I really appreciate your warmth and open mind. I’m getting really tired of the increasing insensitive yarn snobbiness out in the community. If people can afford to make $300 mohair/merino sweaters, cool, but I feel like yarn-shaming is increasing. So for those of us on a budget, thanks!!
This caught my attention because I can say that I haven't seen yarn-shaming anywhere before, although that could be because I watch a lot of young people in college (crocheters; I wonder if that makes a difference). Saying that yarn is not worth the money it's sold for is fair in my books. Do you happen to remember any examples even after ten months?
Funny, I'm a life long knitter and crocheter and I've found that people who use cheap yarn tend to be overly defensive and pushy. I don't have tons of money to waist either. I'll just save up and /or make the yarn I actually want or use a cheaper wool of need be.
@@aprilmichel7816 I think they probably mean people who act like acrylic yarn is 'bad' yarn or that a knitted/crocheted project can only be good quality or worth making if it's made out of natural fibres/turning their nose up at people who use acrylic. Sometimes it's overt, sometimes it's just people being judgemental towards acrylic yarn in a generalised way (which it's of course fine to dislike acrylic yarn if you just don't personally prefer it, but acting like everything that is made out of it is garbage or inferior to things made our of natural fibres is not great. Acting like everyone has access to hand dyed natural fibres is also an issue. Sometimes people act like acrylic yarn has some contagious disease on it lmao, they don't even want to touch it or be associated with it and that can really be discouraging as someone who mostly uses it. I respect people's preferences but you can dislike something without being precious or snobbish about it). It can feel often more subtle, kind of like people side eye you for using it or it's hard to find more experienced people who use it/show you how you can use it (which I understand why more experienced people would prefer natural fibres but some people just don't have access to it, or can't afford it, regardless of skill level). This is a lot more common amongst 'older'/more experienced knitters and crocheters, not as common in the bigger yarn channels with mostly college students.
@@keturahspencer that's fine, but not everyone has access to natural fibres at all. Where I live ALL yarn is expensive, even acrylic, and wool is hard to find and never ever cheap because it's all imported. Saving up would mean spending $200 on a single wool sweater and as someone who enjoys making many things that absolutely is not worth it, that would be spending months worth of yarn money on a single project. I've seen yarn teachers on here recommend using expensive hooks and yarn as an absolute beginner or only ever design their patterns with those yarns and hooks in mind. People can have preferences but it sends a VERY clear message about who they expect their audience to be and what they expect their audience to have access to. That can be hard when you're a beginner and can't afford to use natural fibres or, shock! Horror! You actually like acrylic yarn and enjoy using it. That said, I completely respect people who use natural fibres, who can splurge on nice yarn, or who have access to it. Your experience is of course valid and real, and there are definitely people who yarn shame in the other direction. But yarn shaming people who use acrylic is definitely more of an issue, and elitism in crafting communities is an issue across the board. Not everyone who uses wool or natural fibres is a snobby, no one is saying that, so I don't know why you felt the need to characterise people who use acrylic as 'pushy and defensive'. You doing that is exactly the problem.
LOVE IT - that's my postcard!!! I love you and appreciate you answering my question. You did answer my question very thoroughly. The fear is that a beginner buys a very expensive wool and screws up the project, so starting out in acrylic might be okay OR problematic!
Cotton is cheaper than wool, and great for wash clothes, which are excellent for practicing out new stitches (if you are looking for a natural fiber that's a bit cheaper than wool). I usually recommend making wash clothes for beginners. You screw up? Oh, no, guess that's going to be solely for washing with, rather than being used as a coaster or a potholder. Shame! ;) Something came out brilliant? Show it off as a coaster/potholder/pad to place on table underneath hot objects.
as someone who lives below the poverty line, acrylic yarn and i became fast friends on my journey as a fiber artist. i think one of my favourite elements of acrylic (aside from the fact that it's so affordable and easy to care for) is the ability to "kill" it. i'm both a knitter and crocheter, but i've been the latter for far longer and so i understand just how different crochet works up versus knitting. the finished fabric is more dense due to the yarnovers and as a result - more stiff! but if you blast it with heat - i'm talking a hot wash followed by an hour in your dryer on the highest heat setting - the plastic melts a little and you're left with a really soft fabric that has nice drape. i love how sweaters feel and fit after i've killed the yarn.
One thing I learned by accident: never make potholders with acrylic yarn. Cotton and wool are better alternatives, as they don't melt. I've only made one set, and quickly realized my mistake.
I love acrylics for learning. When I started out, I only used acrylic so I could learn stitches and techniques without having to spend too much money and possibly ruin expensive yarn. I made some gorgeous shawls out of acrylics. Once I got good, I made the jump to natural fibers and felt confident enough to spring for a more expensive yarn that I wouldn't screw up. They are both good for different applications as you stated perfectly.
Same here but I think I spend more on acrylic making odd and ends things instead of actually getting proper yarn and following a proper pattern or tutorial Lol
Thank you so much Barbara for this video. I use all kinds of yarn but there are yarn snobs out there that poo poo acrylic yarn and this video made me feel better about using whatever makes us happy👍
Also pro and con: heat it retain heat very very well. I am a chubby girl and lean toward wool and cotton because it mote breathable than acrylic yarn depending alsobon the stitch. I like working with acrylic but for myself it is a bit too warm for me. I think that is why I try to also look for blended yarn of at least 50/50.
@@daniellerodgers6493 Cool. Yes, it just depends on your own comfort really. I mostly see acrylic yarns in stores and some cotton. I am ok with using acrylic but it just not a wearable for me. I like looking for cotton, wool, bamboo, linen and tencel yarns. It is also fun to experiment with different fibers from time to time if I can find affordable yarns to try. I hope you find what is comfortable for you.
So much logic on this channel. Knit how you want and with what you want and what makes you happy. Yarn pure-ists never made sense to me in this community lol. I love listening to you and am an instant subscriber!
I personally love love it now...I was always a yarn snob..but then I received 4 or 5 cakes of pop yarn for Xmas....oh my...love it!...its not like your grandmother s acrylic!
I watched your video today. Thought I would pass along something you inadvertently gave me regarding acrylic yarn and steaming it to prevent curl up. I had a light bulb moment....would steam work on a rug that the corners curl up? The answer is YES!. We were ready to throw this rug away. But you saved the day. Thank you.
Thank you. I love to crochet and knit but I can’t afford $30 skeins. I’m happy you didn’t totally criticize acrylic yarns. There are some pretty good ones out there. 🙏💕
Glad you didn't bad mouth acrylic, which I love for certain items, especially for gifts to person who you know will not give proper care. (like sons who throw everything in the washer, but after once in dryer, never again lol) Acrylic, like wool, has good ones and bad ones and the only way to know for sure is to try it.
Well said! I don't have a LYS and until I joined a monthly yarn subscription, I had never used anything but acrylic. I love Hobby Lobby's "I love this yarn". I get beautiful stitch definition. Caron Simply Soft is nice. There's so much negativity against acrylic in my FB knitting groups. It's nice to hear a professional knitter give an unbiased review on using acrylic. Thank you!
Great video! I love all the yarn!! At one point i believed i had "graduated" from using acrylic yarns just because thats what many beginners use. but i got over it. Now i love my acrylics and luxury fibers equally for knitting and crochet. I just love yarn!
Exactly. I want ALL THE YARN. Except vintage acrylic. My Mother in law gave me some stash that was her mother's and really, acrylic from the 60s that has been in a garage for 40 years is quite unpleasant to knit with.
Thank you, I had no idea I couldn't sub it for the more expensive yarns shown in patterns. Now that I understand the properties it has, I see why there are issues with that. I have an acrylic sweater that is falling apart and am wanting to eventually be able to knit one to replace it - like you say, wash n wear really is a factor sometimes.
I’ve knitted with acrylic yarn for years. I have to say the quality has improved greatly over the years. There’s a lot of acrylic yarn that is very soft. I love that it can be machine washed and dried. Another benefit is that anyone can wear it as you don’t have to worry about allergies to natural fibers. I would suggest natural fibers if you want to do fair aisle though.
I just want to thank you for this video. So glad I came across it. I have been discouraged when it comes the knitting community because while I love wool, it doesn’t love me. I use a lot of cotton but it’s hard to knit/crochet big projects with cotton yarn. So I default to acrylic. Thank you for not making me feel like an outcast. ❤️
I am so sorry that you have been made to feel anything less than a welcome member of the knitting community. Everyone has their own reasons for the patterns and materials they use and that's great. We all love knitting and that is my focus.
Barbara, great discussion on acrylic yarns. You always have so many interesting and helpful things to tell us. Your brain is a wealth of information and thanks for sharing with us and enlightening our brains! Been out of commission for a month with the flu so I have a lot of catching up to do with your podcasts! 💕
I really appreciate this video. I live in a yarn desert, in a country where all yarn is expensive, 90% of (more) affordable yarn is acrylic, and where online stores aren't an option because the shipping and import fees cost WAY too much (I once paid more for shipping then I did on the actual product lol). It can be incredibly frustrating because natural fibres are completely inaccesible to me, and even the acrylic I buy isn't 'cheap' - I am probably spending the same or more on mid and even poor quality acrylic yarn than most people in the US or UK are spending on actual natural fibres, just so that I have *something* to knit/crochet with. It sometimes feels like I am 'wasting' money on yarn when I could be buying affordable wool if I lived in another country, or when every solution I hear is to this issue just doesn't apply to my situation. It makes this hobby more stressful than fun sometimes. ALL of that before I even start to think about the acrylic yarn-shaming that can exist in the yarn community. It's discouraging especially when you're a beginner. All that said, I appreciate the advice on the pros and cons of acrylic yarn and the lack of pretentiousness. It's practical information that tells people what to expect and helps people get the results they want. I wish that kind of info was more available instead of just the general vibe that acrylic is 'bad'. Elitism seems to be a big issue in craft communities and it can honestly discourage a lot of people from trying things out. I respect people's preferences and people who know what they do and don't like, I just wish more people were empathetic and understanding of the fact that not everyone has access to the same things they do. Acrylic is plastic but it's also all some people can use and i'd rather use plastic to knit than not knit at all.
I don't know if you would count this is being part of the hand when talking about acrylic yarn (I think it's a little bit different than what's referred to as the hand) but acrylic yarn isn't stretchy like wool yarn is. That gave me so much trouble when I was learning to knit that I thought for a long time I just didn't like knitting. I have lost a lot of dexterity in my hands as a result of disability and really struggled with my tension in the beginning. It was either so loose I'd drop the yarn or so tight it was difficult to get my needle in the stitches to form new stitches. Once someone told me to try wool yarn that issue completely disappeared. Like, literally immediately I got so much better at controlling my tension I was actually enjoying myself. I still had uneven stitches and my tension was still off a lot, but it gave me enough help that I could focus on how to hold the needles and form stitches. That alone has been the biggest single help in all my years knitting (I've been knitting nearly 40 years at this point). I always suggest that people start with 100% wool when they're first learning to knit. It's worth the cost to buy one ball or skein or whatever of 100% wool in the beginning in my opinion. You won't need more than one ball immediately anyway since at the start you're just learning how to do basic things like form knit and purl stitches, increase, and decrease. Maybe you'll learn a few different stitch patterns. But nobody is going to try to make a sweater on their first try so there's no reason to get lots of yarn in the very beginning. Then, once they're more comfortable with the basics, have however many practice squares under their belt as needed, and want to move onto an actual project they can decide what kind of yarn they want to buy. At that point I think it's reasonable to try acrylic if so desired (or if that's the only option). Not that you can't learn to knit with acrylic. You can and some people do. It just makes it so much harder that I think people should at least be aware they're adding difficulty before they spend money buying acrylic yarn.
