊 Thank you for continuing to put out amazing content ❤
Just wanted to thank you for doing these reviews. As someone who gets overwhelmed in the big box stores with all the options, these really help get the best without wasting money on the trial and error.
I adore your videos so much. As a relatively experienced crocheter who still gets lost from time to time I find your comments and suggestions beyond helpful. Also I wish you were my neighbor - I can so see myself sitting across from you on my porch with a pot of tea between us chatting about a audio book we just finished while working on a blanket. You are so approachable and kind. I appreciate all the time you put in to share tips and reviews . Thank you very very much.
I looooove the colorama yarn! It's so hard to find mohair-esque yarn at Joann. I personally use it for clothing and it works up gorgeously. 10/10 I just wish they had more colors
I've been crocheting for decades and its my opinion given the competition especially among yarn companies here and abroad, it's all about making money. The yarn prices have increaed tremendously, with less yardage and making crochet projects expensive to make. With some yarn manufacturers the quality is not there. When you consider the time it takes to make a project, to end up tossing it out because of it being junk-make me NOT a happy person. Thank you for the review. Was very helpful.
Totally agree. I crochet and knit. I'll never never use any synthetic yarn or thread. I'm not going to spend weeks making gorgeous handmade lace with junk. Crochet cotton, DMC is the only choice. I have some from a thrift store, unused, that is almost 100 years old and in perfect condition. Found some vintage linen online that was near 20$ a spool, but it's not made any more and as strong as steel wire. I love working with wool too... love the feeling of following in the footsteps of our ancestors. We've been wearing wool, cotton and linen for thousands of years. And silk/wool blends make stunning luxurious scarves.
I love halo. I am making a Tunisian crochet baby blanket, and I love the way the colors transition into each other. I am a true yarn snob and I like this yarn. By the way, I have been recommending your channel to a lot of people. You are like the Tunisian queen.
I've also really enjoyed the halo. I made a shawl
I looked at it in the store and thought it looked and felt really nice. Anymore some of the reviews on these bigger crochet channels seem unauthentic. Idk.
You are 100% correct... if cotton yarn is worsted or bulky, it can get too heavy. Great analysis.
I have followed your suggestions in buying yarns that you love in the past, and I have always loved them too, so thank you for that! BUT, one of my favorite yarns is Colorama Halo! You are right in that it doesn't show stitch definition well, but I love the perfect ombre effect and super soft fuzzy nature of this yarn. I have bought over 30 skeins of it now (on sale or with coupons at JoAnn) and am making afghans for myself and 3 grown kids, as well as a shawl for my mother. My first projects were hats and scarves made on the Addi knitting machine and absolutely loved them - but again, I was not concerned with the stitch definition at all in these projects. I initially tried it because Bag-O-Day raved about it in one of her videos, so I had to try it and it's still one of my favorite yarns and it's much better in these large cakes than those silly O'go things! I appreciate all your videos!!
I have used the Colorama Halo yarn & it made a lovely & super soft baby blanket using a simple half double stitch in rows. The color change blend is lovely & subtle, so I really like this yarn! 🥰
I'm an absolute beginner and just learning about yarns. I feel like I won the lottery finding your channel. Thank you so very much ! ❤
I'm actually a MASSIVE fan of the Forever Fleece! It's so soft and warm! I made a hat out of it that kept my ears nice and toasty all winter. But, in all fairness, I knit the hat, and I used two of the solid colors to make it, which miiiiight affect my opinion- stitch definition wasn't as important, and I didn't have to worry about color striping or the like.
I see what looks like the Big Living rainbow yarn in the preview. Watching this during the premiere, so I don't know yet what Toni thinks of it. But: I personally really liked this yarn. I made a hexi-cardigan out of the sapphic colourway, and am currently working out a blanket from all of the pride related colourways. I found the colours really nice, and texture wise a standard acrliyc.
edit now having got to that part of the video: I did notice that the colours weren't in the same order as some of the flags, but that didn't really bother me. I took these yarns as more of "inspired by" the flags, rather than intending to replicate them. I also haven't had any issue with washing my cardigan - I DID get issues with the dye lot variations, but with the projects I choose these yarns for, it didn't matter to me personally
same, I really like how the colors are out of order, especially with the trans and lesbian flags. they're already so aesthetically pleasing, the colors look great. it's perfect for subtle pride accessories/clothes!
I loved this video and hope you'll make more! These were really thorough but concise reviews and they're so appreciated!