I am in a yarn desert zone 😝 and I have to purchase most of my yarn online. I don’t mind acrylics as they are more affordable as well as accessible as opposed to wool… Thank you for being so informative! ❤
I have a lot of worsted weight acrylic yarn that was gifted to me by my sister. A lot of the videos I have come across are using fingering weight yarn, hand-dyed, hand spun or fibers from Super-man's cape and bums me out because I don't possess that type of yarn. This video was a game changer!
I strongly believe that people should use whatever materials work best for their individual circumstances. With regards to "gifted" yarn, you might want to check out this video: th-cam.com/video/qwer6yF3aZU/w-d-xo.html I have received yarn as a gift that I didn't like and honestly, I have limited knitting time that I don't want to waste on yarn I don't love. (That doesn't mean you can't love worsted weight acrylic ... if you do then rock on!)
I love your no-nonsense, clear presentation. You make some good points in favour of acrylic. My biggest concern about using it is that we add yet more plastic to the environment.
Very pleased to hear that you didn’t trash Acylic yarn. I actually like 50/50 mix. I have watched many podcasts where they have used beautiful yarn so I bought some with Alpaca in it to discover that it tickled me to distraction. It would be great to see one of your patterns in Acrylic only. Keep safe. X
Thank you for not completely trashing acrylic yarns - I appreciate your open mindedness. I mostly knit or crochet in acrylic, or Walmart cotton - due to price point, AND the struggle of finding anything without acrylic in my nearby area that isnt....well, 100% cotton. The best I've found was 80% Acrylic, 20% wool in my local Walmart, which is borderline out of my price point anyways for the amount of skeins needed for a single focused project. And acrylic has such lovely colors to learn on, while so many natural fibers (in my area and online, strangely, from what I've seen) lack the sheer pretty color variety I can find in acrylic so close to home. I also just...really like the feel of Red Heart Super Saver? Plus the colors, plus convenience (the nearest JoAnns or Micheals is 20 min plus away).... I love it, to be honest.
I cannot understand why creators feel the need to trash things and I will never deliberately do something like that. If I ever do it inadvertently I hope that my viewers will call me in on it. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you! Although I want to branch out into knitting with different natural fibres like wool, bamboo, cotton, etc; I've used mostly 100% acrylic yarns due to that's what is readily available to me. And then I recently found out that I can intentionally "felt" items I make from acrylic yarn, when a pattern requires felting. Sadly I'd been putting off several very special projects because they were designed specifically to be felted after being knit in wool. I'm knitting up swatches of my acrylic yarns to see how each reacts to steam blocking & to felting & how well the felted samples perform after felting so that I can see if I can make my felted knitted messenger bag from acrylic yarn. I've always been a science "nerd girl" & love to conduct "scientific" experiments & document the results of my experiments. A friend taught me how to identify what kind of fiber content a yarn is by doing a "burn" test. Can you please do a video explaining how to identify unknown yarn by performing a "burn test"? Some kinds smell like burning hair, some types melt, some produce ash or smell like burning wood, I'd make a tutorial video myself, but am not very good at explaining--though am pretty good at demonstrating the process & I'm very camera shy (even as a kid).
I have honestly never heard of felting acrylic yarn so I would be super interested in hearing more about that! I'm afraid I don't have enough experience with doing burn tests to do a video on them. I totally understand the camera shy thing - I'm not sure I've ever gotten 100% comfortable with making these videos LOL.
When I first started knitting, I didn't know about all of the natural fibers. One of my favorite things I have ever made is a shawl made with Universal Yarns Major. Two skeins of this yarn makes such a warm and cozy shawl (I used a basic bias shawl pattern).
Great discussion! My main factor when using acrylic is the recipient, care, and use. I'm not willing to give a baby items made in wool. I think baby items should be easy enough to care without the parents stressing that something was felted in the wash. I'm using Paintbox Simply Aran from LoveCrafts for a blanket. It has a nice feel and washes well. The quality of acrylic has definitely improved. I'd say try different brands and see what you like. Btw, never go by how it feels straight out of the washing machine. Once the dryer gets through with it, they tend to feel wonderful!
That's a really interesting point regarding the dryer. I'm afraid I don't have enough experience in acrylic to know that. The blanket you're working on sounds great.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit I mentioned the dryer bit because I hate the feel of acrylic when it's still wet. Very plasticky and squeaky, but the dryer softens and fluffs it right back up.
I love your explanation about this. Like you, I am a process knitter. Personally- I love rustic woolly wool yarn- which some find itchy, but I find heavenly. i am not a yarn snob and I appreciate your perspective that every yarn type has its purpose. Most of my knits are Shetland or Norwegian wool- which is surprisingly affordable. However, I still have an old acrylic afghan my grannie made me in the 1960s. I cherish it.
Finally a designer that sticks up for acrylic.Thank you!! I like acrylic yarn. I like wool yarn too but for most of my knitting, acrylic is just fine. I've made garments with it, cowls,baby clothes,etc. Maybe when I use up all my acrylic yarn I'll start going for the blends,and wools, but for now RHSS is my go to yarn.
I love this video, thank you Barbara! I have only wanted to use natural yarn but love the price of acrylic 😂 I see now that it’s important to think about your customer. Most people are next going to give it the care it warrants, I even have a hard time taking care of what I knit! But at the same time, I don’t think something should live forever like an acrylic item would. But like you said, pros and cons 😊
I will always remember the tidbit of info about RHSS I came across one day. Today, it is considered rough and low end but when it was invented they actually had to come out with the rougher yarn we know today. The first product was refused as it was to soft and the buyers wanted a yarn to match the wool texture of that time. No super-wash and merino yarns back then. As wool has changed and become soft and silkier so has the acrylic yarns. My Knit Happy with Self-striping yarns came in. So much fun to go through and I realized I have yarn that will be perfect for Bright Axis.
That is a super interesting tidbit that I will file away in my brain! It makes total sense that what they were trying to do is replicate the popular yarns of the time. I sometimes jokingly refer to the "tyranny of soft" to refer to the current prevalence of merino and other such yarns, were all other characteristics are passed over in the search for softness.
I crochet with acrylic and knit with natural fibers. The reason for that is I crochet afghans and rugs, which would cost a fortune to use high end natural yarns, plus it's a must that it can be washed. I knit with natural because I only knit wearables. I love yarn regardless so for me, it's all about the project. I can splurge on high end yarn for a hat and scarf to knit because it uses so much less in yardage. And, for the record, I dislike snobs of any kind. 😁
Sounds like a great split. As far as snobs, I might have one area of snobbery and it's chicken wings LOL. I accept only actual chicken wings. These "boneless wings" aren't wings, they are chicken tenders tossed in sauce.
I have another pro and another con... The con - acrylic is not very breathable and if knitting a sweater or so out of it sometimes feels like you are wearing a plastic bag. No fun. The pro - there is no bug in the world that will eat acrylic! It's so heartbreaking to see one's precious yarn full of bites. One of the reasons I like to use acrylic for stuffed animals. Thank you for your objective views of acrylic. I love that you mentioned blends - I recently knit a sweater with a blend and I love it.
Wonderful explanation! I second the recommendation for the Paton Classic Wool line. I am currently using the worsted weight in that line and , at least for me, I'm finding it to be a really solid wool that knits beautifully.
Barbara, this video came up in my YT feed and after listening for a few minutes, I had to subscribe. I love your clear and no-nonsense approach and I look forward to exploring your channel as I try to get my knit-life re-established. Thank you.
Thank you so much, I am so glad you found me! There's a lot of old videos to watch and I put up a new one every Thursday so I hope I continue to entertain/educate/have fun with you!
I like what you say about using whatever you are comfortable using! That's the right thing to say! I am a spinner, so have used all kinds of fibres. Some are better than others for specific projects. Acrylic is good for tying things together, and as stitch markers, if it is smooth! But there are special properties for wool, which I like, so I use it (and can afford it) -- I know others cannot afford to pay that much for wool, so each to his own! I find many ways to get it at little or no cost!
funny you posted this video...i am currently knitting with acrylic yarn....red heart....i knit with acrylics and also i use Lorena worsted as well which is 45% acrylic and 55% cotton....the 100% acrylic is super easy to knit with, it doesn't get terribly crimped if you have to frog it and re-knit....it does feel a little rough between the fingers while knitting, but when worn as a scarf or sweater if feels soft.....the Lorena worsted is super soft because of the cotton content....oh i also wanted to add that 100% acrylic is SUPER SUPER warm as a sweater
i also want to encourage all the knitters and crocheters out there....i agree with Barbara about knitting with the yarns you like and feel comfortable with....when you knit (weather it is your own design or someone else's pattern) keep in mind that knitting and crocheting is art.....you are the artist that is making the piece....even when knitting someone else's pattern you are creating your own "version" of that design....using a different yarn than the original designer may not produce the exact same look the designer originally intended, but you should never feel bad about using something different....always use what you like....when knitting, you should feel good about what you are creating and if you don't feel good about it, you don't have to finish it....frog and start something new that you do feel good about
@@knitcrochettiger361 I agree with everything you've said here. I also prefer cotton/acrylic blends, they work great in my climate. I love a nice linen as well. I don't do animal fibers though.
The best acrylic yarn I have found is Premier Everyday Anti Pilling Yarn. It comes in LOTS of colors, is reasonably priced and very soft and cozy. It is not plasticky feeling at all. I use it exclusively for any charity knitting. I just watch for sales and/or free shipping and buy it online now that the big box stores have stopped carrying it as they carry lesser brands.
Thank you, Barbara! You gave such a great explanation about the fibers and blocking or steaming acrylic. By the way, most charity organizations specify acrylic yarn being used for anything you knit or crochet for them. 💜🧶
I love that you're not a yarn snob. ❤️As a person on a limited budget I love natural fibers but need to be mindful of price. I have used lovely acrylic yarns and the blends are just fine. If I knit for a baby washability is so important. Thanks for this.
I’m making a lace baby blanket with acrylic for the care factor but was wondering how it would look after the mom washes it. So your tip about bring able to steam block and set the design was music to my ears. And I totally agree use what you like and have access to. I have everything n my stash from cashmere blends to acrylic.
WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you! I’m an avid lace knitter/ crocheter but tend to use my wool blends for that. I will tape a post it note to my steamer right now so I remember and I’ll tag you on IG with the finished project 😁
Very and it puts out toxic fumes as it melts. There are fewer fires nowadays but fires are now more deadly thanks to the prevalence of plastic and plastic clothing
Having nine grandchildren who are always asking me to make them different amigurumi I find acrylic yarn perfect. They can be played with, thrown in the washer and dryer and back into their hands again. I also love using natural fibres, but not everyone knows how to care for it and there is nothing worse than giving someone a handmade gift to find it shrunk or spoiled in someway. It's horses for courses. Each have their own place in the yarn community. Thank you for the video. Take care and keep safe. xxJane
I like seeing a more objective pros and cons video about acrylic. I inherited a pretty big yarn stash from my parents that's almost exclusively acrylic so it's most of what I use. There's a good amount of people who say it's just bad so I've wondered in the past if the yarn I use is holding back my projects. I definitely think that knowing more of the actual drawbacks will help me in the future
Thank you for your objective comments. I have developed allergic reactions to natural fibers and have to knit with acrylic now.. I was upset with it at first but then I thought about the fact that I can knit again.
I am a yarn snob!! However, I found an acrylic yarn that I like and use it for items you mentioned. It’s called “impeccable” found at Michael’s. I didn’t know about blocking acrylic yarn. Thanks. Great info.
Hello from México! Thank you for the explanation. Over here it is really hard to find wool or blends, especially for socks. 90 percent of the yarn I find, even on the wholesale stores is acrilyc. Now, there is a big trend on amigurumi crocheting so, cotton yarn is available too. I am so envious of all the different brands and blends there are in the US... I just want to take a shopping yarn trip when the pandemic ends. :)
Hello! I’m from Mexico too and what Paola says is true. Another thing that’s happened lately is that many stores that used to sell yarn and sometimes had natural fibers, got rid of their crafting departments. Plus, wool can be too warm for this tropical country so it’s more convenient to knit with acrylic/cotton blends.
I live in Kenya, and it's the exact same issue. Yarn stores are rare, and acrylic is by far the most common yarn. Wool exists but is rare and expensive, cotton does too but it can sometimes be poor quality. It can be very hard to see so many people using natural fibres or wool when I have basically no access to it. I wish there were more experienced knitters and crocheters who used acrylic and taught people how to use it, because it kinda at a loss and acrylic is the only yarn I *can* use.
I love your video. Because I learned a lot from you , just like this video about acrylic. I started to knit and crochet with acrylic and lately I try to used cotton or bamboo. Thank you Barbara for your sharing .
I made my first sweater with 100% acrylic. i cant wear it because it makes me sweat. it does not breath. it makes me feel like i'm wearing plastic against my skin.
Breath-ability can be a problem with acrylic yarns. That is why blends can be super popular. You get the easy care of acrylic combined with desirable traits from other fibers.
Thank you Barbara, it was refreshing to hear that acrylics have a place in knitting. I have to use online stores for yarn, so when I find something nice I tend to buy more of it. My kids and grandkids (all adult) throw everything into the washing machine, so when I give them a sweater I also give them a very large net bag to wash each one in. That prevents agitation, which causes pilling. I love 50%cotton/acrylic, and one from Turkey which is 20% alpaca,50% wool, 30% acrylic. Felt scratchy so I knitted up a piece using all different needles and washed/conditioned it. It feels like the softest wool now. Another is 20% cashmere, 40% angora, 40% acrylic. They are "Ice" brand, and I doubt I'll be buying from the UK and Denmark again. I'm an Aussie.
I agree that acrylic has its place. I love using it for blankets and household items. I love using natural fibers for garments or accessories. Right now, I'm making a blanket for my dad with acrylic and it's working up so nicely.
I’ve been knitting for almost 40 years and mostly knitted with acrylic because that’s what’s mostly available in sunny Mexico. I live in a city that lays above 8000 feet above sea level in central Mexico and we get all four seasons in any given day. I’ve recently worked with mohair and wool blends but the yarn is not easy to find. You learn to adapt patterns to what’s available. Right now I’m working on a scrappy sweater from acrylic yarn scraps and I’m having a lot of fun with it. The scraps come from things I knit for my kids when they were little. (4 kids, tons of scraps)
I really wish there were more experienced knitters like you making videos or content about how to use acrylic and adapt patterns to the yarn you have access to. I'm a beginner living in a country where acrylic is the only thing I have access to/can afford for the most part, and it's very frustrating because so many people only design patterns with natural fibres or blends in mind. Do you have any general tips for a beginner knitting with acrylic yarns?
That was an answer refreshingly devoid of yarn snobbery. While I don't like knitting with pure acrylic yarn, I find that an acrylic/superwash wool blend is an excellent material for gifts. I generally don't give anything that isn't machine washable unless I know that person doesn't mind. A lot of people don't want the hassle of hand washing and I don't want to burden people with complicated care instructions they didn't ask for.
Thank you for this video in particular. I stopped going to actual yarn stores in the 90's because I would always get the same lousy treatment from the yarn snobs who owned the stores, for two of their beliefs: straight men don't knit, and acrylic is evil. I learned to knit in New England in 1987, so I've become really good at making warn, durable clothing, and I found early on that acrylic yarn works well for that. it's wash-and-wear, as you mentioned, and one other thing is that I've never met anyone who's allergic or sensitive to it, unlike animal fibers. My own wife won't wear wool, but she's never had a problem with anything I've made for her over the years. On a grander scale, there still seems to be some stigmas attached to knitting that I've been dealing with for nearly four decades, and I think we need to continue to consider how we treat one another. I would definitely go to your store, but none of the others. Currently, because it's post-Covid, I've been buying my yarn on Amazon; my go-to is Caron One-Pound, and there is a difference in the quality of the fiber, based on the color. This makes sense to me, because the fiber is affected by the dye. I would prefer a wider range in the color palette, but I do what I can with what I'm working with.
It's great that you still enjoy knitting even with the challenges you face. While you would be more than welcome in the store I work at I'm afraid that we don't carry very much acrylic. Being in a very warm climate we tend to place less emphasis on being warm LOL.
Thank you for this video. I did not know that acrylic could be blocked. Personally, I have some indie dyed SWM sitting right next to good old RHSS in my stash; which one I use will depend on what I want to make and for whom.
Great video! I’ve never really considered acrylic as wool is so readily available here in Norway. We might be a bit spoiled here when it comes to wool, so I only think I’ve seen blended yarns with combinations of wool and acrylics. I definitely see the uses for acrylics as a fiber now!
@@WatchBarbaraKnit That is great to hear! I had the notion that wool was less used. Knowing what fibre to use different projects and for different situations is key for a successful projects.
I am super allergic to wool. Like swell-up-like-a-balloon and massive-red-welts allergic - from just touching it. So much yarn is made of wool or wool blends that I haven't' ventured into knitting. Wool seems like the default and I don't know what else is a good choice. (When I look at patterns online, e.g., at Knit Picks, they mostly recommend wool yarns.) If I need to avoid wool, what is the best yarn to start with? Cotton? Cotton-acrylic blend? Silk? Or something else?
I mostly use acrylics just done a grannystitch oversized cardigan and 2 ponchos for me and my mom and the yarn is so awesome to work with. (Mostly using ALIZEs stuff) its comfy its soft no scratching or reaction to sensitive skin aaand super affordable if someones willing and can afford expensive naturalfibers sure go for it ive worked eith alpacablends b4 but only couse a friend got me the skeins as a gift (and i dont get that snobby-attitude by some knit-crocheters when it comes to yarn…as if they were any „ better“ by using expensive stuff only….)
I got the Bernat Baby Velvet 420yds $5 at Joann's.I it better to make baby things in the worst yard? I just bought some acrylic.I washed my yarnballs by putting them in pantyhose and wash on delicate ,it worked!!
Thanks for this! I’ve knit with some nice acrylic yarns, but not all acrylics are created equal. One time I was on my way to a long weekend at a lake house and realized I’d forgotten my knitting. This was an emergency!! I stopped at a big box store and bought some needles and a huge pound-o-yarn type thing. I figured the goal was the knitting, not the product…and how bad could it be? Well, it wasn’t particularly fun to knit with. It was “sticky,” kind of plasticy, but did that stop me? Of course not. Eventually, when I finished this flat white crunchy shawl, I immediately gave it to the cat as a back-of-couch blanket. Granted, the yarn met the goal of having something to knit, but the valuable outcome was the lesson learned: If I’m going to spend my time knitting something, I’m going to buy good ENOUGH yarn to make it worth my while. At this point I wish I’d just knit dishcloths. So, still not a yarn snob, but a yarn appreciator - I frequently knit with cotton-acrylic blends or relatively inexpensive wool like recommended in the video. Lovely Indy spun/dyed yarn is such a treat, though, like an indulgent dessert! :)
100% agree on varying qualities, just as there are varying qualities of wool (and every other fiber) yarn. The best yarn is the stuff that works with your budget and that you enjoy knitting.
Just a quick tip -- when I start a skein of acrylic, I douse it throughly with water mixed with fabric softener or hair conditioner.. as is dunk the entire skein... let drip and dry enough to handle. It's a easy pre-wash.
Hi Barbara! New subscriber in here👋🏻 I LOOOOVEEE your YT channel. I found one of your video around 8 am, i keep watching one by one, and now it’s 3 pm already🤣 You talked about almost everything that popped in my mind during knitting😂 This acrylic yarn, the yarn weight, the math, etc. But my mind was so scattered and you answered my question and elaborated my thought perfectly. I was like ‘oh yeah I was wondering why… yes that’s what I feel about metal needle.. ‘ Oh and I love your contagious laugh❤
I don't know if I could listen to myself for that long but I'm so glad you are enjoying the videos! Welcome to the channel. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. It might give me ideas for a future video!
I am using acrylic yarn until I feel like I am experienced enough to start using more expensive fibers. I wonder how much they different feel of the yarn will effect my knitting when I switch over. I am very interested in finding used sweaters in thrift shops and reusing the yarn.
Be careful with thrift store finds. Because you don't know where they came from you can easily introduce wool eating pests into your stash. I'm not saying don't do it - just saying be careful.
I am going to donate my 3000+ yards of CARON Simply Soft yarn. Don't want to spendhours to make a cardigan and then have it SAG out of shape. You mentioned the heat factor which I now understand is why I don't wear polyester blouses, etc. Going to look for a wool blend in the wonderful SOLEIL (bright yellow) of CARON.
I found Cascade Cherub Aran, an acrylic blend. It is soft and enjoyable to work with. I’m experimenting with knitting socks for family members who wouldn’t want to mess with wool socks. I’m wanting to do colorwork with acrylic and wondered how it works! Thank you Barbara!!