I really loved the Big Twist Living yarn. I made a sweater for a friend and it was so fun to work with. I had no trouble with the colors matching, and I washed and dried mine and it did not pill.
Congratulations for the 200K on Instagram!
It's great that this time the video premier is in Monday, way more comfortable day for me to come!
Thankfully to the concert, I hope you got lots of fun there! 💖
I love that you give suggestions on what to make to get rid of the not so favorable yarns lol
This is the first for me to comment on TH-cam. I loved your tutorial with hooks, yarns, how to connect the last string , how. To connect Granny squares . How to store these items . You are very easy to listen to and watch . Thank you , Brenda N. ❤
I just started a sweater in K+C because it was on sale for around $3.65 and OH MY GOSH its gorgeous and SO great to work with!
I am in total agreement with your assessment of Big Twist yarn. However, you articulated it much more clearly than I could! Love your work!
I used the Big Twist Living in the Trans colors for my transwonderful niece going to university this month. I loved how it worked, but I totally agree with the order issue. I made her mother a shawl in the rainbow pride and yeah it was all over the place with the colors and the distance on how how long each color was made me a bit crazy. The end products were nice but I wished they'd been more consistent.
Yea i was excited to have bi, trans, and nonbinary yarns, I kinda rolled my eyes at the order but I've also seen yarns that follow the flags and I didn't like how it turned out. Tbh I was just so happy to find it's a year round colorway and wasn't temporary
I absolutely love K&C essential cotton! I'm using the color Rain Forest and holding it with a fingering weight yarn to make a very beautiful shawl. ❤❤
Thanks for reviewing these. I did a successful no buy 2022 because my stash was ridiculous. Then I was so used to stash busting I didn’t buy yarn in 2023 to date! Now I’ve been shopping around I’m gobsmacked at how much yarn prices have increased I. Just 1.5 years. Wow!!!
I would love to see you review glow in the dark yarn! I just recently found your videos and fell in love with how amazing they are! As a beginner crocheter it is intimidating to see all the items and different yarns is frustrating and confusing. Watching your videos and seeing all the honest product reviews really helps someone who has no idea about what to get or avoid! I love your energy and whole self is just downright amazing! I can't wait to see more videos and what you are working on! Thank you for being awesome and beginner friendly with reviews!
I bought the K&C Essentials yarn a few months ago and I’m planning to make a top with it. Hearing your review of it makes me feel like I’ve made a good choice in the yarn. I loved the stitch definition and can’t wait to work with it!
I made a poncho and a sweater with the Big Twist Living and didn't have any problems with it, both are super soft, didn't pill or fuzz.
I can already see Colorama Halo being a problem for Toni.
i love the colorama halo! I have some really great colors!
I love it for ONLY knitting!
I made a gorgeous scarf with the halo.
I made a lovely crochet sweater with Halo, but after washing it twice, it is shedding horribly. I hate that because the swester is so lovely and cozy, but bits of fluff are going everywhere.
I've made four knitted scarves with it. I love the seamless color transition!
a month or two ago i tried k&c for the first time and i absolutely love it! it’s the perfect weight for me, feels so nice, and the colors are lovely. i cannot afford nice yarn and even if i could im stingy as hell so it’s probably already my favorite
I never bought a cake yarn in my life! They have fad written all over them! I enjoyed your opinions and liked to see the swatch of each yarn you talked about. Great shots of each yarn up close with enough time to actually see the stitches without having to hit that pause button. Right on Toni. This was a great review. I like to hear from other crocheters about what they like to help me purchase something I may have been looking at multiple times in the store but just don’t want to take the leap.
So obsessed with Tunisian crochet thanks to your visit! Thank Miss Toni and Miss Gwen!
I used the slightly thinner Forever fleece to make slippers, so soft and cozy, wash well and don’t stretch out like the ones I’ve made out of other acrylic yarns.
First, lemme say Hi! Im from the CO also & that is my fav Joann store!!! I recently started crochetting (like just a few weeks ago) so i appreciate the gems you dropped on the yarn because I've just been buying what looks pretty to me, lol, so thanks again.
TY for such an informative piece. It gives me a whole new outlook on yarn. I guess I’ll be inspecting skeins more closely. Happy yarning. 😊
I love these yarn snob reviews! Thank you for testing these so we know what’s good! ❤
Love it when you post yarn reviews, I’ll definitely look for some of the things you point out at any future yarn haul trips. Much love, thank you for the review, you’re just so amazingly honest, I totally trust your opinions as a fellow crocheter.