I'm afraid I don't have any experience with doing colorwork with acrylic yarn. I would recommend doing a few swatches of the techniques you are considering and see how your specific yarn performs.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you Barbara. Most of what I’ve seen and read says it doesn’t work as well as wool, but the little bit I did didn’t turn out bad at all. I’ve got some experimenting to do with my tension and working with floats. So its a good way to practice. Thanks for your reply. Rosie
I don't mind a little to keep the cost down but I can't spend my time on 100 percent acrylic. I also don't like how it wears over time. I find wool easier on the hands as it has natural stretch. And I spit splice!
Another great and informative podcast! Thank you for your insights. Now: please tell me about that gorgeous shawl draped over your dress form behind you. I'd love to purchase that pattern. Out of this world SPECIAL!!!
I'm so glad you like it. Just FYI - the links to any sample on my dress form will always be in the description notes under the video. That said, that shawl is Unheeded Warnings and you can find more about it here: www.tumpedduck.com/designs/unheeded-warnings/
You forgot to mention allergies! Some of us simply can't knit with animal fiber (sneeze! scratch!) and I am so happy that we finally have a good acrylic fingering weight (Loops and Threads Woolike). I also have a ton of cheap acrylic from the thrift shop, which I use to make hats and cowls for the homeless; putting them through the washer and dryer softens them nicely.
Hi Barbara, as a High School teacher I use acrylic when teaching the students how to knit. I get the students to knit squares which we sew together as charity blankets to give away at Christmas or during our Winter Appeal which is in June. Pros for acrylic moths don’t eat it. For myself I’m a natural fibre knitter but as you said knitting for other people can be problematic. I’m knitting a lot of gifts to send to my nephew and his family who I know will not have the time nor the expertise to wash properly so I will knit their gifts in acrylic yarn. Acrylic has its place but environmentally I still feel guilty using it. Thanks for your video and Renee for the question. It certainly made me think. Happy knitting.
I agree with you on the 'enjoying the process of creating a piece and handling lovely yarn' aspects of going for good (not silly expensive) yarns. Big con of acrylics for me are that they do not breath and absorb smells much more and need more washing, whereas woolens, particularly animal fibres only need 'airing out' unless they are actually soiled. Also you do not have to weave in ends with woolen yarn, you can just connect the ends. And there are now many mid-ranged priced natural fibres out there. Even with baby clothes I've drifted towards using soft cottons which are afffordable and durable.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Ever since I've come across a tip to use spit and roll the yarn ends on jeans it's working like a charm - I think it's some enzymes in the spit and the heat generated by the friction with cotton is what's doin' it.
Loved your vidéo. I must admit that i am kind of a yarn snob myself, but it's because i can afford it, which i am grateful for. I just calculated, that some zara sweater can cost 50€ and be 100% acrylic, for this price i can have some beautiful skeins of natural fiber, this is why i knit. But i totally understand not everyone has this budget, and also starting to learn with some pretty cashmere, is just wasteful.
A little follow up six months later: I have knitted with acrylic and found that it stretches out with wear. I'm in Barbara's camp now and will spend a little more for wool to have a nicer garment. That said, I might work a new pattern up for the first time in cheap, dollar store acrylic just to see what the garment would look like . I have yet to find a way to block or keep acrylic so that it doesn't stretch out. I've washed sweaters and thrown them into the dryer and they're still going to elongate as I wear them. Any hints on keeping acrylic in shape?
This kind of stuff is so useful. I had a bunch of acrylic yarn laying around (or I found it layind around, or i snooped for it in my mum's house, hehe) and I was thinking what to do with it. This particular yarn is a bit scratchy so I thought to make something that wouldnt be in direct contact with my skin so much. i was gonna make heavily cabled leg warmers as my second knitting project ever, but the yarn is kind of idk stiff - like it doesnt wanna squish between my fingers- which seems like cables might be too tight nd lumpy bumpy (sorry im just spitballing coz im a total noobster) and knowing its properties now, I think I will go for some other design with thinner spacier and much much fewer cables (coz I really want to do cables and I for some reason want to do it on this project). Thanks a bunch for the info.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit THanks, swatching different designs is what I ended up doing, I ended up using the Merope pattern for my leg warmers It's working like a charm.
I agree. There's a lot of lovely acrylic yarns out there. Acrylic is also lighter, than cotton, so for making blankets you can reduce the weight significantly by using acrylic or an acrylic-cotton blend. I probably prefer a blend, over 100% acrylic, because of the way it feels to work with, but that's personal preference. A con can be it's not breatheable. So to make a tight knit sweater for an active child, is not a good idea. It's said, that it leaks tiny plastic particles and that's why, many places, they don't recommend using it for babies. But I don't know, if that is solved in the acrylics made for babies specifically, or if the yarns just is softer. 🙂
Hi Barbara, I need a little help. I’m looking to purchase a set of interchangeable circular knitting needles. I would like a set with 12 or 13 tips. Can you suggest some good sets that are under $100.00? My son wants to get me something from Amazon for my birthday and gave me the $100.00 limit. Thx in advance.
To get 12 or 13 tips you're looking at a pretty big set and those tend to be pricey. I just checked Amazon and the Knitters Pride Ginger set is currently on sale from at least one vendor for just under $100. If you're OK with a smaller quantity set, I really like my Knitter's Pride Zings!
It's made of oil, that's a negative. The biggest. As it will be there forever. Polluting to make and keep, highly inflammable Love how you answered the question, Barbara. Snail post. There are eco yarns out there like Drops that are very affordable.
I really didn't want to get into that as there are all kinds of points that can be made bout the ecological damage caused by sheep farming, cotton growing, and any number of natural fibers. If it is a concern for a person I encourage them to research it for themselves!
Hi! Currently watching your show. Questions...Is it easier to knit with acrylic yarn as opposed to other yarns...especially for a new knitter who has very few skills? Should new knitters-n-training use this kind of yarn as a learning resource or should they start learning to knit on expensive yarn? Great subj! Thanks
No I would not say that acrylic is any easier to knit with than most other yarns. There are things that make a yarn challenging to knit with and that might make an interesting video. Some acrylic yarns might be more difficult to work with, things that are more novelty.
I knit and crochet. Unfortunatly, I struggle with natural fibers besides cotton esp. Wool. One skein I'll be fine but a different skein will have me sneezing and feeling like I've been washing my hands with poisen ivy and some sort of highly abrasive wash. Last time that happened my hands hurt for days even after thorough washings. I looked at the labels and the one that didnt hurt said to hand wash, so I think it might be the chemicals used so you can put it in the washer. However, I am highly reluctant to test this theory. A few other animal fibers I tried made me sneeze incessently. Like I said, unfortunate because wool makes some pretty things acrylic and cotton just cant match.
You're one of several people who have mentioned allergy issues. I think I need to do a bit of pondering and come up with a video that addresses allergies. It definitely sounds like you might be allergic to something in the wool processing process.
I've found that at hobby lobby they have a wide selection of yarns such as 100% supper wash merino. It's cheaper than a lot of other superwash merinos that I've seen online and Hobby Lobby has regular sales on yarn. They also have 100% wool and wool blends.
As long as it's not Red Heart Super Saver or that level of price point I will use it. I also splurged on some merino wool only to develop allergies and a sinus infection trying to knit with it! Oddly I can wear it for some reason.
Not even five minutes in and my husband comments “even if you don’t knit, she presents in a way that makes it interesting “. Love your videos
Awe, that is a super nice thing to hear! Maybe we'll convert him?
@@WatchBarbaraKnit I don't think so, he has no patience.
@@margarethealey8698 Plus, they start nosing around the stash after they've been converted.
🤣
I really appreciate your warmth and open mind. I’m getting really tired of the increasing insensitive yarn snobbiness out in the community. If people can afford to make $300 mohair/merino sweaters, cool, but I feel like yarn-shaming is increasing. So for those of us on a budget, thanks!!
I have no tolerance for yarn shaming in either direction! Knit with what you love and I will celebrate your work.
This caught my attention because I can say that I haven't seen yarn-shaming anywhere before, although that could be because I watch a lot of young people in college (crocheters; I wonder if that makes a difference). Saying that yarn is not worth the money it's sold for is fair in my books. Do you happen to remember any examples even after ten months?
Funny, I'm a life long knitter and crocheter and I've found that people who use cheap yarn tend to be overly defensive and pushy. I don't have tons of money to waist either. I'll just save up and /or make the yarn I actually want or use a cheaper wool of need be.
@@aprilmichel7816 I think they probably mean people who act like acrylic yarn is 'bad' yarn or that a knitted/crocheted project can only be good quality or worth making if it's made out of natural fibres/turning their nose up at people who use acrylic. Sometimes it's overt, sometimes it's just people being judgemental towards acrylic yarn in a generalised way (which it's of course fine to dislike acrylic yarn if you just don't personally prefer it, but acting like everything that is made out of it is garbage or inferior to things made our of natural fibres is not great. Acting like everyone has access to hand dyed natural fibres is also an issue. Sometimes people act like acrylic yarn has some contagious disease on it lmao, they don't even want to touch it or be associated with it and that can really be discouraging as someone who mostly uses it. I respect people's preferences but you can dislike something without being precious or snobbish about it). It can feel often more subtle, kind of like people side eye you for using it or it's hard to find more experienced people who use it/show you how you can use it (which I understand why more experienced people would prefer natural fibres but some people just don't have access to it, or can't afford it, regardless of skill level). This is a lot more common amongst 'older'/more experienced knitters and crocheters, not as common in the bigger yarn channels with mostly college students.
@@keturahspencer that's fine, but not everyone has access to natural fibres at all. Where I live ALL yarn is expensive, even acrylic, and wool is hard to find and never ever cheap because it's all imported. Saving up would mean spending $200 on a single wool sweater and as someone who enjoys making many things that absolutely is not worth it, that would be spending months worth of yarn money on a single project. I've seen yarn teachers on here recommend using expensive hooks and yarn as an absolute beginner or only ever design their patterns with those yarns and hooks in mind. People can have preferences but it sends a VERY clear message about who they expect their audience to be and what they expect their audience to have access to. That can be hard when you're a beginner and can't afford to use natural fibres or, shock! Horror! You actually like acrylic yarn and enjoy using it.
That said, I completely respect people who use natural fibres, who can splurge on nice yarn, or who have access to it. Your experience is of course valid and real, and there are definitely people who yarn shame in the other direction. But yarn shaming people who use acrylic is definitely more of an issue, and elitism in crafting communities is an issue across the board. Not everyone who uses wool or natural fibres is a snobby, no one is saying that, so I don't know why you felt the need to characterise people who use acrylic as 'pushy and defensive'. You doing that is exactly the problem.
LOVE IT - that's my postcard!!! I love you and appreciate you answering my question. You did answer my question very thoroughly. The fear is that a beginner buys a very expensive wool and screws up the project, so starting out in acrylic might be okay OR problematic!
Great question! I've sometimes wondered that same thing, too.
Thanks for sending in your postcard!!
Renee love your picture postcard
@@nancybwilborn6752 Thank you\so much, Nancy! I love trains.
Yay! I am so glad you saw the answer!
Cotton is cheaper than wool, and great for wash clothes, which are excellent for practicing out new stitches (if you are looking for a natural fiber that's a bit cheaper than wool).
I usually recommend making wash clothes for beginners. You screw up? Oh, no, guess that's going to be solely for washing with, rather than being used as a coaster or a potholder. Shame! ;) Something came out brilliant? Show it off as a coaster/potholder/pad to place on table underneath hot objects.
as someone who lives below the poverty line, acrylic yarn and i became fast friends on my journey as a fiber artist. i think one of my favourite elements of acrylic (aside from the fact that it's so affordable and easy to care for) is the ability to "kill" it. i'm both a knitter and crocheter, but i've been the latter for far longer and so i understand just how different crochet works up versus knitting. the finished fabric is more dense due to the yarnovers and as a result - more stiff!
but if you blast it with heat - i'm talking a hot wash followed by an hour in your dryer on the highest heat setting - the plastic melts a little and you're left with a really soft fabric that has nice drape. i love how sweaters feel and fit after i've killed the yarn.
I think I need to play with killing acrylic more. Thanks for the inspiration.
One thing I learned by accident: never make potholders with acrylic yarn. Cotton and wool are better alternatives, as they don't melt. I've only made one set, and quickly realized my mistake.
That's the thing about acrylics --- CHEAP. Take it any way you want!
That’s what I noticed about the acrylic yarn.
I love acrylics for learning. When I started out, I only used acrylic so I could learn stitches and techniques without having to spend too much money and possibly ruin expensive yarn. I made some gorgeous shawls out of acrylics. Once I got good, I made the jump to natural fibers and felt confident enough to spring for a more expensive yarn that I wouldn't screw up. They are both good for different applications as you stated perfectly.
Knit what you love!
You cannot "ruin" wool. You can rip out mistakes and re-knit the yarn. Nothing lost!!
Same here but I think I spend more on acrylic making odd and ends things instead of actually getting proper yarn and following a proper pattern or tutorial Lol
Great video, I find that many people are allergic to wool/natural fibers so acrylic works good for allergies!
Very much true!
Thank you so much Barbara for this video. I use all kinds of yarn but there are yarn snobs out there that poo poo acrylic yarn and this video made me feel better about using whatever makes us happy👍
If you want to, for your own reasons, only knit with natural fibers well that's fine and well. But poo pooing others choices is unnecessary.
Die you ever see acrylic burn?? Or a baby burned by melting acrylic??
Thank you for doing this in a balanced and objective way! I am just starting to try new fibers but started with acrylic.
You are so welcome! You have fun with your new discoveries!
Also pro and con: heat it retain heat very very well. I am a chubby girl and lean toward wool and cotton because it mote breathable than acrylic yarn depending alsobon the stitch. I like working with acrylic but for myself it is a bit too warm for me. I think that is why I try to also look for blended yarn of at least 50/50.
So true! It's warm but it can get quite sweaty, I find. And if it's windy I can really feel the cold breeze on my arms!
I really love blends.
Thanks for sharing that. I made a top out of acrylic and if I end up getting sweaty, I’ll switch to cotton/wool 😅
@@daniellerodgers6493 Cool. Yes, it just depends on your own comfort really. I mostly see acrylic yarns in stores and some cotton. I am ok with using acrylic but it just not a wearable for me. I like looking for cotton, wool, bamboo, linen and tencel yarns. It is also fun to experiment with different fibers from time to time if I can find affordable yarns to try. I hope you find what is comfortable for you.
@@soul00theeundead thanks! Once I become more…experienced, I’ll probably be looking for those yarns too. 🙂
So much logic on this channel. Knit how you want and with what you want and what makes you happy. Yarn pure-ists never made sense to me in this community lol. I love listening to you and am an instant subscriber!
Thank you so much! I hope to continue to earn your views!
I personally love love it now...I was always a yarn snob..but then I received 4 or 5 cakes of pop yarn for Xmas....oh my...love it!...its not like your grandmother s acrylic!
It's always great to expand your horizon.
I watched your video today. Thought I would pass along something you inadvertently gave me regarding acrylic yarn and steaming it to prevent curl up. I had a light bulb moment....would steam work on a rug that the corners curl up? The answer is YES!. We were ready to throw this rug away. But you saved the day. Thank you.
Awesome I am glad I was able to help!
Thank you. I love to crochet and knit but I can’t afford $30 skeins. I’m happy you didn’t totally criticize acrylic yarns. There are some pretty good ones out there. 🙏💕
Same here!
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all LOL!
Acrylic yarn has its pros and cons. I personally don't use it anymore, but understand there are people who like it or can only afford acrylic yarns.
I won't use $30 yarn either. But there are so many ways to get wool at little or no cost! Plus I spin my own.
Glad you didn't bad mouth acrylic, which I love for certain items, especially for gifts to person who you know will not give proper care. (like sons who throw everything in the washer, but after once in dryer, never again lol) Acrylic, like wool, has good ones and bad ones and the only way to know for sure is to try it.
So true!
Well said! I don't have a LYS and until I joined a monthly yarn subscription, I had never used anything but acrylic. I love Hobby Lobby's "I love this yarn". I get beautiful stitch definition. Caron Simply Soft is nice. There's so much negativity against acrylic in my FB knitting groups. It's nice to hear a professional knitter give an unbiased review on using acrylic. Thank you!
Honestly, I just don't understand bagging on other people's choices. Knit with what you love.
Absolutely loved this video! I use acrylic most of the time and only recently started using natural fibers. I love the easy care of acrylic!!!
Wonderful!
Wool and cotton are very easy care too. Unfortunately, many men & women are not taught how to care for these fibers!
Great video! I love all the yarn!! At one point i believed i had "graduated" from using acrylic yarns just because thats what many beginners use. but i got over it. Now i love my acrylics and luxury fibers equally for knitting and crochet. I just love yarn!
Exactly. I want ALL THE YARN. Except vintage acrylic. My Mother in law gave me some stash that was her mother's and really, acrylic from the 60s that has been in a garage for 40 years is quite unpleasant to knit with.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit yes exactly, i got some real old stuff from my grandmothers stash ....ick i use it for scrap stings and tying up plants
Thank you, I had no idea I couldn't sub it for the more expensive yarns shown in patterns. Now that I understand the properties it has, I see why there are issues with that. I have an acrylic sweater that is falling apart and am wanting to eventually be able to knit one to replace it - like you say, wash n wear really is a factor sometimes.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve knitted with acrylic yarn for years. I have to say the quality has improved greatly over the years. There’s a lot of acrylic yarn that is very soft. I love that it can be machine washed and dried. Another benefit is that anyone can wear it as you don’t have to worry about allergies to natural fibers. I would suggest natural fibers if you want to do fair aisle though.
Most colorwork really loves natural fibers!
I just want to thank you for this video. So glad I came across it. I have been discouraged when it comes the knitting community because while I love wool, it doesn’t love me. I use a lot of cotton but it’s hard to knit/crochet big projects with cotton yarn. So I default to acrylic. Thank you for not making me feel like an outcast. ❤️
I am so sorry that you have been made to feel anything less than a welcome member of the knitting community. Everyone has their own reasons for the patterns and materials they use and that's great. We all love knitting and that is my focus.
Barbara, great discussion on acrylic yarns. You always have so many interesting and helpful things to tell us. Your brain is a wealth of information and thanks for sharing with us and enlightening our brains! Been out of commission for a month with the flu so I have a lot of catching up to do with your podcasts! 💕
I'm so glad you're feeling better and enjoying my videos!
I’m loving you’re bobble head kitties in the background. I find some acrylic yarns pill more than others when you’re knitting with them.
Thanks! That's interesting about those yarns.
A woman of experience, you are! Thank you! I love listening to your tutorials. I always learn something new.
You are so welcome!
I really appreciate this video. I live in a yarn desert, in a country where all yarn is expensive, 90% of (more) affordable yarn is acrylic, and where online stores aren't an option because the shipping and import fees cost WAY too much (I once paid more for shipping then I did on the actual product lol). It can be incredibly frustrating because natural fibres are completely inaccesible to me, and even the acrylic I buy isn't 'cheap' - I am probably spending the same or more on mid and even poor quality acrylic yarn than most people in the US or UK are spending on actual natural fibres, just so that I have *something* to knit/crochet with. It sometimes feels like I am 'wasting' money on yarn when I could be buying affordable wool if I lived in another country, or when every solution I hear is to this issue just doesn't apply to my situation. It makes this hobby more stressful than fun sometimes. ALL of that before I even start to think about the acrylic yarn-shaming that can exist in the yarn community. It's discouraging especially when you're a beginner.
All that said, I appreciate the advice on the pros and cons of acrylic yarn and the lack of pretentiousness. It's practical information that tells people what to expect and helps people get the results they want. I wish that kind of info was more available instead of just the general vibe that acrylic is 'bad'. Elitism seems to be a big issue in craft communities and it can honestly discourage a lot of people from trying things out. I respect people's preferences and people who know what they do and don't like, I just wish more people were empathetic and understanding of the fact that not everyone has access to the same things they do. Acrylic is plastic but it's also all some people can use and i'd rather use plastic to knit than not knit at all.
You're doing something incredibly wrong!!
I don't know if you would count this is being part of the hand when talking about acrylic yarn (I think it's a little bit different than what's referred to as the hand) but acrylic yarn isn't stretchy like wool yarn is. That gave me so much trouble when I was learning to knit that I thought for a long time I just didn't like knitting. I have lost a lot of dexterity in my hands as a result of disability and really struggled with my tension in the beginning. It was either so loose I'd drop the yarn or so tight it was difficult to get my needle in the stitches to form new stitches. Once someone told me to try wool yarn that issue completely disappeared. Like, literally immediately I got so much better at controlling my tension I was actually enjoying myself. I still had uneven stitches and my tension was still off a lot, but it gave me enough help that I could focus on how to hold the needles and form stitches. That alone has been the biggest single help in all my years knitting (I've been knitting nearly 40 years at this point). I always suggest that people start with 100% wool when they're first learning to knit. It's worth the cost to buy one ball or skein or whatever of 100% wool in the beginning in my opinion. You won't need more than one ball immediately anyway since at the start you're just learning how to do basic things like form knit and purl stitches, increase, and decrease. Maybe you'll learn a few different stitch patterns. But nobody is going to try to make a sweater on their first try so there's no reason to get lots of yarn in the very beginning. Then, once they're more comfortable with the basics, have however many practice squares under their belt as needed, and want to move onto an actual project they can decide what kind of yarn they want to buy. At that point I think it's reasonable to try acrylic if so desired (or if that's the only option). Not that you can't learn to knit with acrylic. You can and some people do. It just makes it so much harder that I think people should at least be aware they're adding difficulty before they spend money buying acrylic yarn.
Thank you for taking the time to communicate this. This is outside my experience but is a very valuable point to make!