Thank you for all your hard work on reviews and tutorials! I agree that the K and C is an awesome cotton yarn! I've made many of your Pilson Blankets with this yarn and it's a match made in crochet heaven!
Do you lay them out flat to dry? Or, can you throw them in the dryer? I wanted to use this for some gifts ( washcloths, etc) but hesitate to give items that can't be thrown in the laundry.
I want to thank you for this video, as the yarn snobs I've come across over the years have not been kind to me, or my choice of go-to yarns. I haven't been to an actual yarn store since the mid-90's for that reason alone. Essentially, I've been treated as an outcast in the handicraft community, because in the past, it was thought by some that straight men can't possibly do anything of any value with a hook or a pair of needles, and that all acrylic yarns smell like a medical condition (and that's putting it mildly, some actually make a face upon hearing the word "acrylic"). It's refreshing to find a so-called yarn snob that dares to touch the evil strands, as it were.
I know a lot of great people, and it's my mission in life to gift them with something handmade; everyone gets something. It doesn't have to be anything huge: handbags and hats are quite popular with my people, and I'll throw in the occasional afghan or sweater. I knit and crochet for both women and men, always taking into consideration their personal tastes, because it's not about me. Because of the amount of knitting and crochet that I do in my free time, my go-to yarn is the Caron One Pound; I've been using it since I first started with handicraft back in 1986. It's durable, machine washable, nobody I know is allergic to it, there's no dye lot to worry about if you're running low on a particular color, and most colors work up surprisingly soft. The only drawback is the limited choice of colors, but there's more than enough to get by with. I won't use their off-white, because in my opinion, it should be renamed "permanent dinge". It just looks filthy when it's worked up, cream is a viable alternative. That's my two cents.
I would love a video of the best yarns at Joanns these days. I feel like it’s really hit or miss
Love: bernat blanket (making a tunisian blanket out of it) Leaving the: Colorama (Already a fan of the latte cakes, its just to similar to me) & the BT Living (dye lots at my joans are not consistent, they're either faded or muddy)
Thank you for highlighting these yarns! These vids allow me to look out for things while the yarns in my stash or introduces new concepts of yarns I originally passed on in store!
omg I picked up the K+C last month to make a shirt and I keep buying that yarn to make more shirts!! It's SO soft and the colors are beautiful. So validating to see you love it so much too!!
I am with you on the cake yarns. My local stores started carrying mostly the cakes instead of solid color yarns. It's frustrating, and it's just hard to ever find a color palette that I want.
I feel like this is a fair review! I'm enjoying the Colorama Halo yarn for now in doing a zig-zag blanket, but I can see the point about stitch definition. I feel like this yarn is definitely for projects where the stitches aren't a focus, but the colours or shape of the piece are key.
Was terrified to click on this video after just purchasing 6 skeins of K&C Essentials AND starting the project as I'm watching, and seeing in the thumbnail of a title claiming the "worst yarns yet" but I am beyond relieved to see the 10/10 review on them instead! Totally agree with your review, it's so nice to work with and I'm excited for this project now:)
Here’s an idea for a Toni video, although it might be a short one… 😂How about a compilation of all of the products you’ve ever given 10/10 to? You might have to expand to all the products you’ve given nines and tens too, but it would be really cool to see all the things you really love in one video.😊
I appreciate so much that you call yourself a yarn snob. I am also a self proclaimed yarn snob and I love getting your input before I spend some of my limited budget on hype. 😘
I enjoy working with Colorama Halo. I made several projects with it and they are all beautiful. Big Twist is a cheap yarn, so no high expectations. However, it’s perfect for making decor. Thank you for the review.
I absolutely adore Colorama Halo yarn. So soft and comfy combined with easy care is a real bonus and all the colorways are just so gorgeous-even the yellow-and I don't even like yellow. 😆
I got worried, based on the title of the video, that you were going to hate the K&C Essentials. I used it recently (the rain forest color) to make a dress for my niece and loved it! One of my favorite yarns I've used recently.
K+C essentials is so good!! They get an extra bonus from me for their packaging! Its so hard to tell what a variegated yarn is gonna look like when it’s worked up, so I adore K+C for showing that on the packaging
The K&C Essential yarn is so unbelievably nice! I did a hexagon motif shawl using the K&C essential and it feels so unbelievably luxurious. It took me literally months and a bit of hand pain, but it's probably the nicest thing I've ever made with crochet. I 100 percent back up everything you've said! absolute 10/10 yarn.
Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts about the Big Twist Hush yarn! I grabbed some the other day at joann and I'm really enjoying it so far.