I am in a yarn desert zone 😝 and I have to purchase most of my yarn online. I don’t mind acrylics as they are more affordable as well as accessible as opposed to wool… Thank you for being so informative! ❤
It's a good thing we have the internet, eh? LOL
I have a lot of worsted weight acrylic yarn that was gifted to me by my sister. A lot of the videos I have come across are using fingering weight yarn, hand-dyed, hand spun or fibers from Super-man's cape and bums me out because I don't possess that type of yarn. This video was a game changer!
I strongly believe that people should use whatever materials work best for their individual circumstances. With regards to "gifted" yarn, you might want to check out this video: th-cam.com/video/qwer6yF3aZU/w-d-xo.html I have received yarn as a gift that I didn't like and honestly, I have limited knitting time that I don't want to waste on yarn I don't love. (That doesn't mean you can't love worsted weight acrylic ... if you do then rock on!)
I love your no-nonsense, clear presentation. You make some good points in favour of acrylic. My biggest concern about using it is that we add yet more plastic to the environment.
Which is an entirely valid concern. We each have to make our own decisions.
Very pleased to hear that you didn’t trash Acylic yarn. I actually like 50/50 mix. I have watched many podcasts where they have used beautiful yarn so I bought some with Alpaca in it to discover that it tickled me to distraction. It would be great to see one of your patterns in Acrylic only. Keep safe. X
The fuzz on alpaca can be a bit much LOL. My Big Yarn, Beautiful Lace Knits books features several patterns worked up in acrylic and acrylic blends.
Thank you for not completely trashing acrylic yarns - I appreciate your open mindedness. I mostly knit or crochet in acrylic, or Walmart cotton - due to price point, AND the struggle of finding anything without acrylic in my nearby area that isnt....well, 100% cotton. The best I've found was 80% Acrylic, 20% wool in my local Walmart, which is borderline out of my price point anyways for the amount of skeins needed for a single focused project. And acrylic has such lovely colors to learn on, while so many natural fibers (in my area and online, strangely, from what I've seen) lack the sheer pretty color variety I can find in acrylic so close to home. I also just...really like the feel of Red Heart Super Saver? Plus the colors, plus convenience (the nearest JoAnns or Micheals is 20 min plus away).... I love it, to be honest.
I cannot understand why creators feel the need to trash things and I will never deliberately do something like that. If I ever do it inadvertently I hope that my viewers will call me in on it. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you! Although I want to branch out into knitting with different natural fibres like wool, bamboo, cotton, etc; I've used mostly 100% acrylic yarns due to that's what is readily available to me. And then I recently found out that I can intentionally "felt" items I make from acrylic yarn, when a pattern requires felting. Sadly I'd been putting off several very special projects because they were designed specifically to be felted after being knit in wool. I'm knitting up swatches of my acrylic yarns to see how each reacts to steam blocking & to felting & how well the felted samples perform after felting so that I can see if I can make my felted knitted messenger bag from acrylic yarn. I've always been a science "nerd girl" & love to conduct "scientific" experiments & document the results of my experiments. A friend taught me how to identify what kind of fiber content a yarn is by doing a "burn" test. Can you please do a video explaining how to identify unknown yarn by performing a "burn test"? Some kinds smell like burning hair, some types melt, some produce ash or smell like burning wood, I'd make a tutorial video myself, but am not very good at explaining--though am pretty good at demonstrating the process & I'm very camera shy (even as a kid).
I have honestly never heard of felting acrylic yarn so I would be super interested in hearing more about that! I'm afraid I don't have enough experience with doing burn tests to do a video on them. I totally understand the camera shy thing - I'm not sure I've ever gotten 100% comfortable with making these videos LOL.
When I first started knitting, I didn't know about all of the natural fibers. One of my favorite things I have ever made is a shawl made with Universal Yarns Major. Two skeins of this yarn makes such a warm and cozy shawl (I used a basic bias shawl pattern).
There are all kinds of awesome yarns for shawls!
Great discussion! My main factor when using acrylic is the recipient, care, and use. I'm not willing to give a baby items made in wool. I think baby items should be easy enough to care without the parents stressing that something was felted in the wash. I'm using Paintbox Simply Aran from LoveCrafts for a blanket. It has a nice feel and washes well. The quality of acrylic has definitely improved. I'd say try different brands and see what you like. Btw, never go by how it feels straight out of the washing machine. Once the dryer gets through with it, they tend to feel wonderful!
That's a really interesting point regarding the dryer. I'm afraid I don't have enough experience in acrylic to know that. The blanket you're working on sounds great.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit I mentioned the dryer bit because I hate the feel of acrylic when it's still wet. Very plasticky and squeaky, but the dryer softens and fluffs it right back up.
I love your explanation about this. Like you, I am a process knitter. Personally- I love rustic woolly wool yarn- which some find itchy, but I find heavenly. i am not a yarn snob and I appreciate your perspective that every yarn type has its purpose. Most of my knits are Shetland or Norwegian wool- which is surprisingly affordable. However, I still have an old acrylic afghan my grannie made me in the 1960s. I cherish it.
Finally a designer that sticks up for acrylic.Thank you!! I like acrylic yarn. I like wool yarn too but for most of my knitting, acrylic is just fine. I've made garments with it, cowls,baby clothes,etc. Maybe when I use up all my acrylic yarn I'll start going for the blends,and wools, but for now RHSS is my go to yarn.
I just love yarn! Of course I have my preferences, but so does everyone else and I don't have the chutzpah to say I'm right and they're wrong!
I love this video, thank you Barbara! I have only wanted to use natural yarn but love the price of acrylic 😂 I see now that it’s important to think about your customer. Most people are next going to give it the care it warrants, I even have a hard time taking care of what I knit! But at the same time, I don’t think something should live forever like an acrylic item would. But like you said, pros and cons 😊
Con...for new knitters dropped stitches can ladder down very quickly in acrylic. I found learning with wool (started with Patons) much easier.
Wool is definitely grabbier! The dropped stitches can be an issue with lots of plant fibers too.
I will always remember the tidbit of info about RHSS I came across one day. Today, it is considered rough and low end but when it was invented they actually had to come out with the rougher yarn we know today. The first product was refused as it was to soft and the buyers wanted a yarn to match the wool texture of that time. No super-wash and merino yarns back then. As wool has changed and become soft and silkier so has the acrylic yarns.
My Knit Happy with Self-striping yarns came in. So much fun to go through and I realized I have yarn that will be perfect for Bright Axis.
That is a super interesting tidbit that I will file away in my brain! It makes total sense that what they were trying to do is replicate the popular yarns of the time. I sometimes jokingly refer to the "tyranny of soft" to refer to the current prevalence of merino and other such yarns, were all other characteristics are passed over in the search for softness.
I crochet with acrylic and knit with natural fibers. The reason for that is I crochet afghans and rugs, which would cost a fortune to use high end natural yarns, plus it's a must that it can be washed. I knit with natural because I only knit wearables. I love yarn regardless so for me, it's all about the project. I can splurge on high end yarn for a hat and scarf to knit because it uses so much less in yardage. And, for the record, I dislike snobs of any kind. 😁
Sounds like a great split. As far as snobs, I might have one area of snobbery and it's chicken wings LOL. I accept only actual chicken wings. These "boneless wings" aren't wings, they are chicken tenders tossed in sauce.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Well, I can accept that. 😁 I eat only bone-in too. Boneless are always so rubbery.
I have another pro and another con... The con - acrylic is not very breathable and if knitting a sweater or so out of it sometimes feels like you are wearing a plastic bag. No fun. The pro - there is no bug in the world that will eat acrylic! It's so heartbreaking to see one's precious yarn full of bites. One of the reasons I like to use acrylic for stuffed animals. Thank you for your objective views of acrylic. I love that you mentioned blends - I recently knit a sweater with a blend and I love it.
Both good points!
Wonderful explanation! I second the recommendation for the Paton Classic Wool line. I am currently using the worsted weight in that line and , at least for me, I'm finding it to be a really solid wool that knits beautifully.
I used Patons Classic in both of my books. It is a great, reasonably priced option.
Barbara, this video came up in my YT feed and after listening for a few minutes, I had to subscribe. I love your clear and no-nonsense approach and I look forward to exploring your channel as I try to get my knit-life re-established. Thank you.
Thank you so much, I am so glad you found me! There's a lot of old videos to watch and I put up a new one every Thursday so I hope I continue to entertain/educate/have fun with you!
I like what you say about using whatever you are comfortable using! That's the right thing to say!
I am a spinner, so have used all kinds of fibres. Some are better than others for specific projects. Acrylic is good for tying things together, and as stitch markers, if it is smooth!
But there are special properties for wool, which I like, so I use it (and can afford it) -- I know others cannot afford to pay that much for wool, so each to his own! I find many ways to get it at little or no cost!
Thanks for sharing!!
funny you posted this video...i am currently knitting with acrylic yarn....red heart....i knit with acrylics and also i use Lorena worsted as well which is 45% acrylic and 55% cotton....the 100% acrylic is super easy to knit with, it doesn't get terribly crimped if you have to frog it and re-knit....it does feel a little rough between the fingers while knitting, but when worn as a scarf or sweater if feels soft.....the Lorena worsted is super soft because of the cotton content....oh i also wanted to add that 100% acrylic is SUPER SUPER warm as a sweater
i also want to encourage all the knitters and crocheters out there....i agree with Barbara about knitting with the yarns you like and feel comfortable with....when you knit (weather it is your own design or someone else's pattern) keep in mind that knitting and crocheting is art.....you are the artist that is making the piece....even when knitting someone else's pattern you are creating your own "version" of that design....using a different yarn than the original designer may not produce the exact same look the designer originally intended, but you should never feel bad about using something different....always use what you like....when knitting, you should feel good about what you are creating and if you don't feel good about it, you don't have to finish it....frog and start something new that you do feel good about
@@knitcrochettiger361 I agree with everything you've said here. I also prefer cotton/acrylic blends, they work great in my climate. I love a nice linen as well. I don't do animal fibers though.
It is warm indeed, but can lack in "breath-ability" if that's a word LOL? As long as you are loving it, that's all that matters.
The best acrylic yarn I have found is Premier Everyday Anti Pilling Yarn. It comes in LOTS of colors, is reasonably priced and very soft and cozy. It is not plasticky feeling at all. I use it exclusively for any charity knitting. I just watch for sales and/or free shipping and buy it online now that the big box stores have stopped carrying it as they carry lesser brands.
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you, Barbara! You gave such a great explanation about the fibers and blocking or steaming acrylic.
By the way, most charity organizations specify acrylic yarn being used for anything you knit or crochet for them. 💜🧶
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. Good point about charities.
I love that you're not a yarn snob. ❤️As a person on a limited budget I love natural fibers but need to be mindful of price. I have used lovely acrylic yarns and the blends are just fine. If I knit for a baby washability is so important. Thanks for this.
You are so welcome!
I’m making a lace baby blanket with acrylic for the care factor but was wondering how it would look after the mom washes it. So your tip about bring able to steam block and set the design was music to my ears. And I totally agree use what you like and have access to. I have everything n my stash from cashmere blends to acrylic.
Steam heat on acrylic is magic, but you only get one shot.
WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you! I’m an avid lace knitter/ crocheter but tend to use my wool blends for that. I will tape a post it note to my steamer right now so I remember and I’ll tag you on IG with the finished project 😁
Good question, and great answers about Acrylic! I heard acrylic is also highly flammable :(
Less flammable, more meltable.
Very and it puts out toxic fumes as it melts. There are fewer fires nowadays but fires are now more deadly thanks to the prevalence of plastic and plastic clothing
Having nine grandchildren who are always asking me to make them different amigurumi I find acrylic yarn perfect. They can be played with, thrown in the washer and dryer and back into their hands again.
I also love using natural fibres, but not everyone knows how to care for it and there is nothing worse than giving someone a handmade gift to find it shrunk or spoiled in someway.
It's horses for courses. Each have their own place in the yarn community.
Thank you for the video.
Take care and keep safe. xxJane
I love amigurumi! So fun.
I like seeing a more objective pros and cons video about acrylic. I inherited a pretty big yarn stash from my parents that's almost exclusively acrylic so it's most of what I use. There's a good amount of people who say it's just bad so I've wondered in the past if the yarn I use is holding back my projects. I definitely think that knowing more of the actual drawbacks will help me in the future
It is a very controversial subject and not something I want to get too far into on my channel. I am glad you enjoyed this video!
Thank you for your objective comments. I have developed allergic reactions to natural fibers and have to knit with acrylic now.. I was upset with it at first but then I thought about the fact that I can knit again.
I just want people to be able to knit LOL!
I am a yarn snob!! However, I found an acrylic yarn that I like and use it for items you mentioned. It’s called “impeccable” found at Michael’s. I didn’t know about blocking acrylic yarn. Thanks. Great info.
Thanks for sharing!!
Hello from México! Thank you for the explanation. Over here it is really hard to find wool or blends, especially for socks. 90 percent of the yarn I find, even on the wholesale stores is acrilyc. Now, there is a big trend on amigurumi crocheting so, cotton yarn is available too. I am so envious of all the different brands and blends there are in the US... I just want to take a shopping yarn trip when the pandemic ends. :)
Thank you for sharing your experience. I had no idea that natural fibers were difficult to find in Mexico! Traveling to yarn shop sounds amazing!
Hello! I’m from Mexico too and what Paola says is true. Another thing that’s happened lately is that many stores that used to sell yarn and sometimes had natural fibers, got rid of their crafting departments. Plus, wool can be too warm for this tropical country so it’s more convenient to knit with acrylic/cotton blends.
I live in Kenya, and it's the exact same issue. Yarn stores are rare, and acrylic is by far the most common yarn. Wool exists but is rare and expensive, cotton does too but it can sometimes be poor quality. It can be very hard to see so many people using natural fibres or wool when I have basically no access to it. I wish there were more experienced knitters and crocheters who used acrylic and taught people how to use it, because it kinda at a loss and acrylic is the only yarn I *can* use.
I absolutely agree with you when you said "Knit with the yarn you love". Knit with the yarn you can afford.
It's the way to happiness.
I love your video. Because I learned a lot from you , just like this video about acrylic. I started to knit and crochet with acrylic and lately I try to used cotton or bamboo. Thank you Barbara for your sharing .
You should try all the fibers you can get your hands on and see what your favorite is!
@@WatchBarbaraKnit ohhh,thank you for your suggestion
I made my first sweater with 100% acrylic. i cant wear it because it makes me sweat. it does not breath. it makes me feel like i'm wearing plastic against my skin.
Breath-ability can be a problem with acrylic yarns. That is why blends can be super popular. You get the easy care of acrylic combined with desirable traits from other fibers.
That's because you are wearing plastic against your skin. Acrylic yarn is plastic.
Thank you Barbara, it was refreshing to hear that acrylics have a place in knitting. I have to use online stores for yarn, so when I find something nice I tend to buy more of it. My kids and grandkids (all adult) throw everything into the washing machine, so when I give them a sweater I also give them a very large net bag to wash each one in. That prevents agitation, which causes pilling. I love 50%cotton/acrylic, and one from Turkey which is 20% alpaca,50% wool, 30% acrylic. Felt scratchy so I knitted up a piece using all different needles and washed/conditioned it. It feels like the softest wool now. Another is 20% cashmere, 40% angora, 40% acrylic. They are "Ice" brand, and I doubt I'll be buying from the UK and Denmark again. I'm an Aussie.
There are so many different knitters and projects and I think there is a yarn for all of them!
I'm a new viewer and a novice knitter. Your video was brilliant, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I'll be watching more of your videos.
I'm so glad you liked the video and I hope to continue to earn your viewership!
I agree that acrylic has its place. I love using it for blankets and household items. I love using natural fibers for garments or accessories. Right now, I'm making a blanket for my dad with acrylic and it's working up so nicely.
It is great for blankets!
Unfortunately, acrylic won't stand the test of time! But it may out-last your dad, so who cares?!
@@patportran4683 what a rude and patronizing comment. You win internet jackass. congrats.
I’ve been knitting for almost 40 years and mostly knitted with acrylic because that’s what’s mostly available in sunny Mexico. I live in a city that lays above 8000 feet above sea level in central Mexico and we get all four seasons in any given day. I’ve recently worked with mohair and wool blends but the yarn is not easy to find. You learn to adapt patterns to what’s available. Right now I’m working on a scrappy sweater from acrylic yarn scraps and I’m having a lot of fun with it. The scraps come from things I knit for my kids when they were little. (4 kids, tons of scraps)
Adaptation makes you a better knitter! Sounds like fun.
I really wish there were more experienced knitters like you making videos or content about how to use acrylic and adapt patterns to the yarn you have access to. I'm a beginner living in a country where acrylic is the only thing I have access to/can afford for the most part, and it's very frustrating because so many people only design patterns with natural fibres or blends in mind.
Do you have any general tips for a beginner knitting with acrylic yarns?
That was an answer refreshingly devoid of yarn snobbery.
While I don't like knitting with pure acrylic yarn, I find that an acrylic/superwash wool blend is an excellent material for gifts. I generally don't give anything that isn't machine washable unless I know that person doesn't mind. A lot of people don't want the hassle of hand washing and I don't want to burden people with complicated care instructions they didn't ask for.
Excellent points. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
You never have to wash wool anyway! That's just such a stupid reason for acrylic!!
Great video Barbara! And I agree with you ,Greetings from Germany😘❤
Greetings! Thanks for the kind words.
Great video Barbara! And I agree with you 100%! Greetings from El Salvador in Central America
Awesome! Thank you! It is so cool that you are so far away and yet we can talk about knitting!
Kreamer yarn is super affordable has acrylic and wool blend. Very pink knitting uses it from time to time they sponsor her and do giveaways.
I've worked with some of their yarn, it's great!
Thank you for this video in particular. I stopped going to actual yarn stores in the 90's because I would always get the same lousy treatment from the yarn snobs who owned the stores, for two of their beliefs: straight men don't knit, and acrylic is evil. I learned to knit in New England in 1987, so I've become really good at making warn, durable clothing, and I found early on that acrylic yarn works well for that. it's wash-and-wear, as you mentioned, and one other thing is that I've never met anyone who's allergic or sensitive to it, unlike animal fibers. My own wife won't wear wool, but she's never had a problem with anything I've made for her over the years.
On a grander scale, there still seems to be some stigmas attached to knitting that I've been dealing with for nearly four decades, and I think we need to continue to consider how we treat one another. I would definitely go to your store, but none of the others. Currently, because it's post-Covid, I've been buying my yarn on Amazon; my go-to is Caron One-Pound, and there is a difference in the quality of the fiber, based on the color. This makes sense to me, because the fiber is affected by the dye. I would prefer a wider range in the color palette, but I do what I can with what I'm working with.
It's great that you still enjoy knitting even with the challenges you face. While you would be more than welcome in the store I work at I'm afraid that we don't carry very much acrylic. Being in a very warm climate we tend to place less emphasis on being warm LOL.
Thank you for this video. I did not know that acrylic could be blocked. Personally, I have some indie dyed SWM sitting right next to good old RHSS in my stash; which one I use will depend on what I want to make and for whom.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! I’ve never really considered acrylic as wool is so readily available here in Norway. We might be a bit spoiled here when it comes to wool, so I only think I’ve seen blended yarns with combinations of wool and acrylics. I definitely see the uses for acrylics as a fiber now!
Oh there is no shortage of wool over here LOL! But I am an equal opportunity fiber knitter.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit That is great to hear! I had the notion that wool was less used. Knowing what fibre to use different projects and for different situations is key for a successful projects.
Great info. Love your personality. Great video. Thank you so much 💓
Thank you so much!
Great episode!! Thanks, as a long time knitter this is the best presentation of this subject I've heard!!...Vicki
Thank you so much!
I am super allergic to wool. Like swell-up-like-a-balloon and massive-red-welts allergic - from just touching it. So much yarn is made of wool or wool blends that I haven't' ventured into knitting. Wool seems like the default and I don't know what else is a good choice. (When I look at patterns online, e.g., at Knit Picks, they mostly recommend wool yarns.) If I need to avoid wool, what is the best yarn to start with? Cotton? Cotton-acrylic blend? Silk? Or something else?
There have been several comments regarding allergies - I think I will try to make a video soon addressing your questions!
I mostly use acrylics just done a grannystitch oversized cardigan and 2 ponchos for me and my mom and the yarn is so awesome to work with. (Mostly using ALIZEs stuff) its comfy its soft no scratching or reaction to sensitive skin aaand super affordable if someones willing and can afford expensive naturalfibers sure go for it ive worked eith alpacablends b4 but only couse a friend got me the skeins as a gift (and i dont get that snobby-attitude by some knit-crocheters when it comes to yarn…as if they were any „ better“ by using expensive stuff only….)
Yeah, I don't get it either.
I got the Bernat Baby Velvet 420yds $5 at Joann's.I it better to make baby things in the worst yard? I just bought some acrylic.I washed my yarnballs by putting them in pantyhose and wash on delicate ,it worked!!
Thanks for this! I’ve knit with some nice acrylic yarns, but not all acrylics are created equal. One time I was on my way to a long weekend at a lake house and realized I’d forgotten my knitting. This was an emergency!! I stopped at a big box store and bought some needles and a huge pound-o-yarn type thing. I figured the goal was the knitting, not the product…and how bad could it be? Well, it wasn’t particularly fun to knit with. It was “sticky,” kind of plasticy, but did that stop me? Of course not. Eventually, when I finished this flat white crunchy shawl, I immediately gave it to the cat as a back-of-couch blanket. Granted, the yarn met the goal of having something to knit, but the valuable outcome was the lesson learned: If I’m going to spend my time knitting something, I’m going to buy good ENOUGH yarn to make it worth my while. At this point I wish I’d just knit dishcloths. So, still not a yarn snob, but a yarn appreciator - I frequently knit with cotton-acrylic blends or relatively inexpensive wool like recommended in the video. Lovely Indy spun/dyed yarn is such a treat, though, like an indulgent dessert! :)
100% agree on varying qualities, just as there are varying qualities of wool (and every other fiber) yarn. The best yarn is the stuff that works with your budget and that you enjoy knitting.