Ironically I was crocheting with the same kxc yarn in the same exact turquoise color while watching this vid! Felt so validated when it got a 10/10. Just bought them at Joann at an unprecedented sales price of $3.50 per. Get yours quick!
I adore colorama halo! I’m currently making a cardigan out of it and it is genuinely one of the nicest yarns I have ever worked with! Glad to hear different perspectives though, I feel way more informed when making other big project purchases! Thanks Toni!
i agree with the caron colorrama being a nice yarn to work with. it's my favorite for lightness but still warm. it screams high end if you use the right stitch
I made a shawl using Big Twist that I found on clearance for $2.49/skein. It turned out nice, washed up very well.
Thank you for the forever fleece review.
I fell in love with it the last time I was in JoAnns but sadly couldn't pick any up.
It's been on my bucket list.
It was so super soft I soo want to make a snuggle blanket with it.
Love the honesty of this vid it’s detailed and the swatches are amazing thank you so much for this. Happy crocheting ❤
It is always a delight to see your videos, they always inspire me to get back to work on my projects. I tend to like self-striping yarns but a lot of time I do not find colorways I want in certain yarn weights. I have yet to find Christmas colors in anything higher than category 4.
I wish companies would move away from 'cakes'. I find that it is harder to find the part of the yarn to start with and that my yarn goes everywhere, even when contained in a yarn bowl. It is nice to see that the essentials got a 10/10 hooks.
Keep safe, stay hydrated, and happy crocheting!
If I didn't already have a big enough yarn stash to open my own store, I'd be tempted to run out and get some K&C Essentials. I will say as a word nerd, that I am enjoying all your descriptors. Great video!
I'm so glad I found your channel! I crocheted all my children's baby clothes (aaaannnndd my eldest is 46, so that was a while ago), but not much since. I picked up some lovely Icelandic wool when we were there this past winter and have started looking for adult patterns. So glad to have found you! Subscribed.
Glad you showed your project suggestions because I’d never seen any of those before! I want to make the oversized scarf and basket!!!❤
Caron Latte Cakes are very similar to colorama Halo yarn. I just bought a skein and love it. It is so soft, easy to work with, and you can easily see stitch definition. Give it a try if you haven't already.
Love your honest opinions and suggestions on how to use these yarns. I've got to try the K&C essentials now!
Forever fleece is my jam. Made my dad a vest and scarf for the cold ID winter. I will take it in every color!
I was about to fight someone when I saw K&C was on the list. It is my absolute favorite yarn to work with and I’m using it right now for a baby blanket. I wasn’t expecting you to give it a 10/10 😂
I’m a newbie crocheter, and I LOVE Bernat forever fleece. It’s so so soft and smooth when crocheting, and I love it for blankets. I’ve made a couple of blankets in various stitches with forever fleece and they’re all soft and heavy. I’m making a sweater now and it’s probably not the best choice for the color work I’m doing, since it does give off some fluffs that can very subtly muddy the colors, but damn is it soft and smooth to work with
I LOVE the colorama halo yarn! Having no options for a mohair-y look near me, it was perfect for a little fuzzy shrug I crocheted. It’s super soft and easy to work with. I also love using the Big Twist yarn for bunches of projects but most recently a latch rug piece. Holds its shape pretty well and still feels pretty nice to the touch! And they have bunches of pretty colors and always seem to be on sale at Joann’s. Definitely better than Red Heart if you need a cheap yarn.
You are an amazing speaker! Do you write out everything you are going to say ahead of time? Flawless! Gonna get some of that cotton yarn!!
I made my first hexagon sweater out of the Colorama Halo and the colors and softness of it make it for me, and it's very comfy so even though the stitch definition isn't great because of the fuzziness, I would still make more things out of it!!
Love your reviews and how detailed they always are :) unrelated but i love your pink nails! so pretty
Yarn Snob is how I found Toni. Thank you. The first review was about a yarn I was using and I agreed with you! I think the name was Caboo. I enjoy your videos.
I'm glad I listened to your views on these yarns at JoAnns. It helps to know these things b 4 going to buy n purchase. I like watching your tutorials. They are very helpful. I will keep on watching.😊👍
I was crocheting while watching and when you pulled the halo yarn out I realized I had the same yarn in my hands!! I love using it for small "fur" bows/trim on clothes and as an accent row in larger projects! My only complaint is that there are often spots where the yarn was joined at some point and it has a harsh color change. Thanks for the video 🤗