Just a quick tip -- when I start a skein of acrylic, I douse it throughly with water mixed with fabric softener or hair conditioner.. as is dunk the entire skein... let drip and dry enough to handle. It's a easy pre-wash.
Cool!
I am knitting baby things and for now Im going acrylic with those projects. Love how cost effective acrylic is for the baby knits.
Totally agree!
Hi Barbara! New subscriber in here👋🏻 I LOOOOVEEE your YT channel. I found one of your video around 8 am, i keep watching one by one, and now it’s 3 pm already🤣
You talked about almost everything that popped in my mind during knitting😂 This acrylic yarn, the yarn weight, the math, etc. But my mind was so scattered and you answered my question and elaborated my thought perfectly. I was like ‘oh yeah I was wondering why… yes that’s what I feel about metal needle.. ‘
Oh and I love your contagious laugh❤
I don't know if I could listen to myself for that long but I'm so glad you are enjoying the videos! Welcome to the channel. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. It might give me ideas for a future video!
I am using acrylic yarn until I feel like I am experienced enough to start using more expensive fibers. I wonder how much they different feel of the yarn will effect my knitting when I switch over. I am very interested in finding used sweaters in thrift shops and reusing the yarn.
Be careful with thrift store finds. Because you don't know where they came from you can easily introduce wool eating pests into your stash. I'm not saying don't do it - just saying be careful.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit I hadn’t considered this! thank you that is great advice.
I am going to donate my 3000+ yards of CARON Simply Soft yarn. Don't want to spendhours to make a cardigan and then have it SAG out of shape. You mentioned the heat factor which I now understand is why I don't wear polyester blouses, etc. Going to look for a wool blend in the wonderful SOLEIL (bright yellow) of CARON.
This is the best comparison I’ve run across. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I always learn some thing from you. Thank you, Barbara.
I'm so glad!
I found Cascade Cherub Aran, an acrylic blend. It is soft and enjoyable to work with. I’m experimenting with knitting socks for family members who wouldn’t want to mess with wool socks. I’m wanting to do colorwork with acrylic and wondered how it works! Thank you Barbara!!
I'm afraid I don't have any experience with doing colorwork with acrylic yarn. I would recommend doing a few swatches of the techniques you are considering and see how your specific yarn performs.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you Barbara. Most of what I’ve seen and read says it doesn’t work as well as wool, but the little bit I did didn’t turn out bad at all. I’ve got some experimenting to do with my tension and working with floats. So its a good way to practice. Thanks for your reply. Rosie
I love acrylic yarn for baby items, because of easy care, and any possible allergies. Nowadays they are really making some wonderful soft textures.
I agree!
Thank you Barbara, as always... great video...🤗🥰
Thanks for watching!
I don't mind a little to keep the cost down but I can't spend my time on 100 percent acrylic. I also don't like how it wears over time.
I find wool easier on the hands as it has natural stretch. And I spit splice!
Spit splicing feels perfect and wrong all at the same time LOL.
Another great and informative podcast! Thank you for your insights. Now: please tell me about that gorgeous shawl draped over your dress form behind you. I'd love to purchase that pattern. Out of this world SPECIAL!!!
I'm so glad you like it. Just FYI - the links to any sample on my dress form will always be in the description notes under the video. That said, that shawl is Unheeded Warnings and you can find more about it here: www.tumpedduck.com/designs/unheeded-warnings/
You forgot to mention allergies! Some of us simply can't knit with animal fiber (sneeze! scratch!) and I am so happy that we finally have a good acrylic fingering weight (Loops and Threads Woolike). I also have a ton of cheap acrylic from the thrift shop, which I use to make hats and cowls for the homeless; putting them through the washer and dryer softens them nicely.
I did miss the allergy angle, that might be a video all on it's own!
Hi Barbara, as a High School teacher I use acrylic when teaching the students how to knit. I get the students to knit squares which we sew together as charity blankets to give away at Christmas or during our Winter Appeal which is in June. Pros for acrylic moths don’t eat it. For myself I’m a natural fibre knitter but as you said knitting for other people can be problematic. I’m knitting a lot of gifts to send to my nephew and his family who I know will not have the time nor the expertise to wash properly so I will knit their gifts in acrylic yarn. Acrylic has its place but environmentally I still feel guilty using it. Thanks for your video and Renee for the question. It certainly made me think. Happy knitting.
What a really cool project for your students!
I agree with you on the 'enjoying the process of creating a piece and handling lovely yarn' aspects of going for good (not silly expensive) yarns. Big con of acrylics for me are that they do not breath and absorb smells much more and need more washing, whereas woolens, particularly animal fibres only need 'airing out' unless they are actually soiled. Also you do not have to weave in ends with woolen yarn, you can just connect the ends. And there are now many mid-ranged priced natural fibres out there. Even with baby clothes I've drifted towards using soft cottons which are afffordable and durable.
I have never had much success with connecting yarns, but that is probably user error LOL!
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Ever since I've come across a tip to use spit and roll the yarn ends on jeans it's working like a charm - I think it's some enzymes in the spit and the heat generated by the friction with cotton is what's doin' it.
Loved your vidéo. I must admit that i am kind of a yarn snob myself, but it's because i can afford it, which i am grateful for. I just calculated, that some zara sweater can cost 50€ and be 100% acrylic, for this price i can have some beautiful skeins of natural fiber, this is why i knit. But i totally understand not everyone has this budget, and also starting to learn with some pretty cashmere, is just wasteful.
Everyone knits with what they are comfy with and my job is to not judge LOL!
A little follow up six months later: I have knitted with acrylic and found that it stretches out with wear. I'm in Barbara's camp now and will spend a little more for wool to have a nicer garment. That said, I might work a new pattern up for the first time in cheap, dollar store acrylic just to see what the garment would look like . I have yet to find a way to block or keep acrylic so that it doesn't stretch out. I've washed sweaters and thrown them into the dryer and they're still going to elongate as I wear them. Any hints on keeping acrylic in shape?
It sounds like you have more experience in this arena than I do I'm afraid. Maybe a firmer fabric (knit at a denser gauge)?
This kind of stuff is so useful. I had a bunch of acrylic yarn laying around (or I found it layind around, or i snooped for it in my mum's house, hehe) and I was thinking what to do with it. This particular yarn is a bit scratchy so I thought to make something that wouldnt be in direct contact with my skin so much. i was gonna make heavily cabled leg warmers as my second knitting project ever, but the yarn is kind of idk stiff - like it doesnt wanna squish between my fingers- which seems like cables might be too tight nd lumpy bumpy (sorry im just spitballing coz im a total noobster) and knowing its properties now, I think I will go for some other design with thinner spacier and much much fewer cables (coz I really want to do cables and I for some reason want to do it on this project). Thanks a bunch for the info.
You might want to knit a couple of swatches and play with finishing options. Wash & dry, steam block, etc ... it can really change the texture.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit THanks, swatching different designs is what I ended up doing, I ended up using the Merope pattern for my leg warmers It's working like a charm.
I agree. There's a lot of lovely acrylic yarns out there. Acrylic is also lighter, than cotton, so for making blankets you can reduce the weight significantly by using acrylic or an acrylic-cotton blend.
I probably prefer a blend, over 100% acrylic, because of the way it feels to work with, but that's personal preference.
A con can be it's not breatheable. So to make a tight knit sweater for an active child, is not a good idea.
It's said, that it leaks tiny plastic particles and that's why, many places, they don't recommend using it for babies. But I don't know, if that is solved in the acrylics made for babies specifically, or if the yarns just is softer. 🙂
I really prefer cotton for babies, but I live in a very warm weather climate!
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Cotton for babies also has the advantage that it can be washed at a high heat, if it's needed... and it happens 😂
Hi Barbara, I need a little help. I’m looking to purchase a set of interchangeable circular knitting needles. I would like a set with 12 or 13 tips. Can you suggest some good sets that are under $100.00? My son wants to get me something from Amazon for my birthday and gave me the $100.00 limit. Thx in advance.
To get 12 or 13 tips you're looking at a pretty big set and those tend to be pricey. I just checked Amazon and the Knitters Pride Ginger set is currently on sale from at least one vendor for just under $100. If you're OK with a smaller quantity set, I really like my Knitter's Pride Zings!
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you! I’ll check those. 🧶👍
It's made of oil, that's a negative. The biggest. As it will be there forever. Polluting to make and keep, highly inflammable Love how you answered the question, Barbara. Snail post. There are eco yarns out there like Drops that are very affordable.
I really didn't want to get into that as there are all kinds of points that can be made bout the ecological damage caused by sheep farming, cotton growing, and any number of natural fibers. If it is a concern for a person I encourage them to research it for themselves!
Color is usually what draws me to acrylics ; especially worsted weight. Is that Riker on your books shelf?
It is indeed Riker LOL!
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Respects Fellow Nerd
Hi! Currently watching your show. Questions...Is it easier to knit with acrylic yarn as opposed to other yarns...especially for a new knitter who has very few skills? Should new knitters-n-training use this kind of yarn as a learning resource or should they start learning to knit on expensive yarn? Great subj! Thanks
No I would not say that acrylic is any easier to knit with than most other yarns. There are things that make a yarn challenging to knit with and that might make an interesting video. Some acrylic yarns might be more difficult to work with, things that are more novelty.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Thank you so much. You are a great instructor!
I knit and crochet. Unfortunatly, I struggle with natural fibers besides cotton esp. Wool. One skein I'll be fine but a different skein will have me sneezing and feeling like I've been washing my hands with poisen ivy and some sort of highly abrasive wash. Last time that happened my hands hurt for days even after thorough washings. I looked at the labels and the one that didnt hurt said to hand wash, so I think it might be the chemicals used so you can put it in the washer. However, I am highly reluctant to test this theory. A few other animal fibers I tried made me sneeze incessently. Like I said, unfortunate because wool makes some pretty things acrylic and cotton just cant match.
You're one of several people who have mentioned allergy issues. I think I need to do a bit of pondering and come up with a video that addresses allergies. It definitely sounds like you might be allergic to something in the wool processing process.
I've found that at hobby lobby they have a wide selection of yarns such as 100% supper wash merino. It's cheaper than a lot of other superwash merinos that I've seen online and Hobby Lobby has regular sales on yarn. They also have 100% wool and wool blends.
Blends can be awesome.
As long as it's not Red Heart Super Saver or that level of price point I will use it.
I also splurged on some merino wool only to develop allergies and a sinus infection trying to knit with it! Oddly I can wear it for some reason.
That is really interesting, I wonder why?